Evening star., 1918-12-16
Reasons for Entering
War, He Asserts in
Paris Address.
REPLIES TO WELCOME
GIVEN AT CITY HALL
Adrien Mithouard Tells Mr.. VIII
son His Is 'Voice of
Posterity."

Posterity."
PARIS, December 16.-President
Poincare went to the Murat residence
this afternoon and conducted Presi-
dent Wilson to the city hall, where
welcoming ceremonies took place. The
speech making occurred in the great
inner courtyard of the city hall, which
had been covered over for the occa-
sion and decorated with flags and
bunting.
A. Mithouard's Welcoming Address
In addressing President Wilson at
the city hall ceremonies, Adrien NTH
Guard. president of the municipal
council of Paris, said:
81 have the honor, in the presence OF
the President of the republic, to pre-
sent to you the municipal council OF
Paris, whose Interpreter l am IN Wei
coming the chief of the great nation
whose aid. arriving so opportunely,
brought US victory, and the upright
man whose conscience fashioned his
policy and whose diplomacy was made
of loyalty"
Pays Homage to Mrs. Wilson.
Turning to Mrs. Wilson. NJ. Mithouard
said:
Madame: Paris is infinitely happy
and is touched that you, who have
accompanied the President. have been
good enough to add to this occasion
hn ho nd q
ence. We have long been aware of
your devotion and of the wise and
benef1cent activity you have shown by
the side Of your illustrious husband;
Yet nothing touches so much the heart
of the people of Paris as to be per-
mitted to know those who have al
ready conquered by their goodness.
Thus Paris. by my voice, voice, aeelaims you you
homage of its gratitude and its re-
spect."
Finally. speaking again to President
Wilson, NJ. Mithouard said:
"Mr. President. 1t Is with deep emo
tion that the capital welcomes today
the first President Of the United
States who has crossed the ocean. and
our city hall, the cradle of French
liberty. will mark IN It's annals the
day on which it was permitted to re-
ceive the eminent statesman of the
Union, the citizen of the world-dare
we say. the great European?-whose
voice, heard before the coming victory,
called to life the oppressed among the
nations.
During weary months our soldiers
have fought with stole resolution in
defense Of the soil of their forbears
and the land of their children. So
was the issue at stake. so bitter and
so hard was the struggle that only
after the passage of time did it seem
possible that the grandeur OF their
J.I,, oil orlx oh
forth Yet your distance from the
theater of war has allowed you to see.
while yet they lived, the greatness of
the monument they were building.
'evoice of Posterity.''
~From the other side of the world
you have spoken in advance of the
Judgment of history. What a source
of strength was it for these fighters
distant authority resembling the voice
of posterity: what joy to welcome
those new brothers in arms fastening
with ardor to claim at the critical
hour their place upon the field of bat
tie: what comfort for them to feel
that they were henceforth arrayed
with the glorious Army of Gen. Per-
shing, the victor of the Argonne!
Stirs Their Admiration.
Thus Paris, eager to see in the flesh
the man it had known only by his
written word and by his image. today
lives over again, with poignant in
tenstty the history of Americas de-
cision, as it was unfolded in your con-
science before the eyes of the world.
PROFOUNDLY moved by the magnifi-
cent generosity with which compa-
triots had set themselves to relieve oar
sufferings. with what anxious yet con-
fident expectation did we follow the
progress of your thought and Of your
feeling,
beneath the deliberately measured
tone of your notes and messages we
felt little the mounting of righteous
anger. What was then our dazzied ad
miration when there burst upon us the
message of April 2. 1917, which gave
to the question;ngs of the American
conscience theIr supreme conclusion,
and, in PascaVS words. brou - to
gether justice and force to decide for
long centuries the fate of all hu-
manity.
we are proud, Mr.. President. to
offer you welcome in the name of this
capital
Called Citizen of Paris.
'Our country is not alone that well
ioved land for whose liberation the
blood Of sons of the Union is mingled
with that of the sons of France; our
country to us means also. and by
right Of heritage, justice. good sense
and honor; and because you come to
us In the name of these noble things
today we dare to call you, citizen Of
Paris.
Take then. Mr.. President, the sin
cere good wishes of our city. yester-
day under. the menace OF the Berthas
and the Gothas. a citadel of the liber-
ties Of the world. but today open to
all noble and generous ideas. and en-
Enthusiastically acclaiming in the great
citizen she has the honor to receive
the embodiment of new ideal which
comes to her.
Merely Touch on Problems.
President Wilson and Premier Gle
raenceau touched in only the most
general manner the problems of the
peace conference in the course of a
conversation they had at the Murat
residence last evening. according to
Marcel Huun of the Echo de Paris
Mr.. Wilson was most impressed
with tho premier'S personality and is
reported to have expressed himself in
tho most dattering terms, remarking:
HE Is a most prepossessing man"
~. szI