Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-11
THE VICTORY MEDALS
There Are 10000 Of Them Now In
Process Of Manufseture--onIy Half
OF Them VIII Go to Pennsylvania
Guardsmen-The Reason Why
BY GEORGE NOx MCCAIN
PENNSYLVANIA, whose sons crown

BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN
I)ENNSYLVANIA, whose sons crowned
- her name with imperishable glory in the
world war, is at length to recognize, In Il
measure, her debt of gratitude to them.
ter own decoration. a Victory medal is
10 oe bestowed upon them.
Other States have taken the same step
months ago.
The United States, in the bestowal of
medals, ribbons and crosses, began the work
shortly after the war closed.
1t is to be the old National Guards own
decoration.
BENJAMIN w. DEMMING tells me that
- the Victory medals are now in process
OF production.
The sketch of the medal has been sub
mltted, the dies made and the work started.
Mr.. Demming who is n son Of Colonel II.
=, Demming, the geologst, is chief clerk in
the adJutant generals Office.
IN way he has the detail Of the work
In his hands
There will be about 10000 of them made
A DJUTANT GENERAL FRANK D.
"A BEARY passed upon the designs and
approved them.
They will be known as the Pennsylvania
victory medals. They will be of bronze.
me medal itself will be one and three
eighths inches wide.
1t will hang dependent from ribbon by a
victoria Cross English swivel
The ribbon will be attached to bronze
bar three -eighths of an inch wide and one
ana three ghths inches long.
Heavy moire silk ribbon will be used, an
lnch and half wide. 1t will be of the
same texture as the United States Victory
medal ribbon
In the center of the ribbon lengthwise
VIII run the colors of the Allies The out
side, or edge, will have a border of Penn
sylvania blue.
HERE is the official description Of tho
IL bronze medal
The diverse will carry tho head and bust
of William Penn In armor.
sylvania National Guard"
At the base Of the body will be keystone
with the letters p. n. G..
I'm the reverse is an allegorcal eagle flyipp
from the shore line of America to the aid
OF the Allies In France. The figure % ap-
pears in a Keystone
There are ships on the sea- and Mt the
base a small model of the flag on Key
stone.
nF THE 10000 to be made odd as It NAV
~ seem. only about half of them will 90
to pennsylvania men.
In nearly every State in the Union there
are veterans who will wear this decoration.
they fought with the PENNSYLVANIA diyision
and under its flag. '''''''"
This is due to the replacements.
Atter the first shocks of battle the Penn
sylyania National Guard began thinning out.
and its losses were replaced by men from
the selective draft.
Ihey came from everywhere
- fractlcally half Of the PENNSYLVANIA
Guard did not come back with the troops
after the armiSticc.
hn
the division -A
Some companies were mustered out with
only fraction of the original men,
>. Inc Somerset Company, when 1t returned
dld not have an officer or private in it who
left home originally for France
Mr.. Demming refers to this as one of the
most remarkable episodes of the World War.
NO other division in the United States had
any such record of casualties.
IN ALL the more or less dsjointed
L lucubrations over the financial condition
Of the State, there is one salient fact that bas
been overlooked '''
1t has to do with the future.
Within few years there will be demands
that must be met for the maintenance of
soldiers, orphan schools on a scale never vet
attained.
Those who recall the years following the
close of the Civil War do not forget the re-
markable growth of these institutions. then
hrst organized in the history of the State
Later on, as the children Of the veterans
of 61-65 grew up, the schools dwindled in
their attendance.
Then came the Spanish American War.
and once. more they experienced sort of
rejuvenation.
Now come the World War orphans.
SOLDlERS' homes also will demand
~ greater appropriations
The Legislature of the present year nassed
two important bills in this connection.
veterans of 81, who formerly fpurcd
largely on these boards Of control, are pass
ing rapidly.
Their sons of the Spanish War are taking
their places
Amendments were passed to the law of
1888, relating to homes for INDECENT and dis
abed soldiers, sailors and marines. for the
appointment of three veterans each of the
Spanish American War and the war with
Germany on the soldiers Home Board.
In like manner two veterans of the World
War and members Of the American Legion
go on the Soldiers Orphan School Board.
Better homes better schools, greater care.
more experienced teachers, better surround
ings and opportunities In every respect will
be thus insured.
T SHALL never forget the Juror that was
raised during the legislative session Of
1880, when the late Thomas V. Cooper, of
delaware County, proposed an amendment
TO the Soldiers Orphan School Bill that
would have permitted the Poor Directors
of each county to remove the children from
the amshouSes and put them in the SOL
dierS' orphan schools.
The Grand Army Of the Republic made
lust one protest Rut II waa anough