The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-12
JOFFRE HOUSED TO
 HIGHEST PRAISE BY WEST POINT DRILL
Beautiful ,! Wonderful , He Says at Review of
 Cadets

according to his. aides, has aHordeo him such keen pleasure and reused
 him to such enthusiasm as did the sight yesterday of 600 cadets of the
 United States Military Academy in
 regimental drill before him on the
 picturesque parade ground at West Point.
 The soldiers eyes sparkled as they l swept across the field of perfectly formed ranks moving in perfect rhythm. His fine head nodded in | time to the music and the drums. | When the cadets stood at attention | before him, and Col. Guy Henry, com mandant, presented them to him, | Joffre grasped both the Colonels hands and shook them heartily. Says Reputation Is True. .'It was beautifil-wonderf he said At the end of the review he said to Col. John s. Riddle, superin- 1 tendent of the academy:
 T have always understood that the I United States Military Academy was the greatest training school for off, l cers in the world, and now after what | I have seen on this magnificent plain at West Point, realize the truth of ! that reputation"
 The Marshal promised Col. Riddle that he would write personal auto 1 graph letter to the student officers expressing his belief that they are ready for service in France. The letter is expected to reach West | Point today and it will be posted in l the order of the day.
 l Earlier, when talking to Col. Bid
 dle and the academy staff at lunch
 con in the Officers Club. Marshal .Joffre said:
 | 'aThe spirit of these student officers fills me with the greatest joy when I l realize that they will soon be with us I at the front in France. They seem I eager to go. We shall be glad to receive them. InsFrance they will I receive the only part of modern mil itary experience which they lack I actual fighting and training in the
 use of the weapons of trench war fare"
 | In Full Dress Uniform. Before going on the parade ground
 the Marshal laid aside his long gray
 cloak and appeared in full dress uni form. His blue tunic,s bright red trousers and brown leggings con- trasted sharply against the white and gray ranks of cadets. Spontaneous l applause came from the thousands of
 spectators that fringed the parade I ground.
 It was an impressive moment when
 the cadet band played "The Marseil- laise" near the close of the drill.
 Marshall Joffre barred his head and stood at salute. The men of the crowd removed their hats. A few
 moments later the crowd broke into
 cheerings, for Marshal Joffre was 'l marching down the field past the tl ranks of cadets, walking Nbetween lowed by the officers of the academy | staff.
 I ssPapa'' Ipffre, with his 65 years. I walked with precision and accuracy I of cadet. He was frankly enjoying himself as a soldier among soldiers, after two years of hero worship. !, ssIn the past three years I haven't had much opportunity to enjoy myself
 and be happy, but today I've had oh, such good time!'' he told Col. Riddle. as they said goodby at the
 train. T New Honor at Newburgh.
 Marshal Joffre went to West Point from Newburgh.. where new honor had just been conferred on him. At I the historic Hasbrouck House, which
 was Washington's headquarters after the SUIT ender of Cornwallis at York
 town, he was presented with the Eagle of the Society of the Cincinnati the order founded by Washington, Lafay. , cite and Rochambeau in that very
 house IA years ago.
 This is the only foreign decoration
 which a French soldier is permitted
 to wear, the permission having been T. l<xf~x VT : first to wear it since Lafayette. M Supreme Court Justice Pendleton
 speaking for a committee of the so. 1, ciety, presented the medal to Joffre
 and at the same time announced that . the society. now in convention at
 Asheville, N. C., had made him an honorary. member. T hand you the medal worn by . Washington, Lafayette and Rocham- 2 beau" Justice Pendleton said "It is t the sentiment of the society and oi g the American people that 1t could find : no more fitting place than the breast of the hero of the Marne.''
 The school children of Newburgf : fgave to the Marshal a medal whicr r they bought with a fund raised by | l and 10 cent contributions. Miss Mar. t garet T. Mcdonald, va1edictorian o1 IaS NcWUuTEn AcdQeIly, maQ0 In{ 5 presentation in French Gen. Joffrs !, said simply, tI thank you.'' and ther
 kissed Miss Mcdonald on both cheeks : He Meets Billy Sunday
 The trip to Newburgh was ar s ranged by the Governors commit , tee, of which Col Charles H. Sherril : is chairman. Marshal Joffre, accom- t [panied by Col. Jean Fabry, Lieut. Col e Renoud, Major Gen. Requin, Lieut.
 Francis de Tessan and Majcr Lucier
 Dreyfus, were taken in automobile. : from the Prick house to te West Shore
 ferry at 9:30 o'clock Col. Spencer
 Cosby and Col Serrill rode with the
 Marshal
 Several hundred commuters cheeret Q l the Marshal at the ferry house. A I l the station in Weehawken the railroad -' employees were out to greet him. Tn.
 party went to Newburgh on a specia e train of eight coaches. Billy ant Ma Sunday wnet along by invita- . ton. On the ferryboat Syracuse Bill, : was introduced to Joffre as America.
 greatest evangelist
 U 'I told him he was great soldie and great man." MT. Sunday sais !. afterward- AHe just jabbered ava! :. = in French. I didn't make anything
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