Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-14
PARIS CROWDS WILD
OVER GEN. PERSH|NC
City Opens Its Arms to Com
mander of American Forces
and His Staff.
SM0THERED WITH FLOWERS

SMOTHERED WITH FLOWERS
Ry the Associated Press
PARlS. June 1.-THE first day spent 4,
f'aris by MAJ. Gen. Persh!ng was a con-
hnuous succession of enthusiastic popu-
| iar demonstrations. given wherever tho
American commander made an appear
ance- Great thronEs nllca the Place de-
IA 'oncorde early in the day, hoping 10
eaten glimpse of the american Hun
dreds OF French soldiers OH leave from tho
front. mingled in the thronEs and gave
nearly greetings to the troopers OF tho
"a cavalry who accompanied Gen. Persh-
| ing \ large American fag waved over
The generals hotel. and everywhere tho
french and Ar.elir;... co!o-s were inter-
twined
che 9. 'fc FIRST events on today's
eiowted .ro.-2:a, was a visit this morn
'.ss , he Fot"i Des Invalides. and the
historic tn"nuH- eI.t containing Napoleon.s
ooar In lie co',-t OF homo. Gen. Persh-
ing passed gteat cClircticn Of war relics
+ ,hcitclfiS sfi;.;ter,fi German airI,.iies a
idise ..G.EheE OF German aid Austrian
Shi"-h't guns and Ia.ious other engines
OF C--.t ructlUn.
Attef brief ceremony at the In
n.-itde5 1Ieh iershing made formal
| cti oa Ambassador Sharp, and then
was escorted with military honors TO
! t'te faiacc of the Elysee to be pre-
| scated to President Poincare At 1870
CLOCK the President and Nine. Poincare
save slate breakfast in honor OF the
american commander. Other guests
We're Premier Ribot, Gen Painleve,
Mafshal .Ioffre. Minister Viviani, Am
sas.. sassador sharp and other prominent
HSureS IN OFFICIAL and civilian life
Gen. Pershing attended this after
noon session Of the chamber of depu-
ties. When he entered the diplomatic
gaiiery with Ambassador Sharp all the
general had bowed his acknowledees
ment. Premier Ribot made a statement
on the abdication of King Constantine
and N Fiviani addressed the chamber
on tne results of the French mission
to the United States.
Outburst of Enthusiasm.
Paris opened Its arms to Gen Pershine
and his stan yesterday and welcomed them
with an outburst Of spontaneous enthusf-
asm. such as only Paris is capable of.
No conquering hero returning home could
have hoped for or received such a ire.
| mendous reception as greeted the Amer
ican commander as his automobile sped
tnroush hundreds Of thousands of cheer
ing people.
Paris. and particularly the French an.
tnorlties. had planned and hoped for a
great reception. but It Is doubtful wheth-
er even the most optimistic pictured the
aimost frantic crowds that all but blocked
,ne ,ne,,,so psosfsss Of the automobiles. Men and
women cheered themselves hoarse and
nung masses Of flowers into the cars
Parfsians declare that the only event In
their life that approximates the reception
enthusiasm was that accorded to King
| n
AT the station Gen. Pershing was met
by a group of French officials, including
Minister Fiviani. Marshal Joffre and
Gems. Foch, Painleve and Peltier. and by
group of Americans headed by Ambas-
sador Sharp. At one end of the station
was an improvised throne with red tapes
tries, such as is erected when royalty is
visiting the city, which had been put up
for the occasion. Before leaving the sta
tion the party assembled at this point
Speeches of welcome were delivered by
prominent Frenchmen.
Flowers Thrown Into Cars.
Gen. Pershing and Field Marshal
Joffre were the first to appear Behind
them came a stream of American off,
GERS. each with a French officer as his
host. The first shout of welcome became
a continuous roar that seemed to shake
the station to its foundations The no.
lice hurriedly began to clear a lane
down which half dozen automobiles
moved at snails pace between frantic
throngs.
From hundreds Of windows American
flags were waved by men. women and
children. French girls, with flags pin
ned to their breasts and their arms
filled with flowers. bought from their
scanty savings. fairly fought for a
chance to get near enough to the ma
chimes to hurl their offerings into the
laps and on the shoulders of the aston
ished American officers.
The Americans apparently had not
imagined the heights to which Partisan
enthusiasm could rise. Boys. men ana
girls, and even some old women, strug-
gled to jump on the running board of
Gen. Pershing's car to shake hands with
him.
The demonstration was the more Gig
nif1cant because it came from a great
outpouring of people who for the time
in progress.
Cheers for America.
1t was not Gen. Pershing alone who
came in for unprecedented ovations,
but every American caught sight OF
by the people was almost burdened
with flowers. Crowds shouted them
selves hoarse with cheers for America.
From every housetop all along the
route, from every window. from every
elevation and from the thousands upon
thousands who choked every thorough
fare in the vicinity of the line of march
there was hurled a welcome that no
American in Paris will ever forget
Gen. Pershing was expected to arrive
from Boulogne at o'clock but his
special train did not reach Paris until
$50. This gave opportunity for thou
sands who work until O'Clock to mass
themselves along the route until the
congestion became great that trans
portation was tied up. Gen. pershins's
features were not familiar TO the peo-
pie. but Papa" Joffre's cap caught the
eye of the people and revealed the
identity of the soldier in khaki at his
side.
Francois de lessen. in an interview
printed in the Temps. quotes Gen
Pershng as saying:
Il came to Europe to organize tho
participation of our army in this i'm
mense conflict OF free nations against
the enemies Of liberty. and not to de-
liver fine speeches at banquets or have
them published in the newspapers Be
sides. that is not my business and, as
you know, we Americans. soldiers and
civilians like not only TO appear but
to be, business-like However since
you offer me occasion to speak to
France. / am glad to make you a short
and simple confession.
Profoundly Happy, He Says.
"As a man and as a soldier. I am pro-
foundly happy. indeed proud. OF tho
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