Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-15
CITY SENDS IT'S
BEST WISHES TO
MEN OF FRANCE
All Harrisburg Helps to Cele-
brate Fall of BaStile on
French National Holiday

Harrisburg yesterday greeted
France with a heart full of warm
friendship and of devotion to the
great cause in which the two peoples
are now so happily united"
To give vent to this sincere re-
gard for brave France and The
French people, following the rendi-
tion of the big Bastile Day program
at Reservoir Park yesterday after
noon, Mayor Keister and the Harris
, burg people, sent, as fast as tele-
graph wires and cables can carry 1t,
Il message of true appreciation. This
appreciative wire read:
ITO Raymond Poincaire, President
of the Republic of France, Paris,
France:
The citizens of Harrisburg, Penn
sylVania, extend greetings to you;
and through you to our beloved
allies, the brave people of France. on
this, the anniversary of the Fall of
Bastile.
Threatening weather did not damp
righteous cause!
THE MAYOR AND CITIZENS OF
HARRISBURG. PA"
Threatening weather did not dam
en- the ardor with which Harris
burg observed the French Iude-
pendence Day" in commemoraticn
OF the fall on July IA, 129 years ago
during the French Revolution, of the
Bastile, the dungeon with its spe-
cial reservations for the victims of
French autocracy.
Special services in commemora-
ton of this happy event in the his
tory of Americas sister republic were
held throughout the city. Appro-
pirate sermons with suitable music
were heard in many of the city
churches. The decorative scheme
everywhere was wholly in keeping
with ire occasion. with the French
tricolor floating proudly beside the
American Red, White and Blue.
Strains of THE Marseillaise" and
The Star Spangled Banner" min
gled many times during the day.
Wounded Veteran Speaks
Yesterdays celebration in Harris
burg was the first one on which
July IA was celebrated with any de-
cided spirit. Celebrations, minor IN
their character, have previously been
held, but with Harrisburgers fight
ing shoulder to shoulder with the
Poilus, and after Frances whole
hearted celebration of our own In
dependence Day less than two weeks
ago, Harrisburg yesterday Joined
with a deep feeling of appreciation
for brave France in the celebration
of the French national holiday yes
terday.
The high point in yesterdays cele-
bration was the Reservoir Park nro-
pram. There a special attraction
was the presence of Captain Jacques
Rouvier, of the French High Com
mission, who delivered a short ad-
dress to help bind closer together the
hearts and affairs of the two sister
republics, who broke the shackleS of
autocracy within such a few years
of each others. Rain cut short his
talk.
A tremendous welcome was eX-
tended this representative of the
war-torn republic, veteran of many
of the battles in which she is now
engaging. Although only twenty-five
years of age, he saw service at Ner-
dun, along the Somme, in the Cham
pagne region, suffered several severe
wounds and has been decorated sew
Cral times.
Ou High French Commission
Skilled in military and diplomatic
affairs, Rouvier was appointed to
The French High Commission. In
that capacity he is now in this coun-
try helping to cement more solidly
the union of the oldest republics of
Europe and America.
Captain Rouvier wove an interest
ing tale of the significance of Bas-
tile Day in France. He told of the
special tribute paid during the past
three years, and this year as well, to
the brave French boys, many of
them wholly unframed for the brave
efforts they have made to check the
Hun flood. Germany had been pour
4 irir int Nrn
since the declaration of war, he said,
but the brave Poilus had met them
at every important point.
Huns For War Since 1870
Germany" he added. has been
preparing for this war for world
domination ever since her treacher-
Gus attack on us in 1870. She sud
denly declared war in 1914 on France
and Russia. violated Belgiums neu-
trality and began a march on Paris
that left a trail of bloodshed and