Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-28


President and those following him passed
in review before the poilus In gray-sray
uniforms and the gray OF years ABOUT
their temples-but men, every inch OF
them; men who had stood the gan III
hell of blood close to youth from over
the sea who were about to take their
places.
Flag of the Foreign Legion
Returning to the center Of the court,
the distinguished party stood In group
while les Invalides and eleven lineal
descendants of Lafayette, Rochambeau
and De Grasse presented to General Per-
shing, in his capacity as commander-in'
chief Of American forces in France, the two
pennants above described, the gift OF the
donors Immediately after magnificent
silken Stars and Stripes, with its lace
pennant, was presented to the General by
committee of officials in civil and uni
form representing the town of Puy, where
Lafayette was born. And following the
words of presentation and acceptance
Doctor Watson, pastor of the American
Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity in
the Avenue Alma, presented to the Gen.
eral the original battle-stained American
flag that had been carried since October
1915, by the American company of the
Foreign Legion, veritabe flag of his
tory, banner that had been baptized in
blood upon thirty occasions. This flag
was accepted by General Pershing in sim.
pie words, in which he expressed the de.
sire it should rest for all time in the
Invalides with tattered flags of France.
Such is therefore to be it's ultimate
destiny
After the ceremony the American
troops filed out Of the Invalides and
began a five-mile march through Paris
to the ancient cemetery of Picpus, where
Lafayette is buried. During the entire
march they were acclaimed and cheered
by fully million people, who had COW
cred them with flowers before they
reached the end OF their Journey AS
they entered the cemetery, roses and
posies hung from their oelts, were strewn
across their shoulders, protruded from
the barrels of their rifles. At one point
1000 school children were marshaled
along the curb and their yells could be
heard across the Seine. At another 800
old ladies', occupants of the Etienne Home
for the Aged, added their feeble heartfelt
cheers. At still another, the walking
wounded Of Hospital No. -, 1913 strong,
were standing at salute. The entire
march was an ovation such as is seldom
given man to see and visibly stirred tho
souls of all who witnessed 1t.
At the cemetery, which is very small,
but privileged few hundred were able
to group about the fiat granite slab under
which rest the bones of Americas de.
fender and Washington's friend. Beside
1t a small tribune had been erected from
which, after few well-chosen words by
Ambassador Sharp, Brand Whitlock,
American Minister to Belgium, delivered
| the address Of the day. It's substance
| has gone over the wire. and has no
| place here. But it was, it may be said,
masterpiece Of oratory, and spoken
through the lips Of the orators heart.
At 1890 a special luncheon Of honor
was given at the Palais D'Orsay, where
$50 men heard Prime Minister Ribot speak
States, and eulogize the American Fourth
| of July in such manner as never had
| been heard before outside the boundaries
of the United States. During the after.
noon Ambassador Sharp held public
reception at the embassy, where the Of.
fcial committee aided in receiving more
than $4,000 persons, the reception lasting
| from to 7, during which hours a con.
slant stream Of French, American and
English greeted the representative of the
United States. The day closed with a
dinner given by General Foch at the
Military Club in the Avenue de L'Opera
to General Pershing, his entire staff and
Colonel Alaire commander of the Six.
teenth Infantry Battalion.
thought when the news of Americas
entry into the war came over the wires
that I had seen all the American flags
in France waving. Today I saw them
all over again and 10000 more. I had
thought, too, upon that occasion, that I
had witnessed the extreme height of en-.
thusiasm. But great as it was, as deep
memory as it remains with me, il was
but as grain of sand against the shores
OF the sea in comparison with the en-.
thusiasm of this July 4, 1917, when the
national fete of the United States be.
came as If spontaneously the national
rete. too, Of France.