The New York herald., 1921-10-11
VICTORIA CROSS FOR
UNKNOWN HERO in
us, BRITISH Plan
Unprecedented Honor to Be
Paid at Time of Medal
Presentation There.
PERSHING rs INFORMED
Failure to Officially Invite
Him Is Understood by
General.
HOLD CEREMONIES LATER
Officials in London Explain
Delay-Not Ready to Garry
Out Full Programme.
PERSHING is INFORMED
HOLD CEREMONIES LATER

Special Cable to THE New York HERALD.
Copyright, 1891. 6v THE New YoHK HERALD.
Now York Herald Bureau.
London. Oct. 10.
Official London sincerely regrets that
there is any disposition on the part Of
some Americans to feel that Great Bri-
tain has slighted the mission of Gen.
John j.. Pershing to lay the Congress
sional Medal of Honor on the grave of
Britain's unknown warrior" at West
minister. 1t was explained here to-day
that, far from being q slight, the British
delay in officially inviting Pershing to
London at this time was due to the de-
sire to render an unprecedented honor
to Americas unknown dead at the same
time the Congressional medal was con-
ferred here. That unprecedented honor
Is the Victoria Cross.
Never since it's institution has this
decoration been given except for ex-
soldier on the field Of battle, and in a
manner beyond the requirements Of
duty--almost the same formula as the
Congressional medal.
The news OF Gen. Pershing's mission
to bestow the Congressional medal on
Great Britain's unknown hero came, here
at time when every official was away
from London. both the King and the
Prime Minister being in the highla nds
Of Scotland. and the entire Cabinet scat
tered. Parliament was not in session,
and law officials held that the Victoria
Cross could not be bestowed on Amer
ica's unknown warrior" without an act
Of Parliament
Gen. Pershing has been appraised in
formally Of this state Of affairs. and It
is understood here that he personally ap-
preciates why an official invitation to
come to London has not been forwarded
to him. 1t was intimated here that the
British felt it would be better to Of
ficially ignore Gen. Pershing's presence
in Europe at this time than to let him
come to London with Americas highest
decoration for Great Britain's unknown
dead when Britain's highest decoration
was not ready to be bestowed on the
body of the American hero
1t was said that IL Parliament We're
sitting on October IS it could not pass
an authorization to bestow the Victoria
Cross on the American unknown war
rior" and arrange for the ceremony be-
fore Gen. Pershing left for the United
States. on october 20. Therefore, 1t was
decided that Major-Gen. Henry r. Allen,
commanding the American forces on the
Rhine, or some other high officer OF the
United States Army, would be invited to
come here for the ceremony on November
IL. 1t was believed that this was satis-
factory to everybody. At any rate, the
British intend to go ahead with this
programme.
LONDON, Oct. II (Tuesday). - Com
menting on the Pershing incident the
7inscs says that unless the accounts of it
received from New York and Washing
ton are based on an entire misapprehen-
sion. the British Government seems to
have been guilty of a deplorable bit of
tactlessness.
mot unnaturally." continues the Times,
Congressional circles are showing irri-
tation at this apparent discourteous in
difference. We assume that there is
some adequate explanation of the official
lapse. which. were the facts as reported.
would be objectionable. The harmony
between the two peoples might be more
seriously impaired by an incident of this
kind even than by Emergencies Of
policy"