The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-04-26
FRENCH ENJOYS
REACH AMERICA;
AT.CAP|TAL TODAY
Distinguished Party on Way to
Washington.
ON BOARD THE MAYFLoWER
Commission Includes Gen. Joffre and
Former Premier viviani--No u
Boats Sighted on the Way
over--Ship Guarded by
War Vessels.

Washington, April 25.--The French
commission has safely landed in the
United States.
The commission will arrive In Wash
ington today on board the presidential
yacht Mayfower from Hampton
Roads.
This official statement was made by
the government:
1.-THE department of state is advised
of the safe arrival of the French COM
mission"
Later the state department issued
| this further statement:
"The department of state is advised
that the French mission will reach
| Washington today. The precise time
and place of arrival will be announced
later"
The commission, which includes
Marshal Joffre and former Premier
Viyiani, arrived early in the morning
on board a speedy steamship of the
| French line, which was conveyed
across the Atlantic.
| The vessels were met off the coast
by American torpedo-boat destroyers
and escorted to port.
The French mission was welcomed
by the following:
For the department of state; Third
Assistant Secretary Breckenridge
! Long.
For the war department: Maj. Gen.
Hugh l.. Scott, chief of staff Lieut..
Col Spencer Cosby, Maj. Fox Conner,
Capt. Philip Sheridan.
For the navy department: Assistant
Secretary Franklin ID. Roosevelt and
Rear Admiral Harry Mel. p. Huse.
The mission was also met by the
tary attache, Colonel Vignal, and the
| French naval attache, Commander de
Blanpre.
French colors Unfurled.
AS the ship bearing the French com
| mission came into port American war
ships broke out French colors from
their mastheads and American bands
played the French national anthem. No
salutes were fired.
The special train bearing the mis-
sion slipped out Of Paris In the early
morning observed only by few secret
| service agents and railroad men. The
| American flag was flying here and
| there along the route, not In recogni-
ton of the party going to America but
because every town and village in
| l.aNl htf
and personal sentiment, Is showing
| the American col0rs.
| The transfer from train to ship was
| without event as was the voyage
across the Atlantic.
| Warships passed ont ahead of the
| French steamer into the danger zone,
which in this case is one Of the haunt
| ing places of German submarines.
| Joffre's fellow members in the mis-
sion had an opportunity during the
voyage to come into intimate contact
| with him.
| Although social In his attitude,
| Joffre Is n silent man by habit. J0ffre
is prepared, If President Wilson should
ask, to indicate what, in his judgment,
America might do.
Joffre has been In America before.
1t was 20 years ago while on his way
home on leave from service In the
colonies. He stopped four or five days
| at Chicago while proceeding from San
| Francisco to New York.
IL look forward with extraordinary
interest to the experiences / am like
| ly to have in America" said Marshal
Joffre TO a correspondent who accom-
| panied the French mission. "First of
all | shall meet your president, whom
we have learned to look upon In Eu-
rope as one of the greatest statesmen
of our time, great in his gifts Of lead
ership, In his practical everyday wis
dom and in his vision of what the fu-
ture ought to and may be.
81 want to meet the counselors
whom the president has called about
him; your military men, now my com
rades In arms, and to renew my ac-
Quaintance with American people. The
Impressions of the month / was In
| AlHtIlCu uit sun AltSii, but whit "
add to them, compare what / saw then
with the changes that have taken place
In the long interval. | have now and
then thought Of the advantage TO my
self of another visit TO the United
States. but busy years in Africa and
In France have never allowed me TO
take so long n vacation. Now forum.
ately for me, this official mission gives
me the opportunity"
Among .he most notable figures In
France are the members OF the French
mission. At its head is Rene Vlviani
minister of Justice and vice president
of the council Of ministers who EN-.
bodies the highest type of French de.
mocracy. He Is a progressive in every
sense. belonging TO the Independent
socialist party. which includes such
men ms Palnleve, BRAND and Mllerand
As minister of labor In the Ciemen.
eeau cabinet he passed the workers
pension law through parliament
Farm Expert Takes New Post.