f'HorTHma is rwhv firwEEN tuiENoe" 



Figure i6. — Cup presented to the Honorable Brand 

 VVhitlock by the British Government. Gift of Mrs. 

 Brand Whitlock. In Division of Political History. 

 (Ace. 1 378 1 5, cat. 40028; Smithsonian photo 

 45992-E.) 



The bottom edge of the plaque is engraved "TifTany 

 & Co. Makers" and "18417 Sterling Silver." 



FOR SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR I 



Of all the silver pieces in the collections of the 

 National Museum that commemorate military prow- 

 ess, the sole piece relating to World War I was pre- 

 sented to a man who achieved fame for his humani- 

 tarian service as a diplomat — the Honorable Brand 

 Whitlock, who was appointed American Minister to 

 Belgium in 1913. Whitlock came to the position with 

 a distinguished record as four-time mayor of Toledo, 

 Ohio, where his administration was noted for its re- 

 forms. He had insisted on a fair deal for the working 

 man; he liberalized the administration of justice; he 

 kept the city government free of graft; and he won a 

 battle against the power of vested interests in the city. 



After the invasion of Belgium in World War I, 

 Whitlock remained at his post where he performed 

 many services for the oppressed citizens. His presence 

 in Brus.sels facilitated for both friend and foe the enor- 

 mous task of organizing the distribution of food among 

 the civilian population of Belgium and the occupied 

 zone of France. In 1916 he chose to follow the 

 Belgian Government into exile. His activities won 

 him the lifelong affection and admiration of the 

 people of Belgium, and after the war they showered 

 him with evidences of their esteem. Among the many 

 presentation medals, documents, and miscellaneous 



Figure 17. — Paperweight idciuical to 

 those presented by William Jennings 

 Bryan to 30 diplomats who signed with 

 him treaties for the investigation of all 

 international disputes. Gift of William 

 Jennings Bryan. In Division of Political 

 History. (.^cc. 57778, cat. 15307; 

 .Smithsonian photo 45992-0.) 



gifts that he received is a silver loving cup (fig. 16) 

 from the British Government. On one side the cup 

 bears the British coat of arms, and on the other side 

 is inscribed : 



Presented to Brand Whitlock by his Britannic Majesty's 

 Government, 11 November 1918. 



The base is marked "C & Co.," "130 Regent St., 

 Carrington and Co., London W," and "Copy of An- 

 tique Irish 1717, 66 x 13, P 6610, .xy P d." 



A presentation piece made of polished steel is really 

 outside the scope of this paper, but as it has an 

 interesting bit of diplomatic history connected with 

 it, it has been included in the catalogue. The object 

 is a paperweight (fig. 17) designed by William 

 Jennings Bryan when he was Secretary of State. The 

 weight, in the form of a plowshare, was made from 

 swords condemned by the War Department. Thirty 

 of these weights were given by Secretary Bryan to the 

 diplomats who in 1914 signed with him treaties pro- 

 viding for the investigation of all international dis- 

 putes. The shaft of the plow bears the inscription : 



"Nothing is final between friends" 

 "Diplomacy is the art of keeping cool" 



The blade is inscribed 



"They shall beat their swords into plowshares" 

 Isaiah 2: 4 



PAPER 47: PRESENTATION PIECES 



103 



