Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-12-26
AMERICAS VICTORY FIGHTERS ARE TO
RECEIVE MEDAL AS TRIBUTE FROM
GRATEFUL NATION FOR SERVICES

Some 100000 American soldiers and
sailors soon are to receive the Victory
Medal-tribute of grateful nation to
all the men in uniform who aided In
crushing German ambition to domi-
nate the world.
The National Geographic magazine
in its military insignia number, pub
fishes the first authorized illustration
of the medal as accepted by the Unit
ed States government and furnishes
the following description and history
of its adoption, by Colonel r. E. Wyllie
of the general staff, U. S. A.
During the spring of 1918, while
hostilities were still at their height
the different allied and associated ma
tons agreed to adopt a medal which
would be the same for all, to COM
lmemorate the great war.
''This plan has two advantages: In
the first place, 1t Is symbolicai of the
union and solidarity OF purpose which
animated the countries fighting against
Germany and her allies; secondly, 1t
obviates the necessity of following the
practice of exchanging service med
ais.
PREVIOUS CUSTOM.
! IN previous wars 1t had been Gus
tomary for nations, to bestow their
war medals on the personnel Of their
allies who were attached to them, or
associated with them. in different
campaigns and engagements. The i'm
mensity of the operations in this war,
the millions of soldiers engaged there
In, and the intermingling of large units
under one command, all point to the
impossibility of such procedure in
this instance. But by the adoption Of
medal, the same for all. II would be
unnecessary. since no matter in what
army a man served the medals would
be alike.
TN order to carry this plan into exc
cution, an interallied commission met
in Paris after the armistice. This
commission found that 1t was imprac-
ticable to adhere strictly to the origi-
nal plan to have the medal Identical for
all. as II would have required the sub
mission OF designs from artists of all
the nations involved, with a critical ex-
animation by a special commission of
artists In order to select the most ap-
propriate and most artistic, and there
was not sufficient time to 90 into such
detail. The armies were being de-
mobilized and the soldiers had no de-
sire to wait for years before receiving
their medals: SO 1t was decided to
have an Identical ribbon, but allow
each country to design its own medal,
according to general specifications
which were drawn up by the commits
sion.
SAME GENERAL DESIGN.
TN this way the medals, while not
Identical. will follow the same general
design. ard the artists of each country
will have the opportunity of executing
the medals for their own soldiers. The
competition Is keen, as every nation
Is DESTROYS CT having the most artistic
production. and the result should be
q collection Of great beauty.
THE name Of this medal in all coun-
tries, as determined by this commits
sion, is the Victory Medal The rib
bon is double rainbow, having the
red In the center and with a white
thread On each edge. 1t symbolizes the
dawn Of a new era of calm after the
storm. It was developed in France
Under the immediate direction Of the
commission. and when a satisfactory
ribbon was produced a piece was sent
to each OF the sllied countries a. q
stnGdard sample.
1.-The specifications Of the medal are
as follows:
ITO be bronze. SO MN. IA inchss)
IN diameter, and suspended from the
ribbon by a ring, the same AZ most of
our medals. On the diverse q winged
victory, standing. full length and full
face On the reverse the inscription
The Great War for Civilization In
the language Of the country concerned,
and either the names or the arms Of
the allied and associated nations.
BY the terms. of the interailied
agreement, this medal will be awarded
only to combatants. 1t 10 not for gem
eral distribution to all who particle
pated in war work. In France. for ex-
ample. almost every male was mobil-
ICED as a soldier, but great numbers did
In the manufacture Of munitions. IN
AGRICULTURAL pursuits, on the railroads.
and other similar services which was
essential 70 carry on the war, but
which could not - cqngidered - mill
tary. Thp nas9A e9anot - avsrs~'