The Washington herald., 1919-09-09
PERSHING GIVEN A BIG
NEW YORK RECEPTION
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ward the tomb Of the great Lafayette.
As they nearCd the sacred spot all
gave way to the -chiet
Of the A. E. F. He moved slowly.
hattingly. Few sounds could be heard
save the distant rattle Of a wagon on
the street. Far OF in the distance
where hell had come back to earth
could be heard the murrled boom of
the giant guns that were making and
unmaking history.
Honors Lafayette.
Silently the little group stood there.
every head was bowed save that of
BLACK Jack" Pershing. His close
cropped, grizzled head was held high.
His jaw was as straight as though It
had been tried with r square. His
mouth. beneath a short cropped mus
tache, snapped tight like the jaws
OF steel trap.
For many minutes he waited. His
gnarled. strong. right hand snapped
quickly to his right temple and stayed
there. Others, in the group stood at
attention. Cool and crisp and clear
came the words that were to echo
around the civilized world Thsy
burst forth on the quietness of the
misty morning like a shout In =
cavern. Simple and pure and Amer
lean they were. Only four little words
in all. which said at any other time
would have meant but little, they car
rled a message that meant the wip-
ing from the debit side OF ncle Sans
ledger a debt that had been hanging
over his head for scores of years.
Slowly the four words came as he
said:
Lafayette, we are here" He voiced
the heart throbs OF the one hundred
million who were waiting and watch
ing and wondering.
The Statue OF Liberty certainly
looked good to me-" declared the
commander OF the A. z. F.. after he
reached New York. Contrasting his
departure with his arrival he said:
Weather Bright
7 went away quietly and in thick
fog. I come back amidst scenes OF
enthusiasm that thrill one. and in
pleasant weather.
From the very moment when
those who went down the bay by
boat and -aeroplane to extend the
first greetings decried Gen. Pershing
standing on the Leviathan's deck.
the remarkable demonstration con-
tinued,. Flipping his military cap
from his head. the commanding Of
ficer OF Americas armies waved II
aloft in Acknowledgement Of the first
greetings. 1t was very far from
military salute, but today Gen. Per-
shing was less a soldier than a reg
ular fellow. an American among
Americans, the man whom a nation
was delighted to honor.
Tumuituous Cheering.
1t was when Gen. Pershing step
ped from the patrol at 10:15 o'clock
the demonstration in his honor was
started. Practically all business had
been suspended in the financial dis
trict, its thousands of workers
abandoning their tasks temporarily.
At the City Hall, when Gov. Smith
and Mayor Hylan congratulated him
in their address Of greeting as the
commander of Americas fighting
forces, the generals face sobered.
The smile left his lips and his eyes
grew serious as he replied briefly,
modestly Ignoring for the most part
his own performances, extolling the
splendid material his country had
sent abroad to fight the battles OF
civilization.
Liked His Reception.
To newspaper men who asked
how he liked his reception, General
Pershing said:
What can 1 say? OF course there
is nothing for me to say in the cir
cumstances. It Is simply over
helming-overpower 1 accept
this welcome in the name of the
brave fellows who came over and
served to the best of their ability
and helped make our success pos
sible. l thank you"
That Gen PershinR 4. mt