The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-11-28
PERSH|NC GREETED
BY JOYFUL PARIS
american Commander Almost
Mobbed by Worshiping
Crowd in Street.
OUTBREAK IS SPONTANEOUS
Girl Starts Demonstration When She
Recognizes Yanks' Leader
Sitting In Passing
Automobile.

AuLomCDfiSs
Paris.-One of the widest demon
STATIONS ever seen in Paris occurred
when Gen. John J. Pershing, COM
mander of the American expeditionary
forces, made his appearance in an au-
tOmobile on the streets Of Paris. The
crowds went wild when they caught
a glimpse of the American leader, and
as the word spread thousands of per-
sons poured from every direction into
the Place de la Concorde, through
which General Pershing was passing
when he was recognized by passers by.
It was estimated that within a short
time there were half a million people
in the cheering mob that struggled for
a glimpse OF the American general.
The general was out for a short
drive and had come up the Rue Rivoh.
His car was proceeding at a snaifs
pace before it was recognized by the
frenzied street crowds.
AS General Pershing's face, with the
famous smile, showed through the
door, French girl with the flags of
half a dozen nations twined about her
head screamed, General PershingI''
The cry was taken up instantly and
passed over the seething multitudes- If
there were any gendarmes about they
were swallowed up in the enormous
mob. In an instant men and women
went mad and screamed his name, and
all tried to reach the car.
Men picked up women and held them
on their shoulders that they might get
look at the general. The mob surged
toward the car in another wave.
Shakes Hands of Children.
General Pershing amidst the danger
was enjoying it greatly. Instead of clos
ing the window and urging the driver
to get out before they were crushed to
death, he let the window down full
length, laughed heartily, and thrust his
hand out of the door to shake the hand
of a little French child whose proud
father lifted her above the heads Of
the mob.
Children climbed on the tOnneau and
Skinned up the back of the Limousine
and franticalIy leaped over the strug-
CLING mass and shot their hands in at
the window. General Pershing con-
tinued laughing and tried to shake as
many hands as could be thrust through
the window.
"Pershing! Pershing!" beloved tli2
mob, and the name rang from the
Seine to the Rue Royale, up the
Champs ElySees, and through the
Tuileries gardens.
Efforts to Clear Way Fail.
French officers who had been caught
up in the human maelstrom saluted
and then endeavored to have the mob
give way. AS if by common impulse
the masses seemed to understand that
the great American general was In
danger, and with a craning of heads
and the screams of women and chill
dren a slight rift was made directly
ahead of the car. Then by less than
a snail's pace the car with frantic
snorts edged along, inch by inch.
The cheering was indescribable
Along the boulevards the name of Per
shing was taken up by thousands who
probably did not know that Pershine
was in their midst, and at one moment
1t seemed that all Paris was shouting
By this time the inside of Pershing's
car resembled a flag shop. The chill
dren who were raised over the heads
of the frantic populace tossed small
flags and flowers through the window
and the grOwnups tore the insignis
from their coats and tossed it in Gen
eral Pershing was laughing hard anC
waving his hand back at the children
but still the flag and floral Offering.
poured in until he was half buried be
meath the bunting, flags, buttons, in
sigma, and crushed blossoms.
Moves Inch by Inch.
Inch by inch the car moved and the1
halted several minutes as the mol
Surged back against 1t. 1t was the ca
he had used over the battlefield O
France and was built for rough usage
else it seems it must have crushed Xix,
an egg shell.
Finally the car edged out of tn,
Place de Ia ConcOrde into the Champ
Elysees, but still the mob, with hat
of, arms in air, and mouths wide open
shouting like mad, surged about him
It was several minutes more before tn
car could be extricated and q sem
blance of road made.
Even then, as the car got away u
the great avenue toward the Arc d
Triomph. thousands ran after 1t. Al
Paris seemed to be rumbling with
mighty noise and over the might