The Colorado statesman., 1922-05-20

Thousands of American civilians
and soldiers are wearing today
buttons or ribbons showing that
they received foreign decorations for
valor or service during the great war.
Uncle Sans serxantsaahat is men who
are in his employment in any public
capacity, must get the permission of
congress before they can accept from
the hands of any foreign government
or king II gift of any kind.
The acceptances of military decora-
tions given for service in the great
war were authorized by congress. An
American in civilian life is not COM
PEELED to get the congressional per-
mission to accept a foreign decoration
or foreign gift
over in the State department there
is curious collection of odds and
ends of gifts and decorations which
were sent in other days to Americans
in official life who never were given
permission to accept them. There are
few members of congress today to
whom certain things have been offered
by foreign governments, but who as
yet have not received permission to
wear them or use them.
In an elder day congress at inter-
walls would give leave to several army
and navy officers and few civilian
employees of the government to ac-
cept gifts from foreign potentates.
Congress always was rather chary
about taking this action, but on oc-
casion when it was shown that some
or deserved the gifts and that there
was no political or diplomatic inten-
tion In their comforting, congress
would relent
Mr.. Root Called Them "Gentlemen."
When Elihu Root was secretary of
state he did something which was re-
garded as curious. In a communication
to congress asking permission to turn
over to waiting ones some of the
decorations of foreign governments in
tended for them he asked leave that
certain gentlemen be authorized to ac-
cept orders from foreign govern
ments."
Ordinarily the officials of the State
department were content to speak col
lectively of those of whom they were
writing as persons" but Mr.. Root
for some reason or other inserted the
word gentlemen" for persons" Con-
gress made somewhat merry at the
time over the distinction which Mr..
Root made without probably intend
ing to make any at all. The trouble
was that the secretary of state did
not include in his request the names
Il
ents by foreign governments, and the
entirely gratuitious assumption was
that those whose names were not men
toned were not gentlemen.
Since the day that the United States
became a world power every nation
on the face of the globe has sought
to give its officials presents of one
kind or another. Once on time the
emperor of Ethiopia was one of the
monarchs to come bearing gifts. 1t was
his desire to present a ribbon, pin
and star, the symbols of an order
which has existed since the day of
King Solomon and the Queen of She
ba, to r. p. Skinner, one-time consul
ut Marseilles
Permission often Long Delayed.
1t took King Edward VII of England
a long time before he could get per-
mission from the American congress
to give n silver ink stand to George III.
Bridgman, then American consul at
Kingston, Jamaica, and a silver writ
ing set to Arthur NJ. Beaupre, who
was then United States minister to the
Argentine republic. Edward also had
at one time in stock large number of
souvenir coronation medals, few
swords and several watches which he
wanted to hand over with the express
sion of his kingly regard to American
army and navy officers and to sew
eral lighthouse keepers who owed al
legiance to this republic. 1t took Ed
ward a long time to have his kingly
way in the matter.
The shah of Persia had to wait two
years before he was given leave to
present a diamond snuff box to Rich
mond Pearson. who at one time was
our minister at Teheran. The khedive
of Egypt wanted to bestow on Ethel
bert Watts the decoration of the Order
of Osmanie, but there was a delay
of several years.
A good many years ago an emperor
of China picked out twenty Americans
whom he wished to honor with the
decoration of the Double Dragon.
Congress allowed a score of its coun-
try's citizens to receive the decoration,
but if the truth must be told 1t
should be set down that these decora-
tions were generally known as be-
longing to the second class of gifts.
In other words, the emperor was not
paying a full compliment to the twen-
ty selected Americans when he con-
ferred the Double Dragon upon them.
Perhaps the Triple Dragon would