The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-04
FRENCH MISSION CHEERED AS THEY
 APPEAR IN HOUSE
Minister viviani Likens s Americas Soul to That
 of France

.t Washington, May 4-Ine ffeheh Mission was received on the floor or the House yesterday with loud cheers and cries of .svive la Francew from the floor and galleries.
 Soon after noon the House took a recess, and Speaker Clark appointed a committee headed by Chairman Flood, of the Foreign Affairs Com nittee, to usher the visitors into the Chamber M. Viviani took place at the right of Speaker Clark on the rostrum, Marshal Joffre on his left.
 Rene viviani, head of the mission, delivered stirring speech in French. and Marshal Joffre,. in response to great demonstration. said:
 Thank you," and then. waving his hands above him, shouted: "V1ve rAmeriqueI"
 The Frenchmen shook hands with Congressmen, and as Representative Jeanette Rankin passed down the line M. viviani, bending low, kissed her hand. Several little girls, some of them daughters of members of the House, were, kissed upon the cheeks by Marshal Joffre.
 M viviani, on being introduced by Speaker Clark, said in part:
 Never shall forget the acclama- tions of the American people. If l do not thank you adequately it is not because our gratitude is lacking, but because the words with which to ex- press it are insufficient.
 sswe feel that your sympathy and your enthusiastic assistance come not only from your hearts, but from the Jealousy which you have for your own honor We have seen that you fulfilled not only the obligations of national honor,j but all at once we have seen unfolded in it's charming inti- macy the complexity of the American sold. When one meets an American he meets practical man, living for the affairs of this life, but at the same time one discovers in the Amer ican soul the freshness and the vii yacity of a. new life. the strength which comes from the devotion to an ideal; and so in that American soul we have before us the paradox of the combination of the practical and the ideal
 .sThere is a parallel between your case and ours. You, like ourselves, carry the mandate of free people. to maintain certain ideals, tofTez~T change certain opinions regarding the tremendous problems arising from the war, to the end that our two nations may, side by side, achieve equality and liberty. Opposed to us is an abso- lute monarch, who seeks to compel others to do his will. When a few days ago the people of this nation heard the call to arms, that man who is the central power in Central Europe, understood the gravity of the new sit uation which confronted him and then he saw him leaning from his throne, beckoning to his subjects, try ing to reassTe them with a promise of universal suffrage. It was indeed a bitter jest
 'If your national hero, George Washington, could rise from his grave and behold to-day's war, he would himself proclaim that after a nation has created independence it is bound tp defend it before all the world and not only to maintain it's own indepen- dence. but to create also independence for other nations. We have sworI on the grave of Washington to fighi to the end. But not only has it beer sworn on the grave of Washington, but also on the graves of the uncounted soldiers who have fallen in this war 1t has been sworn on the deathbed. of those who have died in the hospi fa1s of Europe, and it has been sworr on the cradles of the newly born. Il has been sworn by every lover of free dom from the cradle to the tomb,
 When Speaker Clark introduced 1darques de Chambrun, great-grand- son of Lafayette, the applause wa. cheering reached the proportions oi a roar
 Ambassador Jusserand was intro duced and spoke in part as follows:
 If two men who fought side by side for liberty. George Washington and Gen Lafayette, could be here the1 would say, We thank you.' The ac fion that has been taken by the United States has touched the people O. F-rance very deeply, can assure you For what France in former years dit flor the United States, she expected nt recompense but your friendship, ant F'rance has it. You now are takins oart in the fight for liberty,
 At the conclusion of Ambassador , rJusserand's address, the party left tn, Chamber amid renewed cheers.
 Fnrrnov. Mrrfio