Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-14
PARIS ENTHUSIASTIC
OVER PERSHING
CONTINUED From First Page. ]

the Second cavalry who accompanied
General Pershing. A large American
flag waved over the generals hotel,
and everywhere the French and
American colors were intertwined.
Views War Relics
One of the first events on to-day's
! crowded program was visit this
morning to the Hotel Des Invalides,
wherein is the historic monument
containing Napoleon's body. On the
! Court of Honor General Pershing
passed great collection of war rel
les, including shattered German air
planes, a large number of German
and Austrian rapid-tire guns and va
! rious other engines of destruction.
! After a brief ceremony at the In
| valides General Pershing made a
formal call on Ambassador Sharp,
and was then escorted with military
| honors to the place of the Elysee, to
be presented to President Poincaire.
At 1890 o'clock the President and
Madame Poincaire gave state
breakfast in honor of the American
commander. Other guests were Pre-
mier Ribot, General Painleve, Mar
/ shal Joffre, Minister Viviani, Ambas-
sador Sharp and other prominent
| figures in official and civil life.
At p. m. NJ. Viviani addressed
the Chamber of Deputies to recount
the results of the French missions
visit to the United States, and it was
| expected Ambassador Sharp and
| probably General Pershing would be
/ in the diplomatic gallery. Tonight
General Painleve will gle a dinner in
honor of General Pershing
Paris, and particularly the French
authorities, had planned and hoped
for great reception but it is doubt
| full whether even the most optimis-
| tic pictured the almost frantic
crowds that all but blocked the prog
ress of the automobiles. Men and
women cheered themselves hoarse
/ and flung masses of flowers into the
cars. Parisians declare that the only
event in their lifetime that approx
mates the reception in enthusiasm
was that accorded to King George
! of England in 1914.
When the special train reached
! the station General Pershing and
Field Marshal Joffre were the first
| to appear. Behing them came n
stream of American officers, each
with a French officer as his host.
The first shout of welcome became
| a continuous roar that seemed TO
shake the station to it's foundations.
The police hurriedly began to clear
lane down which a half dozen au-
| tomobiles moved at a snaips pace,
between frantic throngs.
From hundreds of windows Amer
lean flags were waved by men, wom-
en- and children. French girls with
flags pinned 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 machines to hurl their
offerings into the laps and on the
shoulders of the astonished Ameri-
can officers.
The Americans apparently had not
imagined the heights to which Paris
ian enthusiasm could rise. Boys.
! men and girls and even some old
women struggled to jump on the
running board Of General Pershing's
car to shake hands with him. The
demonstration was the more signih-
cant because it came from a great
outpouring of people who for the
time being seemed almost to forget
that war is in progress.
1t was not General Pershing alone
who came in for Unprecedented ova-
tions, but every American caught
sight of by the people was almost
buried with flowers. Crowds shouted.
themselves 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 thoroughfare in the
vicinity of the lane of march there
was hurled a welcome that no Amer
lean in Paris will ever forget.
Thousands Block Traffic
General Pershing was expected TO
arrive from Boulogne at o'clock,
but his special train did not reach
Paris until $50. This gave oppor-
tunity for thousands who work until
o'clock to mass themselves along
| the route, until the congestion be-
came so. great that transportation
was tied up. General Pershing's fea-
lures were not familiar to the people,
but Papa" Joffre's cap caught the
eye of the people and revealed the
identity of the soldier in khaki at
| his side.
| At the station General Pershing
| was met by a group of French Off
cials, including Minister Viviani,
| Marshal Joffre and Generals Foch,
Painleve and Peltier, and by group
of Americans, headed by Ambassa-
dor Sharp. At one end of the sta
ton was an improvised throne with
red tapestries, such as is erected
when royalty is visiting the city,
which had been put up for the oc-
| casion. Before leaving the station
the party assembled at this point.
| Speeches of welcome were delivered
!