Evening star., 1919-04-26
Knighthood May Not Take.

In the case OF Sir John J. Pershing,
for example-or. not to be invidious
in this matter. in the case of any OF
the other American X c. BIS and
ST Michael and ST. George-it appears
that he is only sort of an entered
apprentice knight. He has been ex-
posed to. knighthood, but IT has not
yet taken.
III he wishes to assume the title now
or at any future period he may do
SO upon going through certain FORM
alities. If he does not want to join the
order now his right to be a regular
knight simply remains in abeyance. II
at any time a passion for black s1ik
tights and a small sword overcomes
him he may sign receipt and swear
to something or other and presumably
pay a fee-the stamp tax in England
on honors such as this ts highly lu-
crative--and become knight COM
mander in good standing. Meanwhile
he may or may not be referred to as
sir in the English press.
Admiral Doesn't Like Title.
Admiral Sims has been knighted.
hut he does not wear the honor. IT 10
currently reported that he found II
necessary TO ask the British press not
to speak of him as Admiral Sir Will
B.,
mula. 1t is ALSO currently reported
that humor on ti6s topic 10 not en-
couraged in that portion Of the At
lantic feet which 10 directly under
Admiral Sims eye. His sailors love
him and admire him, but since this
knighthood incident they always
speak of him as Hold Blimey." this
being 4 very American joke. Any
thing British is "blimey" now on
the Atlantic fleet. There is an Amer
ican general in England. however.
who is always referred to 5y the Brit
ish press as General the Honorable
Sir So-and-So." Evidently he likes
H.
This British passion for knightinE
our generals and admirals is a mat
ter of no particular consequence one
way or the other. 1t has been said
that only professional soldiers can 'af-
ford to accept the honors, and pro-
fessional soldiers have had very little
to DO with shaping the course Of
American thought in times past. The
Indications are that when the returns
are all in from the present war they
may have even less to do with direct
ing the immediate current of Amsrf-
can action. And not even in q night
mare could IL he suggested that the
action Of an American professional
that Great Britain had made use of
him a. 4 medium through which a
compliment was made to the Ameri-
can people.
Different in Canada.
In Canada the situation 10 some
what different. Some time ago a very
determined protest was made to the
home government against knishtinE
eminent Canadians. II was felt that
a weak man might perhaps be in
through the eyes of Downing street
rather than through the spectacles of
Montreal. That is a matter Of domes-
tic politics in which the United States
has but a neighborly interest. There
10 no suggestion that Great Britain
has sought TO affect the action Of any
American public man in this fashion.
Great Britain, too. has shown a
real delicacy In the distribution of
decorations among Americans. Those
what-not have been held deserving by
their comrades. As much cannot be
said of the distribution Of the ribbon
Of the Legion of Honor in France 1t
has often puzzled those in touch with
the situation TO know precisely why
some Americans were thus decorated,
even concedinE that the ribbon OF
the legion 10 rather widely distrib-
uted now. One French cynic made me
this explanation.
The French Classification.
There are three classes of Ameri-
cans upon whom the Legion of Honor
IL conferred" said he. They are:
Those who ask for IL hard enough;
Those who have done somethine z
for France;
Those who may do something for
France"
II 10 certain that the gossip OF
farls IL that many Americans are un-
blushing ribbon hunters Some OF