New-York tribune., 1919-09-04
City to Have
Only 10000
Parade Seats
Private Citizens Offer Help
After Mayors Committee
Admits 1t Cannot Erect
Crandstands i'll Time

Crandstands in Time
1t is probable there will be grand
stand seats for about 10000 of the
hundreds Of thousands who are ex-
pected to view the reception to Cen
eral Pershing and the parade of the
lst Division next Wednesday.
Plans for placing park benches along
the sidewalks in Fifth Avenue are ex-
pccted to take care of few thousand
more. But the majority Of those who
desire to watch will be forced to stand
for from four to eight hours to do so.
At least half of this number of grand
stand seats will be provided, if forth
coming, not by official New York, but
by the generosity of some OF it's citi-
zens.
This much was agreed yesterday
after conferences between members of
the Mayors Committee of Welcome to
Homecoming Troops and officers of the
lst Division.
Tickets for Soldiers Kin
At a conference between Major Paul
DAILY, who has charge of the seating
arrangements for the 1st Divis ion, and
personalities of the Mayors COM
mttee, the army officer was told that
two grandstand tickets will be pro-
vided for each officer and private IN
the division who has his home in the
city. 1t is thought that this will re-
quire slightly more than 5000 seats.
Members of the division who are
entitled to seats under this arrange
ment have been asked to send their
applications to the headquarters of the
division at Room 151, Biltmore Hotel
The distribution of tickets will be
made Saturday morning.
In addition to these seats the Mayors
reception body will erect a grand
stand, seating about 5000 persons, for
the reviewers and official visitors.
Other seats provided by the same COM
mlttce probably will bring the seating
capacity up 20 10000
Citizens Offer Aid
While these plans were under dis
cussion an offer was made by Alex
ander Allen, of 643 West Fortv-second
Street, 20 erect q grandstand, seating
10000 persons, that once had been used
for Fifth Avenue parade. Mr. Allen
said he would place the stand at the
disposal of the division for the cost Of
at $4,000, or less than one-fifth the
usual cost of such stands.
Although the division has no funds
Tor such a project, it was said last
night the offer probably would be ac-
ccpted. Contributions of cash already
have been received from citizens will
ing to AID in the purchase of lumber
for d grandstand, and it is thought
these contributions may be diverted to
this plan.
Congress to Greet General
The feet of boats that will go down
the harbor to greet General Pcrshing
and his staff VIII carry with it Con-
grcss onal committee headed by Sena-
tor Wadsworth Of New York. chairman
OF the Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee. The welcoming committee named
yesterday is made up Of Senator War
ren, of Wyoming, General Pershing's
tather-ln- law; Majority Leader Mon
dell and Minority Leader Clark of the
house Representative Kahn, chairman
OF the House Military Affairs Commit
tee. and Senator Wadsworth. The
Leviathan is expected to reach Sandy
Hook on the night Of September 7. but
VIII not dock until Monday, September
s, at 8 a. m.
The committee will arrange with
General Pershing the date of the cere-
monies to be held in his honor by both
houses Of Congress in the House cham
Der. 1t was discovered that the resolu-
ton authorizing the ceremonies car
rled no appropriation, and that the
committee to greet General Pershiny
VIII have to pay its own expenses to
New York.
The Congressional welcomers dis
cusscd the advlsability Of hurrying the
enactment of Representative Kahn's
hi TO.
d gold sword, so that the presentation
could be made on the day of the cere-
monies in the House. 1t .was found
however, that the sword could not be
made i'll time for the exercises.
Insist Upon New Sword
A suggestion that General Pershing
be presented with fancy sword from
the War Departments stock, and that
the gold sword later be substituted, was
rejected when several Senators OBJ
served that everybody will want to
look at it, and the rusc could not 90
undiscovered.
, One of the features of the parade
will be the wearing Of the French four
ragere by the 18th Infantry This
coveted evidence Of two citations for
regiment will be displayed on the
colors Of the regiment and on the
shoulder of each member
No other combat division has been
awarded the fourragere, although it
! has been earned by the 28th Infantry,
of the list Division. The actual pres
entation to the 18th did not take place
/, until the homeward journey, when as
as the transport Won Steuben ap-
, preached New York, Colonel Charles A.
F Hunt, commander of the regiment, was
.. awarded the decoration for his men.
J When the steamer arrived from Brest
yesterday the colonel carried with him
=, the story of the cermony at sea which
,, will permit his men to wear the green
!, and red cords in the Fifth Avenue
, parade.
Meanwhile there came vail from
the heroes of the 18th Infantry who,
q having been cited twice by order of
the French government, have not vet
been awarded the fourragcre because
v OF some official oversight. Yesterday
a cable was dispatched to Paris in
the hope that by jogging somebody's
$ memory the order might be issued in
time to permit the manufacture of the
, cords here.
r mo, there's no jealousy because the
1 18th is getting the honors," said an
. officer of the 2Sth. "We're glad thev
: are given this recognition. But we
earned our honors and we think we
!, ought to be permitted 10 yaor ~ q