New-York tribune., 1918-05-11
Waldorf-Astoria Ballroom
Resounds With Speeches
and Songs at Dinner
Afsace-Lorrainers
Hosts at Reception
Andre Tardieu Refutes
Germany's Claim to
Lost Provinces


into the grand ballroom of the Wal
dorf-Astoria last night and into one
of the warmest welcomes they have re-
ceived since arriving in America. AS
guests of the General Association of
Asace- Lorraine, they were bombsrded
with roses and song, they heard the
proud boast that President Poincarc
flashed beneath the Atlantic that he
once was a captain Of Chasseurs and
they heard Captain Andre Tardieu,
French High Commissioner, preface
'the sorrowful story of Alsace-Lor-
Yaine" with reminder that he too had
been captain Of chasseurs.
Marines in the splerdor of dress uni.
form, soldiers in olive drab and police
in solid blue were awaiting the chas-
seurs op the first floor and fell in with
.hem as guard Of honor TO the ballroom.
Briskly the Frcnchmen marched along
in the midst Of their stalwart escort,
and when the double doors of the ban
quct hall were flung open there was
momentary pause. a brazen flourish and
a clear fanfare Of trumpets from the
Blue Devils
Boxes Filled With Women
Then they marched in and straight
down through the centre of the big
room. The Police Band made the air
culver, the uniformed Americans strode
along perhaps q bit self-cons sciously,
and the "Blue Devils" Of France
were in their element. The tYumpeter.
twirled their instruments with a glor-
Gus abandon, and the quick, lurching
stride Of the tam o-shantercd sold.ers
and the iaunty set of their shoulders
matched their eager. alert faces and
The double tier of boxes WAS thfonged
with women. Evening gowns SHIN
lnered, feminine eyes sparkled, gems
and shoulders cleaned. The chasscurs
strobe on air AS their last rank en-
tered the room the air was filled with
roses. They came from the boxes. The
women, every one of whom was on her
feet cheering wildly. were fiinginc a
solid barrage OF roses that completely
enveloped the soldiers.
The escort marched out. The diners
settled down at the tables. A buzz Of
suppressed conversation came from the
boxes. Then grand opera voice f1oa.
in, Nine. de Cisneros, OF the Metro
politan, singing "The StarSpangled
Banner"
Kiss Wins Singers Rose
In jiffy every French soldier had
sprung to his feet and stood statuesque
at attention. Hlt when the anthem
was ended the "Blue Devils broke into
Il fury OF applause, utterly drowning
the efforts of the boxes and the rest of
the floor The singer responded to the
encore and the "Blue Devils" were
again STEPPED in enthusiasm and ad-
mifation.
One of them, catching the eye of the
singer, flung her whole-hearted kiss,
10 which she replied with a rose, which
he carefully slowed away in his tunic.
That one tossed rose gave the chaus-
seurs an idea. One and all they seized
upon the roses with which their tables
We're decorated and bombardcd the
boxes might and main, paying, rose for
rose, for the barrage that had greeted
them.
AT the very end. when every table
was cleared the chassenr in whose
tunic reposed the singers rose saw
young woman in a remote corner
whose hands were still empty. Without
hesitation he drew out the rose he
had won with his kiss, touched it to
his lips in farewell and tossed it neatly
into the empty hands.
Settle Down to Speechmaking
Then the chasseurs, finding pipes and
tobacco handy on every table, settled
down for the more prosaic business
OF speechmaking. First there was the
cable message from President Poincaire
and others, similarly congratulatory,
from Premier Clemenceau and Stephen
Pichon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, and
then Captain Tardieu began.
After graceful tribute to the re-
turned American soldiers Captain Tar
dieu greeted my own dear comrades
ol the Blue Devils,'" speaking in
French. He told them that they rep
resented France in this country; that
IN cheering them Americans cheered
France, and that. for their part. they
must take note OF the spirit of Amer
ica, of the camps, factories, shipyards
and other industries. and make fair
report to France. For his own part
he said. he believed America to be wor-
thy OF France. In eight weeks, he said
100000 tons of cereals had been
shipped to France.
Then he proceeded TO the question
OF Alsace, Lorraine, the question that
German diplomats said was no qucs-
ton, as the bonds between the province
daily-the question that nevertheless
engrossed a world and was of world
wide import.
Gentlemen" he said. "I will answer
those statements by asking q question.
The question is: If there IS no Alsace-
Lorraine question, if the bond between
Aisace- Lorraine and Germanism is
growing closer and closer, why. then.
mas Germany for the last four wears
treated Aisace.Lorraine as an enemy i?
why, then, is Germany submitting Al
ce-Lorraine to an even more brutal
rule than the rule applied to Belgium
and to Northern France:
Considered as Enemies
I'm 1916 General Won Lowenfeld
commander Of the Prussian Guard
wrote: The Lorrainers do not belong
TO our race. "s
AT the same time another German
general orders his troops, then billet
ing In Alsace. to consider themselvex
in enemy territory
Another general, still, commanding
the troops Of Boden, issues this order:
You will soon enter an enemy country
Treat the Inhabitants accordinply'
"A fourth general, Won Zaude. tol,s
his men, billeted in Kaysersberc: sThs
land is fair. but the population must
be destroyed S''
"Such are the words, Now Ia tho
deeds. Let us see how Germany has
treated that population which She
claims to be attached 70 Germanism
through . closer growing bond.
Close as this bond may be, no Alsa.
tisn has ths right, without beinr
thrown into jail. to mail bis letters in