Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-24
o Joffre and Premier
.viani Head Party Of
War Statesmen.
FAST VESSEL UNDER
CONVOY ON TRIP
Guarded During Entire voyasa
Across Atlantio-No Naval oaIuts
Fired-Commissien Instructed Net -
Urge Anything on American oovsrus
mont But viii Place Experiences Dee
fore President Wilson and Advisor.

Washington. April .eA.-''rhs depart.
ment Of state Ia advised Of the safe Ar
rival Of the French commission" it
was officially announced early today.
Later the state department. tsusd
the following: n
"The department Of state 10 advassd
that the French oommission will reach
Washington :e:noz.o~~- morning. -:.o::.:::::s::.s
The commission, which inolnAss
Marshal Joftre and former PrsuAsr
viviani. arrived early this morntn9 On
board speedy steamship of the
French line. which was oonvoySd
across tho Atlantic.
The vessels were met OF the coast
by American torpedo boat destroyeru. 4
Naval officials and q representative
Of the state department. Immediately
boarded the vessel and extended .
welcome to the commissioners
No Salute Fired
The Associated Press corrsspondsnk
who accompanied the party frem
France sends the following Dispatch
lIOuk lHo k$UnI VA 0Sx1VoAa III
"As the ship bearing the Fto4cA
commission came into port te1Ay
American warships broke ent the
French nag from xhsir M,aslAGaA -
American bands played ne A
nationaa snthssn AnnF1ean And 110l nh
sailors lined the rails o. tAeir tsapoos
tive ships No statutes wsno As0d
The special train bearing the yfench
commission slipped out Of Paris IN the
early morning and tho tnnafG from
train to Ship was without incidenk The
ship slipped away without meeting
submarines.
Guarded During Entire Trip.
The first night out the ship ana cons
voy made eighteen Knots an hour. be.
fore the wind, running without lights.
After three years war service the
celebrated liner which bore the party
is a mixture Of former elegance ana
homely fixtures. Horse racks lined
the main promenade deck, powder ana
shells were stored in some ofNthe cab
ins fore and aft. Life preservers are
piled near the stalrways.
Part OF the guard turned back on
the second night out but the remainder
an English cargo boat set her course
as tho she would run close, but was
given a wide course. There were some
hours of rough weather half way over.
The only incident that received 4
log entry in the ships log was the
appearance OF large yellow and white
meteor Friday night.
The mission was instructed not -
urge anything upon the American gov
| ernment, but rather to place its ex-
pertence and information at the dis
posal of tho president. It Is an ex-
tension to the United States OF the
practice OF the allied governments of
conferences first in one country and
then in another to obtain unity and
CO. ordinated action among members
of the coalition.
British Commission Begins Work.
Arthur James Balfour. British fors
eign secretary. with other members OF
! the British commission. today began
| the work Of placing Mt the disposal OF
| the United States state department the
result OF Great Britains war cxperi-
ence.
Invitations have been received from
all parts OF the country to members OF
| the commission. but owing to the great
amount of work to be done the Brit
ish do not Intend to take any time
away from Washington. Mr.. Balfour
passed the afternoon making and re-
ceving official calls. This evening will
como formal dinners by Secretaries
Lansing. Daniels and Baker. the Dip
lomatic nGyal and army representa- ;
tives, and afterward the p0n-American
reception.