The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-04-28


iowed IN Elaippins Army and Ma
VA Foscss sor war On Gersnany--
OstenoaAes incident to Coming Of
cssebsassd Foreigners arc Informal.
FortrSss Monroe. Va. April a.
frances war. commissioners to the
United States reached Hampton Roads
today. and tonight they are bound
up Chesapeake hay for Washington
tn board the presidential yacht May
nows<..
Ths mission. of which Rene vivtaaa,
vsce premier and minister of justice.
= the oNsciai head and Marshal Jofrre
m<mbsf brings no written instruc-
elsns from the French government.
Ne sninihtry having decided to give
~ members unlimited powers to
hesetiats with the United States on
~ sab5scss. military naval and f,nan-
cial. ~.
II ID proposed 10 discuss the send
Ine Of IN American expeditionary
ssrcs TO FsAnce. Marshal Jofrre and
eensr military members will Indicate
- ths American oficials with whom
Wey afe 70 confer several important
rtoseafy reasons which they consider
Aev>nbss. The most important Of
t1ebo reasons n found in the moral
e9oc< % - had from the presence of
AmsficAa troops and the American
- en the battlsnelds Of France.
The prsnch idea OF an American
e4pedition calls for a lighting force
enppertsd BY auxiliary services, such
= frail~ay staffs. railway material.
49, ssp&ir shops. telegraph and tele-
DneAo IiEs6. automobile transports
~ = strons AVIATION section.
~ French government n ready |
20 sfEsr whatever may be considered |
aeeeeAs3 te aasist In see operations.
loelullme ths uss for naval purposes
g an5 Or - ports In France. The
n1>nlDfty Of marine has worked out |
~ nnAmisssen to the American gov
eF~hssnt q comprehensive plan for |
eyscpsas transport for both army
80 nav, purposes and for the pro-
visaoAine OF the civil population. |
rspaneialiy France needs loans OF |
siss.Ves. 900 monthly to be spent In
the United States. Detailed ofiicial
tnf0fnsatton ON this subject will be
'eabuAsrtsd % tho American govern.
0snt at shs conferences to be held In
fWs1kinoton.
Mr.. vtviani. as on,ciai head OF tho
commisicn. during his stay here gave
the Following statement to a stan cor
respondent Of the Associated Press
VINO accompanied the mission from
France:
Every American will understand
that In Difference to the i1ustrious
president OF tho United States whom
i am going to see very soon. I reserve
hrsf WORD fer him.. I will have occa-
SION to sec you again and tell the
American nation through you In a
more. complete manner the emotions
with which the representatives OF
France greet In the name OF their
country the FIRST democracy of the
world. with which France shares the
same ideals.
fSignsd) "viviani."
Tho members of the commission got
their first glimpse Of the shores OF
Amertca st daylight this morning
Amsrican naval ofYicials aboard
0otilia OF destroyers met the former
French paessnser liner which brought
the visiters over and their convoy at
IA O'Clock last nisht about 100 miles
at sea.
The wrench and the American ves-
ssis exchanged signals and then all
continued toward the Virginia capes.
Not light was showing Mt any time
during the movement and the vessels
knew Of each other only by the phos-
phorescence kicked up by the pro-
psllars. At dawn the fiotilla and Its
guests fell In by rendezvous with an
american cruiser which led the way
into tho great harbor OF Hampton
Roads.
An the members OF tho commits
sion were on the bridge Of their boat
with the French admiral command
ING shortly after 6 o'clock to see the
entrance. The day was magnificent
with hardly q ripple disturbing the
broad expansc Of water. As the