South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-12
BRILLIANT FEAST
FOR WAR CHIEFS
WaIdorf-AStor Scene of Mem
orabIe Banquet to French
and British Mission.

NEW YORK, May Zone of the
most brilliant banquets in the his
tory Of America was given here Fri
day night in honor Of the British
and French war missions 10 the
United States.
The guests included Arthur James
Balfour. British foreign minister,
Rene Viviani. French minister Of
justice, Marshal Joffre and two for
mer presidents of the United States
Theodore Roosevelt and William
H. Taft.
The distinguished representatives
Of Americas allies in the war against
Germany arrived at the Waldorf-As-
toria in one party. The streets on
all sides Of the hotel were literally
packed with men and women eager
10 pay their respects 10 the city's
guests
Citizens Jam Walks.
Outlined in electric lights in the
front Of the hotel, were the flags
of the three nations represented
while far up and down famed Fifth
av.. double lines of lamps cleaning
out of golden globes brought out
sea Of flags floating over parallel
lines OF patriotic citizens who jam
med the sidewalks on both sides for
mile and a half
The members of the missions
were escorted first to the great ball
room where q brief reception was
held and then TO the grand banquet
hall. which has been the scene of
many brilliant assemblages. They en-
tered in the following order:
Mr.. Balfour and Mayor John Pur-
roy Mitchell: NJ. Viviani and Gov
Whitman; Marshal Joffre and United
States Sen. Calder; Sir Cecil Spring
Rice, the British ambassador and
Col. Roosevelt; Jules Jusserand, the
French ambassador, and Mr.. Taft:
Sir Thomas White. finance minister
Of Canada and Joseph II. Choate,
former ambassador to England; Vice
Admiral Chocheprat OF the French
navy and Frank L. Polk. counsellor
of the department of state; Rear
Admiral Sir Dudley r. S. Dechair of
the British navy and DIR. Nicholas
Murray Butler, president of Column
bia university: the Marquis de
Chambrun and Rear Admiral Nath-
aniel r. Usher, commandant Of the
New York navy yard; Lieut.. Gen.
Bridges of the British army and
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, comman-
der Of the department OF the south
east: Lord Cunliffe, governor Of the
bank of England, Sir Eric Drum
mond. NJ. Hovelacque, French in
spector general Of education; Charles
Olive Bayley, British consul general
in New York. and the other members
of the missions.
Great Curtain OF Blue.
Stretched across one end OF the
banquet hall was a great curtain Of
horizon blue. In the center was the
American flag, flanked by the colors
OF France and England and with the
flags OF the 10 other allies surround
ing them. Below the flags was a
copy of a medallion representing
France and England, supported on
golden panel bearing the now fam
Gus words of Pres't Wilson ito make
the world safe for democracy"
The menu was one OF the simplest
ever served at a great public dinner
in New York. It was limited TO five
courses, each one a typically Amer
lean dish. and was designed TO ex-
emplify the Spartan simplicity that
should govern the nation I'm its hour
Of danger. The table decorations
were confined TO the rose Of England
and the lily of France
The rotunda boxes of the hall were
filled with handsomely gowned wom
en-.
Cheering Is Frantic.
At the close OF the banquet Mayor
Mitchell presented to Mr.. Balfour
and NJ. Viviani gold medals en-
blematic of their visit TO New York.
The mayor then proposed a toast TO
the president Of the United States.
The diners rose, cheering frantical-
ly, and throwing their napkins into
the air while the orchestra played
The Star Spangled Banner"
The mayor then toasted King
George of England, while the orches- /
ira played "God Save the King"
This was followed by a toast TO the
French republic which was drunk |
to the strains Of the "Marseillaise" |
and then there was another toast |
TO the president Of France.