The New York herald., 1921-10-18
PERSH|NG BESTOWS
AMERICAS TRIBUTE
Medal of Honor Placed on
Abbey Tomb Of Unknown
English Hero.
LLOYD GEORGE RESPONDS
1.-TWO Mighty Peoples Have Re-
solved to Guarantee q Great
Peace He Says.
LLOYD GEORGE RESPONDS

Special Cable to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1921, by THE NEw YoHK HERALD.
Now York Herald Bureau.
London. Oct. 17.j
Gen. John J. Pershing laid the Con-
gressional Medal of Honor upon the
tomb Of the unknown British soldier
in Westminster Abbey to-day. The
ceremony itself, in the abbey's in
spring precincts, was charged with
solemn sentiment of high aspiration.
The climax of the days ceremonies.
beginning in the shadow of those
Westminster tornbs whose names are
Just as familiar In America as in Eng
land. came tonight, however, when
Sir LaIning Worthington Evans. Brit
ish Secretary of State for War, pre-
siding at dinner in honor Of Gen.
Pershing, read a telegram King George
had sent to President Harding, an
nouncing that Britain would bestow
the Victoria Cross, for the first time
ON the subject of any other State, on
Americas unknown soldier in WASH
ington on November II.
Symbols OF Common Heritage.
1t would have been difficult to be-
lieve that Britain and America were
anything less than cousins to-day. The
statue Of Abraham Lincoln saw files OF
British guardsmen and Of Yankee
nj
through Parliament Square. Inside the
dim nagnificences OF the abbey
Chatham's statue looked down as the
Kings uncle, the Duke OF Conn: ught (;
the American Ambassador, George Har-
vey, and the Prime Minister, Mr.. Lloyd
George, gathered about the grave which
is symbolic of all Britain's sacrifice in
the war. and as Gen. Pershing stepped
forward to lay on that grave all that
America can say In praise of valor, the
Congressional Medal of Honor, a sha II
of sunlight. sheer American in it's crys-
talline brightness. shot down through
the shadows. storied Of all the great
nesses Of Americas and Brltains COM
mon stock. over tombs that bore names
which might be found I'm any graveyard
in America. and twinklcd a common
benediction on the scene. And while all
VI.
Pershing and Mr.. Lloyd George voiced
the political ties of the two nations
Gen Pershing said: And now in this
holy sanctuary, In the name of the Pres-
dent and the people Of the United States.
I place upon this unknown warriors
tomb a medal of honor conferred upon
him by special act of the American Con-
xresa in commemoration of the sacri-
fees OF our British comrade and his
fellow countrymen, and as a slight
token of our gratitude and affection to-
ward this people"
The Prime Minister replied
This homage will be interpreted as a
solemn pledge given the valiant dead
that these two mighty people who were
comrades In the great war have resolved
to remain comrades to guarantee great
peace"
The ceremony was over with the
British Last Post" Then band
struck up Sousa's STARS and Stripes
Forever" and to this inspiring tune the
captains and the Kings representatives
left the Abbey with a final salute TO
the universal hero.
The American party then went 70
the cenotaph. where Gen. Pershing laid
a magnificent wreath of bays, twined
with American flags. He had luncheon
with the Duke of Connaught. had tea
with Mr.. and Mrs. Cornelius Wander
bilt and dined tonight as the guest
Of the Government. Later he motored
to Portsmouth. where he went aboard
the destroyer Sands. which was watt
ing TO take him to Havrc. He will ar
rive in Paris at o'clock this morn
ing.