Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-07-23
MILLIONS SEE BIG
PARADE IN PARIS
Gen. Pershing and Yanks Given
Ovation by Crowd.
WAR CRIPPLES IN THE LEAD
Marshal Joffre, Winner of the First
Battle of the Marine, Follows 1 900
Wounded Soldiers Under the
Arc De Triomphe.

Par1S. July 10.-The cOnQuerOrS in
the great war marched in a victory
parade under the Arc de Triomphe,
through which only victors may pass.
Picked units and individual heroes
represented each of the allied armies.
Several million grateful persons,
mostly French, but with thousands of
their allies, struggled forward along
the line of march for an opportunity to
wave and shout their gratitude to the
men who saved them from German i'm
perialism.
The great triumphal arch, conceived
by Napoleon to commemorate the vic
tory at the battle of AusterlitZ, took
on new historic Importance when the
allies marched through the massive
pile Of masonry which dominates all
Paris and moved down the Champs
Elysees toward the Place de Ia Con-
corde.
War CrippIes in Lead.
The place of honor in the process
sion was not accorded to the generals
and the smartly equipped troops. 1t
was given to thousand mutilated sol
diers who passed under the arch and
in front of the reviewing stand where
stood President Poincare, haltingly
and out of step, as best they could.
Many were injured, some were
blind, some were in wheel chairs and
others were on crutches or limped
along with the aid of canes. Few were
in uniform. They represented all the
provinces of France, as was indicated
by the variety of their civilian attire.
They made no effort 10 maintain mill
tary formation, but marched as well
as they could to the airs played by the
military band which led them.
Great crowds filled every inch of
space in the many streets and boule-
wards that commanded view of the
line of march. Balconies were packed
and roofs were black with people.
Many hung in the trees which line the
boulevardS.
The great parade ended at the Place
de la Republique, where the troops dis
persed after passing before Marshal
Foch and Marshal Joffre, who reached
the end of the march at exactly 1915
o'clock.
Cannon fire which seemed like thun-
der gave the signal to all Paris when
the victory parade reached the Arc de
Triomphe. There, where the crowd
was most dense, the first sight of. the
parade called forth tremendous cheer
ing.
Marshal Joffre, the victor of the first
battle of the Marine, passed under the
Arc de Triomphe at 8 40 o'clock. He
rode alone. Behind him came Marshal
Foch, commander in chief of the allied
forces during the final campaign.
Cheers for Pershing.
Gen. John J. Pershing with a num-
Der of American generals, came next
in line and was received with equal
enthusiasm. Forty American organi-
cations, soldiers and marines, march
ing with wonderful precision, were
greeted by sea of waving handker-
chiefs and flags and with deafening
cheers.
General Pershing rode at the head
of the American troops, which were
separated from the French by a space
of 300 yards. General Pershing's per-
sonal flag, a, scarlet field with row of
four white stars, was displayed for
the first time. 1t was borne by
mounted sergeant riding directly be-
hind the American commander in
chief.
Behind General Pershing rode Maj.
Gen. H. G. Harbord, chief Of staff, fol-
lowed closely by three aides, Col.
George c. Marshall. Jr., Col. John G.
Ouekemeyer and Maj. Thurston
Hughes. Behind these rode two army
corps commanders, Maj. Gen. Henry
T. Allen and Maj. Gen. John L. Hines.
Next came four rows of American
officers.
The American military band was
composed of 126 men.
The American troops in line con-
sisted of a composite battalion select
ed from all regiments of the American
army of occupation, formed in four
companies. The first two companies
in line were separated from the sec
ond by a detachment of men carrying
40 regimental flags. The color bearers
and guards numbered altogether about
200.
Last in the American section came
a company of $50 marines, command
Oh nv Lieutenant Meyer. Altogether
there were in line a few less than l.
800 Americans.