The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Mr. Ernest C. Morse, a United States Civilian, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I as Director of Sales, Supply Division, War Department, General Staff. Charged with the very important duty of organizing and training a competent force for the entirely novel functions of supervising, coordinating, and directing the disposal, according to law, of the vast War Department surplus of supplies, materials, and properties of every description, and with the formulation and development of sales policies, Mr. Morse performed his manifold duties with marked ability, energy, and judgment, with the result that the United States disposed of great quantities of supplies at exceptionally advantageous prices.