Evening star., 1921-03-23
FRANCE REWARDS
AIR PHOTO LEADER
Ceremony Here Gives Special
Recognition for Work of
Mai. E. J. Steichen.

An extremely talf and spare man in
civilians" stood before Gen. Col
lardet. military attache of the French
embassy. yesterday afternoon in the
trophy room of the Army air service.
Munitions building, and became Lieut..
Col. Edward J. Steichen, U. S. r..
Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
while high officials Of the air service
of the Army stood at attention.
Thus the French government recog-
nized the work of the American major
who took charge OF and whipped into
smooth-running organization the
aerial photographers in France NOR
than three years ago.
The work was splendidly done"
commented Gen. Collardet. as he dis
played the medal with its crimson rib
bon attached.
Commended by France.
'One thing the French recognized d
as brilliant work during the early
days of American participation in the
war was the air service organization,
and one thing about the air service
which received recognition was the
excellent organization OF the aerial
Photography branch"
He then read the citation in French
and conferred the decoration.
After the ceremony, when Gen. Memo
her. chief of the air service, and other
officers had filed before him with con-
gratulations. Col. steichen spoke for a
few minutes to a representative of The
Star. He said little of his work in
France, although he was the keystone
of the Photographic division of the Army
which furnished the aerial maps by
which the raids against Teuton lines
were planned. Later he organized the
rterallied aerial Photographic commits
sion and was appointed its chief.
Conditions In Germany.
The subject now claiming his atten-
ton is that of conditions in Germany
He has just returned from Il survey of
that country and what he finds there is
told as follows:
Germany. as seen from Berlin and
other large cities. is in almost per-
feet shape induStriaily to swing into
the commercial world again. Her
factory wheels are literally just wait
ing for the starting touch. which will
come when the markets of the world
are reopened for her. There is as
great profiteering and luxury in Ber-
lin and there are wider times to be
had there than in New York. 1t is.
for some classes in the midst of an
orgy of pendthriftness. Those who
are suffering are the ones whose
wiped out by taxation and lack of
buying power of the mark But con-
dltioRs in Germany do not forecast
any such thing as national starvation
or national deca.
Stories come f'nm that country at
times of rickety Ihildren and stunted
youths To the eye of Col. Steichen
they seemed normal
Age of Workers.
One interesting phase, he said, is
the change in age of the coming
Workmen of Germany. Boys of eish-
teen, and even less, and girls of the
same age are at work on skilled prod
ucts. where formerly trained special
lists were at the benches In one in
stance. he said, the product would
probably be inferior to an extremely
noticeable extent on account of this
fact.
Taken as whole, Germany is ready
TOT reconstruction. Bolshevism. it is
believed, will not obtain q rootbold
Its tenets are held by number, but
1t is not expected that the Russian
system will obtain permanent or even
temporary approval of the majority.