Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-11-06
MARKS SPOT OF
YANKS' LANDING
France Lays Cornerstone of
Monument at the Pointe
de Grave.
WALLACE PRAISES French
President Poincare Urges Both Ma
tons to Guard Against Estrange-
ment-Lafayette Sailed for
America From Same Port.

Pointe de Grave, France.-F'rance
paid lasting tribute to American ac-
tive entry into the great war by lay
ing the cornerstone of a monument
here commemorative the landing on
the spot of the first contingent of
American troops in 1917 Speeches
by President Poincare and Hugh c.
Wallace, the American ambassador,
were the features of the exercises
appropriately held on the birthday Of
Lafayette, who sailed for America
from this same port in 1777.
The scene was a brilliant one,
numerous detachments of French and
American soldiers, sailors and ma
rines assembled among the sandy
dunes of the P0inte giving color to
the picture The guard of honor, for
instance, was composed of United
States marines, many of whom were
veterans of the fighting on the Marine
In 1913.
Distinguished Gathering.
In addition to Premier Clemenceau,
Marshal Foch and other distin-
guished Frenchmen, numbers of prom
inent Americans assisted in the cere-
mony, among them Frank L. Polk, I'M
der secretary of state; Gen. Tasker H.
Bliss and Brig Gen. w. d. Conner,
now commander of the American
fopnaC in E1rouoa Tho EHronch ropro-
sentation included also Marquis de
Chambrun, descendant of Lafayette
and a member of the JOffre mission to
the United States in 1917; Andre
Tardieu, and Deputy Maurice Damour,
chairman of the committee In charge
of the exercises. A band from the
U. S. S. Garcia played
A crowd of some 5000 witnessed
the ceremony.
President Poincare in his speech
called to America to continue that
close relationship which caused the
United States to come to the aid of
France. -,
"In the plains of Picardy, Lor-
raine and Champagne by the side of
l, 100000 whom the war has mown
down" said he, sleep your Ameri-
cans whose mothers do not know
their tombs. They all sacrificed to
the same ideal the French died for.
Let US bend down over these tombs
and listen. 1t is the same voice which
everywhere arises from the depths Of
the earth. We have suffered, they
say, in order that the world should
become free To you now falls the
duty to watch that never again may
leap up this danger which we have
removed Do not allow France and
America to estrange themselves one
from the other. Do. not draw apart
those hands which are now Joined.
Be on your guard that there shall
never be kept between you misunder-
standings which sooner or later might
be transformed into disagreements.
I Tomorrow no more than yester-
( day can you dispense with each other.
! Separated you will quickly be exposed
! to the offensive return Of violence.
! Side by side the peoples who have
won the war will be strong enough
to make such war impossible
Praises Spirit of France.
American Ambassador Wallace said
the monument would be to victory
and liberty"
The speaker praised the spirit OF
! France and said that while many and
| great are the glories of France there
is none that compares with the glory
! Of the Marne'
Ambassador Wallace, after having
dwelt upon the part Lafayette had
! played in the Revolutionary war, said
/ the United States was proud to have
had the opportunity to cross the
| ocean in this case, and that General
! PerShing had the honor of serving
/ under Marshal FOch. The ambassa-
! dor said he also considered it a great
| honor to himself that the opportunity
was given him to affirm what was the
| due of France, which,, he declared,
must come out of the war with added
strength and prestige as otherwise
victory would have been won In vain.