Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-13
A Banquet Under Fire

Toward the middle of the same day, after
n twenty-kilometcr drive over the noun
| tains. through roads winding among pines
and beeches, past villages nesting among
valleys, we reached another town. as an
cient yet with more history woven with its
name,
1t lies on the edge of valley and with
In full range of German shell and mitral-
leuse. 1t was taken by the French on Au-
gust I, 1914, fought for and lost on August
,. refought for and won again on August
10 Men died In its streets upon the three
occasions. Since that 13th day Of August.
nearly three years ago, il has remained
under the flag of France and intermittent
Boche fire.
In the great room of its principal hotel
within walls shell and shrapnel SCARED,
was guest of honor at the most unusual |
banquet ever given For II was held in full
range of Boche cannon, within a place
where at wiz the barbarian could have
wounded or Killed any Of those present
And 1t was the first official and ceremonious
celebration, as ! stated in a cable to the
EVENING LEDGER of this date. of a ma
tional holiday official function held within
direct line of fire from enemy shell by any
nation in any war.
More than $50 gathered about the board
the Mayor OF the town and the Mayors OF
seventeen other towns and villages in re-
conquered Alsace, members of Municipal
councils, lawyers doctors, priests. men in
industrial life and officers in every uniform
of French army service General -
commanding the - division, presided
At his right, as acting president, sat the
most highly esteemed manufacturer of the
town community.
At his left the Mayor, in the uniform Of
major OF French infantry. with an empty
right sleeve, the Mayors red. white and
blue sash about the waist of his horizon blue
.'"'c', typifying something without prece-
d"nt IN the history of France-a French
man ana an Alsatian who at one and the
same time was an active officer i'm the army
and Mayor of an important municipality
The menu was long and varied and marked
IN patriotic interest apart from wel-savored
FOOD. For that reason give it verbatim:
Fete Rationale.
Alsatian Revenge
First Banquet held at
In Range of Boche Mitralleuse
II July. 1914
Potage of the Allies
Lobster n la Pershing
Diplomatic Vol au Vent
Veal Tenderloin a la Perigord, with
Lorraine Dressing.
Alsatian Pate with Jelly
blosen salad. Thannois Cake.
Neutral Cheeses Fruits
Assorted Desserts.
In its upper corner were two draped Tri.
colors surmounted by escutcheons showing
the red and white colors of Alsace and the
Alsatian coat OF arms, pine tree and roots
on white field
With the coffee eloquent addresses were
made by the presiding officer, General -,
ana Mayor MAJOR - in each of which
reference was made to the great RcpubIic
across the sea. which, through its illustrious
President had pledged its last mans blood
and its last store Of treasure to the cause OF
right While the speakers held their audi
ence Boche airplanes were flying high over
head and shrapnel from French airpIa ne
guns was breaking in the air, the smoke,
lazilY staining the blue attracting but pass
ing notice, For this town had been bono
barded many time since the armS OF
France had redeemed II in August. 1914
as the scars upon its standing buildings and
the wrecks OF other buildings testihed-and
this was the national holiday, a hoIy ceie-
bration not to be gainsaid by German lead
] had the honor of replying to that nor
tion of each address touching upon the
United States and the noble history created
through President Wilson's love of right
Ihat which J said covered nothing new,
being in sooth but a reiteration Of things
recently said by abier men. yet here phrased
and uttered verbally before these uniformed
and civilian patriots, Il became electrifyine
in effect And az raised my glass, drinking
neither to France nor the United States nor
the Allies, hut to Alsace, free Alsace, Alsace
again and for all time, with the grace az
God French Alsace. the applause might
have been heard In the German lines. Per
haps 1t was, for later shells broke i'm the
older section OF the town.
The EVENING LEDGER was thus not only
honored In the appreciation OF these pa
triots. but through the double addit,onai
public handclasp Of General -. who Ieft
his seat and advanced asking for the priyi-
iege. and the Generals request that your
correspondent stand beside him as AN ON
eisl photograph which was taken "A liftlt.
later In the courtyard. ~ q f-t.
t "a fhtrd 0rficle ~ ~ norfn - -
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