The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-20
YANKEES WILDLY
CHEERED BY BIG
PARIS CROWDS.
SAYS R. c. Man
Son OF Fargo Woman De-
picts Fourth OF July.
Scenes In Capital

The whole-heaFtedness with which
the french people celebrated the
Fourth OF July, and the demonstra-
tinn given to the American soldiers
who were out Of the trenches for
the day is described in a letter from
Edward Vivian Beeman, in the Red
Cross transport service in France, to
his mother, Mrs. Anna ]. Beenaan,
who makes her home with Mr.. and
Mrs, B. L. Smith. 1929 Twelfth
street north.
Mr. Beeman is a. brother Of Mrs.
,. Z. Smith, and spent the summer
of 1916 in Fargo being employed in
taking the city school census A
year ago., at the age Of Is, he en-
listed in the Red Cross Transport
service at Cleveland, and was i'm
mediately sent overseas. He Is ex-
peeted to return to Fargo next
November, when he will enlist in a
branch Of the regular army, He
writes:
THE Fourth Of July was some day
ia Paris. got up and reported for
duty with the movie car, which Is q
special high powered Pergeot, at Z
O'Clock. AS early as / was, the
streets were decorated everywhere
with French and United States flags,
and more surprising yet. the Champs
Blysee boulevard, one Of the widest
avenues in the world, and the most
beautiful was lined with thousands
Of people at o'clock in the morn
ing,
Tremendous Crowds Out.
1.-THE Place de Ceneorda, where
the American Red Cross headquarv
ters are, was packed and damned
with people waiting for the parade
to start at 1880 O'Clock. / never In
my life have seen such large crowds
OF people as / saw that day. We
got ready, with the cameras set on
the platform to take pictures from
the car while moving. I just had to
push my way through the streets af-
ter taking pictures Of the nebs and
different decorations in the streets
and on buildings.
81 drove to a large Place where
the statue Of George Washington
stands. This statue is at the foot
of the new Avenue de President
Wilson. There was a massive crowd
there awaiting the beginning of the
ceremonies. There was also a big
circle of seats and bleachers, and a,
speakers stand. From here all the
high officials were to view the
parade and make speeches, We got
permission to so inside the lines
and got some very fine pictures Of
the President Of France, Lloyd
George, Ambassador Sharp, General
Jaffre, Pershing and many other
noted men in the war.
Thousands of Regulars. ~
Then we went UP on the fourth
floor balcony OF a building, and got
the parade as it started past the
statue, First there were French,
italian and American military bands.
Believe me, it was music too. The
Americans had band in front with
their helmets on, Then there was q
regiment Of the, French Royal
Guard with the finest uniforms /
ever looked at Then, best OF all,
lars with the old Stars and Stripes
ahead of them. Oh, how the French
people did cheer! Regiment after
regiment of Sanmies just out Of
the trenches q day before who had
come into Paris to be in the parade
passed.
French Cheer Them. -
1.-THE French cheered and cheered
and threw flowers at them. They
all had their full equipment on their
backs and their metal, helmets on.
They were tired looking. but they
all had a smile on their faces. Then
there were many, many wounded
Americans with Red Crosses on
their arms some limped on one leg,
others had their heads tied up,
others their arms. But they all
could smile! Then the artillery,
cavalry and more infantry, Italian
guards, French soldiers, and English
soldiers, 1t was wonderful. You
can't imagine the effect It had on
the French people to see those
Samnies, just a mere representa-
tive OF the large number now in
France, marching through the
streets. Everyone wore little Amer
lean flags. People threw flowers at
them from the streets, the houses
and everywhere.
The American Nurses,
cit took hours for the parade to
pass. 1t must have been five or six
miles long and it was most all Amer
Scan. I believe every one OF the
allies was in some way represented,
and every branch Of the American
Expeditionary Forces, and even the
department, and oh! you ought to
have seen the American nurses!
"Ail this time there was a made
in America aeroplane with an.
American pilot at the wheel! He
flew low over the parade, he flew
high In the clouds and out again.
He turned somersaults, looped the
loop, flew on his side, upside down,
rode his tail, spiralled down and
shot straight down at the crowd and
then rose again. spelled United
States in the air and did all kinds OF
stunts, which were wonderful. He
sure was some flyer. The plane
had Wilson printed on 1T Ia big
letters, so the crowd could see IL.
Since I came to France, I have seen
many aeroplanes do stunts. but
never saw one do as many and as
daring as this fellow did.
After the parade, the crowd
poured in around the American
soldiers and many were lifted up
above. the crowd. The crowds
cheering reminded me of a big base-
bail game"