Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-21
By EDDIE GILMORE
Associated Press Writer

after the two World Wars.
sits all part of the vast
interchange of decorations
and honors that takes place
because Of the wars" ex-
planned British Gen. Cyril
SColquhoun, secretary of the
Central Chancellory Of the
Orders of Knighthood.
This is the organization
that keeps official books on
who's who in chivalry. And
there are a lot of books to
be kept because knighthood
and other honors 60 back
for centuries.
The Precedence
Ex-President Eisenhower
Is a Knight Grand Cross of
the Bath.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz
is one and so is Gen. James
H. Doolittle.
Mr.. Hoover is a Knight
Commander of the British
Empire.
So is Mr.. Douglas Fair
banks, jr.
ar In precedence, they are
outranked by the Knights
Grand Cross of the Bath.
This doesn't mean that
the knights Of the Bath
have distinguished them
selves by any close connec-
ton with the honorable
trade of plumbing.
The Order of the Bath is
believed to have been estab-
lished by King Henry w at
his coronation in 1899.
In 1725, it was remodeled
and became a military order.
The late Gen. Walter
Bedell Smith, Gen. Eisen-
hower's chief of Staff in
World War II, was twice
knighted.
He was a Knight Grand
Cross of the Bath and a
Knight Commander of the
Bath.
Yet, when he became AM
bassador to the Soviet I'm
ion-and a British CORE
spondent asked him how he
should be addressed-he re-
piled:
Just call me Beetle"
Some, American-born citi-
zens have become real
knights, however.
He Moved
The sculptor, the late Jacob
Epstein was one.
Born on the bowery in
New York, Mr.. Epstein emf
grated to Britain and became
a naturalized British sub
ject.
After he was knighted by
Queen Elizabeth II, he had
every legal right to call him.
self Sir" and that is what
he did.
American-born T. S. Eliot,
the poet, has never been
knighted, but he has been
given the Order Of Merit.
A naturalized British sub
ject, he puts O. M. after
his name.
Most of the knighted
Americans received their
decorations from British
ambassadors and other Brit
ish officials in the United
States.
To be a real knight-and
so called-you have to re-
ceive the monarch's accolade.
In Buckingham Palace at
an impressive ceremony, she
touches you with a sword on
each shoulder and proclaims
you.
Douglas Fairbanks, jr., is
an outstanding example OF
an American who received
his honor directly from the
sovereign.
Informal Honor
Long a friend Of the royal
family, the 52-year-old son
of the silent film actor,
Douglas Fairbanks, ST., re-
ceived his honor from King
George vi, personally but in
formally.
The Marchioness Of Lans-
downe is the former Barbara
Chase, of Santa Barbara,
Calf. Her husband is the
Marques Of Lansdowne.
The former Virginia For
tune Ryan. of Newport, R. L.,
is married to Lord Ogilvy.
Here she is known as Lady
Ogilvy.
When her husband Sue
ceeds to his fathers title and
becomes the Earl of Airlie.
the girl from Rhode Island
will be known as the
Countess of Airlie.
Americans could-if they
wanted to-be British Lords.
There is no British law
against any American be-
coming a peer.
He would not be allowed
to sit in the House of Lords,
however, unless the Ameri-
can who succeeded to a peer
OFF.SEASON SPECIAL