San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-23
PROBE FRANCE s
Distribution
OF MEDALS
Wholesale Awards to u. 5.
Residents Investigated
by Washington.
Nv Universal service.

WASHINGTON. Nov. %. - A
sweeping congressional investigation
into the widespread decoration OF
Americans by all foreign governments
was forecast today. as the list OF
prominent Americans who have been
made members Of the French Legion
of Honor was made public from
Paris.
The object of the inquiry is to de-
termine the extent to which foreign
governments have adopted this adrn.t
means of creating public sentiment in
/. the United States favorable TO them.
selves and aiding their own financial
conditions through propaganda which
might be disseminated by influential
Americans.
Not only Senator George W. Norris
of Nebraska. who has initiated thu
probe. but many other senators AM
members of the House are deeply stir
red BY the roster of the French l.
gion of Honor which includes 23aS
American names.
SUGGESTS PROBE.
A letter sent to Secretary kellogg.
requesting the State Department 10
list all American recipients of reneh
decorations covered those decorated By
Great Britain and all other foreign
nations as well, the senator said:
International affairs of the most
vital importance to the United State
are about TO be taken up by Con
gress and the members as well as The
country should know the names OF the
Americans who have accepted foreign
decorations in order that we can veiga
@<he propaganda that VIII naturally be
yin for and against particular meas
ures,- said the senator.
SEEK INFLUENCE.
!. -Among the most important subjects
arelat;ng to foreign affairs that will
rome before the Senate is the proposed
adherence of the United States to the
world court. Also both houses must
ratify the foreign debt agreements.
sFor one j cannot see any reason
why foreign governments should hand
, out these honors wholesale to Amcri-
cans who have rendered no conspicu-
Gus services to those nations. except
. that it is believed that those Ameri'
cans Will lend their influence in re.
. turn.
Il can understand why France
-. should wish to honor Americans VINO
: have aided her on the battlefield, but
why should bankers and American
newspaper editors be so honored un'
! less France expects some fayors IN re-
turn
ARRAY OF EDITORS.
(. TT is hard 10 believe the French
government would be so indiscreet as
to spread medals over the United
States, to influence prominent people
here in favor of undue leniency in the
terms of settling the French debt,
said Senator Capper of Kansas. -,
I ~Since the question has been raised
and the names of many persons IN
influential positions listed as having
received medals from France, l be-
: lieye the whole matter should be in
veetigated and the facts revealed,
added the senator.
{, The name Of Woodrow Wilson is
conspicuous by its absence from the
long list made public in Paris, which
I. is an array Of American editors, pub
: fishers and publicists. as well as Vice
: President Dawes, members Of the cab
,inet and Congress, J. P. Morgan and
the leading lights of the financial
fworld.
Among the Legionnaires in the
American newspaperdom whose names
sappeared on the list are:
Adolph s. Ochs, publisher and prin-
,cipsl owner of the New York Times 7;
George Washington 0chs Cakes. board
! Of directors, the New York Times