Of all the silver pieces in the collections of the National Museum that
commemorate military prowess, the sole piece relating to World War I was
presented to a man who achieved fame for his humanitarian 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 reforms. 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 Brussels facilitated for both friend and foe the enormous
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 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 Antique Irish 1717, 66 x 13, P 6610, xy P d."
[Illustration: Figure 17.--PAPERWEIGHT identical 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. (Acc. 57778, cat. 15307;
Smithsonian photo 45992-C.)]
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 providing for the investigation of all international
disputes. The shaft of the plow bears the inscription:
"Nothing is final between friends"
"Diplomacy is the art of keeping cool"