The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1918-08-16
.FRENCHMEN CHEER
AMERICAN MOVIES
BY FRED s. FERGUSON


PARIS, Aug. 9.--French and Amer
lean hearts quicken in mutual patrl-
otto enthusiasm on a recent afternoon
when the American film, Americas
Answer to the Huns was shown for
the first time in the Gaumont palace.
The palace was draped with Ameri-
can flags.
Aside from the thrill of the pictures
themselves, taken under direction OF
the American government, there was
inspiration In the mingling Of celebri'
ties, high military officers, wounded
soldiers, and soldiers on leave, all
eager to see Americas work in the
pictures.
Glimpses Of families and figures Of
international reputation, before and
after the show, were to be had by all
in the great audience.
Capt. Roosevelt There
Capt. Archie Roosevelt stood chat
ting with his sister-in-law, Mrs. Theo
dore Roosevelt, Jr., near the box oc
cupied by Marshal Joffre. Ambassador
of Japan and other allied nations, and
representatives of President Poincare
and Premier Clemenceau occupied
boxes.
When the films were displayed Mrs
Roosevelt saw her major husband dec
Grating two members of his battalion
with the war cross, then standing
smartly at attention while the troops
passed in review. Capt. Roosevelt
smiled at this sight of his brother
which was roundly cheered by the AL
dience.
The house was jammed to capacity
The 9th cavalry band played patriotic
and popular airs, the audience joining
in singing, "Oyer There" The band
was showered with flowers by enthus
laStlc french admirers.
Outside, vast throng watched the
arrival of celebrities. The most i'm
pressive scenes were enacted when q
number of ambrlances drove up
Slowly and carefully the boys who re
Gently we're wounded at Chateau
Thierry were helped from the ambu
lances and tenderly assisted to seats
in a section reserved for them. One
French officer, unable to walk, was
carried in by two husky American
soldiers, whose locked hands formed
a saddle, the Frenchman sitting with
his arms about the necks of the Van
kee boys. The dramatic realism OIL
this picture outside the theatel
brought more tears to the eyes Of
spectators than did any of the battle
scenes within ....
The battle front struggle became
even more impressive to me when
saw these bandaged boys, watching
the pictures, whom / saw out a few
days ago, fighting on the Marne. Ii
the the pictures they saw themselves
whole and strong, marching battle
ward. Again they saw the streams
OF refugees they passed enroute, and
again were enacted before their eyes
the scenes that marked the high tide
Of the German advance, when the
Americans barred the road to Paris
and stopped the enemy as the French
had stopped him in 1914.
Applaus for Leaders
Pictures Of Pershing and Wilson
were greeted with tremendous ap
plause, as did all scenes depicting ar
rival of American transports, vast
American docks and other military
works in France, and the long lines OF
American troops. marching out to
drive the Hun back out of France.
Capt. Roosevelt's first inquiry. sd
dressed to the United Pres representa-.
tive, was for the pictures Of his baby,
which Mrs. Roosevelt had arranged to
send him through United Press repre-.
sentatives. When told the pictures
had not been received, the captain
asked that Mrs. Roosevelt be request
ed to mail duplicates as soon as pos.
sible, as the first pictures sent may
have been lost in the mails. Capt.
Roosevelt has not seen his baby, and
is eager to get a glimpse of it's pic.
ture.
The captain still walks with aid of
a cane, but he is we'll recovered from
the worst effects of his wound.