New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30

concluding by saying: And now gen
tlcmen. YOU shall sec General Jonre. ne
will read YOU a statement. and then you
may ask him questions
4 door al the end Of the room
furthest from the correspondents
opened and the marshal walked IN; o..
oompanied by Lieutenant Colonel jean
Pabrv. "the Blue Devil OF France; BIS
chief Of staff, and other officers OF w
commission. The famous soldier. wear
ing his uniform a blue jacket, oriI'
iant req trousers and leather puNees
took a position az the head of the coun
ell table. while his callers crowceu
nearer and began 20 file by. As eacn
approached he smoke his name and the
rane Of the newspaper he represented.
K was repeated TO the marshal ~
French, there was clssping OF HANDS
sud IN the case OF those correspond
ents who spoke French a word or two
Of greeting.
Then the marshal took from the
pocket Of his jacket two typewriter
sheets Of paper and began TO read IN
French. lie bowed his head little as
he read. holding the paper where the
Light from a window behind him would
strike ia best. His voice was even ana
soft. and yet such was its quality that
persons standing ma the far corners OF
The room were able to hear every
word American and French officers
stood just behind MIN at attention.
Correspondents Cheer Marshal
When ;nc marshal concluded the cor
respondents appiauded and he smiled
Then a military aid read an English
version, which, he explained, was nur-
rieLly made and imperfect.
As the last word was read and the
.on-French speaking correspondents
realized the Importance Of the mar.
shals remarks. there was burst OF
applause, then cheers cheers so loud
that they reached the ears of crowd
OF men and women waiting outside the
grounds to catch glimpse Of the
French hero az ne started for Mount
Vernon. Ar American sentry pacing up
and down outside the room lowered his
gun and discreetly peercd in through
the window just as the gray-halred
soldier Of France, enthusiastically
showing his appreciation, was cAeered
again even louder than before.
When the cheering died away NJ
HoyelaIue invited the correspondents
10 ask questions.
There was some hesitation while the
marshal, his countenance wreathed IN
smiles. leaned little forward eX-
pectantly, rubbing a heavy list into the
palm of his other hand. Finally the
questions began. VI. Hovelaque or one
of the aids translated them and the
marshal replied in French
Marshal Replies Frank
The replies were most frank. Only
once 10 was explained that the marshal
did not think he should discuss de
tail asked about for the reason that
the question still was under cOnsldera-
tion by members Of Frances war mis-
sion and representatives OF the Amerl-
can government
One or two of the questions which
puzzled the marshal for moment
caused him 10 draw his bushy gray
eyebrows together in perpleXed
frown. He used his hands most ex-
pressively Occasionally he shrugged
his shoulders and once raising himself
on his toes he drove his clenched fist
sharply into the open palm to en-
phasize a point. Many of the CORE
spondents' questions were prompted
by the knowledge that the marshal
favors the sending of an American eX-
peditionary force TO France as soon as
possible. The last one asked. Marshal
JoFre bowed low and left the room
with his staff
Later the correspondents were in
formed that 1t was the desire OF the
French mission that their converse
tions with Marshal Joffre be not pub
lshed until they had been submitted
TO the State Department The ap-
proved text of the questions and an
swers was given out later.
Rene Vivianl, head OF the French
mission, dned tonight with Henry
White. Among those present was
Archbishop Ireland.
General Scott. Chief of staff OF the
army, entertained Marshal Jotire ana
members Of the military section At din
neE FRANKLIN D. Roosevelt, Assistant
.Seoretarv Of he Navy, entertained Ad-
miral Chocheprat and members OF the
naval section, while Breckenridge Long,
Third Assistant Secretary OF state
gave q dinner in honor OF the civilians
attached TO the mission.
Members Of the mission and the Off
Gals attached to il have shaken hands
with several thousand persons since
they came TO Washington. One OF the
French officers. after greeting many
men in uniform, remarked: Your army
| does not appear so small"
Colonel Fabry, at one of the recep-
tions, turned 10 an American army
officer and said: 81 have lost my leg.
/ Now | don't know what is going 20 hap
pen 10 my right arm"