New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-11
Crowds Greet Visitors
at Luncheon, Recep-
ton and Opera +
IT.
Viviani Warns
u. S. to Prepare
Jofre Unaffected by
Strain Beginning to
Tell on Comrades
By r. F. VAN DE WATER, Jr.

Whirring Of motor cars, clatter Of
police outriders on motorcycles, long,
swift fights from jubilation to jubila.
tion through streets fringed with flags
and packed with humanity. and always
the great, shrill, unending roar of men
and women screaming welcome-that
is what yesterday must have meant
to the members Of the French COM
mission.
From 9 yesterday morning until
nearly midnight last night they drank
deep of the city's hospitality.
The Frenchmen went to Central
Park, where Marshal Joffre received .
golden reproduction of the Statue Of
Liberty, the gift of "The World"
Then they were bundled into the wait.
ing machines and hurried to Prospect
Park in Brooklyn, where the men who
stopped them at the Marne" unveiled
bronze plaque of Lafayette. From
there they were hurried back to Man-
haitian and the Hotel Astor, where the
Merchants Association entertained
them at luncheon.
A half hour of rest in the Frick
mansion. and then the swift fight
through the streets northward 70 Co.
lumbia University, where the honorary
degree of Doctor of Laws was cone
ferred upon the marshal, NJ. Vivisn,
Baron Cunliffe, of the Bank Of Eng.
land, and Arthur James Balfour. head
of the British commission. who was
represented by the Consul General,
Give Bsyley.
Wreath on Grants Tomb
And then once more the drumming
of speeding motors, and the commiss
sion was on its way TO Grants Tomb.
where the man who saved France laid
wreath upon the marble bier OF the
man who saved the Union. Down the
Drive the long stream of automobiles
then swooped, to draw up in front OF
the Joan of Arc monument, at Ninety
third Street, where another wreath was
placed.
After this, back to the Frick mansion
once more, and after dinner out and
into the cars again, to fly down the
avenue to the Library. where more than
4 900 nch-Americans waited to greet
their heroes.
Always, on each side of the speeding
line Of machines. the hutter Of flags;
always in the ears Of the city's guests
the endless below of thousands Of
voices, rising and falling like the sea,
and apparently as eternal.
II may be that when the weary COM.
mission returns to the home land it
will say, Americans are distinguished
by their great lung power. and the
vast amount of time upon their hands,
which they employ chiefly in standing
upon the street curbing. New York
ers are no different from the rest. only
their lungs are better and their leisure
hours longer"
Strain Tells on ENJOYS
The strain of serving as a welcome
guest has told upon the commissioners.
NJ. Viviani's keen Gallic face was lined
and his eyes looked heavy and weary.
At the close OF the reception last night
in the library, he retired TO the Friek
home, too exhausted 10 accompany
Marshal Jofre and other members OF
the party to the Metropolitan Opera
House.
The other commissioners and the at.
taches looked worn and a little dazed
by the tremendous welcome that was
theirs all yesterday-all except the
stalwart, placid Marshal. On the man
that has listened TO the oncoming roar
of German guns. ever louder and
louder, the noisiest greeting ever
given by the noisiest city in the world
had no effect.
He was always calm. always inter.
ested, with the naive curiosity Of boy,
and in the crowds that packed the side-
walks by which he sped, there were
always children. And Joffre loves
children.
Perhaps the happest moment Of his
day came. not when the great uni.
versity gave him the highest honor az
its command, not when he stood on
the plaza in front Of the tomb and
saw the gray clad ranks of the 7th
Regiment pass in review, but when he
sat in Central Park with the statustte
that the people OF the city had given
him on one knee and a bashful, dazed,
greatly delighted small girl perehed
on the other.
May Have Been Kiss
Or it may have been that the kiss
which he demanded of ten-year-old
Alsatisn. Of Brooklyn, and got with
most rapturous cagerness kept the
clear eyes calm and happy all through
the long day.
On mis- broad shoulders, that have
horne the weight of a nations peril,
fell the burden OF yesterdays enter-
tainment The one cry Of the people
who stood for hours 70 see the flying
squadron Of motor cars fash past was
for "Joffre." Always the greatest ap-
piause was accorded 10 him. Most of
the day his broad hand was held at
the visor Of his scarlet and gold cap
In reply.
New York greeted the other COM
missioners because they were French.
II clamored and screamed for the mare