The sun., 1919-05-07
OFFICERS OF nth
GUESTS AT DINNER
Cheers and Indian Yells Greet
Gen. Alexander in Fare
we'll Speech.
DIVISION GETS NEW FLAG
Welcome Committee Is Host at
Gathering-Deeds of Hero
ism Recalled.

ism Recalled.
The officers VINO led the hardy back.
| wocdsmen from the Bowery and Hester
street and the East Side"-so Gen. Alex
ander described his men Of the Seventy
seventh Division-ended their day in tn,
ballroom Of the Waldorf, as guests Of
the Mayors Committee Of Welcome
They consumed much food that was cas-,
tC eat. were entertained with vaudeville
and listened TO speeches from Mayor
iiylan Gen. Alexander and Martin Con
BOY, who as director OF the draft firs
terded faphank Bonnie and his pals e
camp Upton. Rodman Wanamaker
chairman OF the committee and Of tn,
dinner. presented to Gen. Alexander 70,
his division big silk American flag
and FOR the Generals wife there was Q
bar of many diamonds
There were 400 officers at tho dinner
! fifty members Of the Mayors committee
ana other guests bringing the company
up to about 700.
When Gen. Alexander stood I'D &c
speak his public farewell his officera
whom he saluted as comrades" were or
their feet first, filling the hotel and prob.
ably Thirty-fourth street too with cheer.
ing, mixed up with Indian Wells and
"fe-o-o-w's." The General said tina,
the Seventy seventh had proudly repre-.
sented the Imperial city," and that al.
though organized for the purposes OF
war 1t also had been the means OF help.
ing the least of your citizens to learn
the lesson of patriotism and American.
ism"
The Soul of the Division,
He spoke Of the soul, without which
everything else fails. and said that the
Seventy seventh had a soul. This" h,
said. was demonstrated on the yesle ir
the face OF foe which at times had su
periority of artillery. The Seventy
| seventh was the first American division
believe, to stand on the banks Of tn,
Aisne Then In the Argonne. always re.
gNded as impenetrable, these hardy
backwoodsmen from the Bowery ant
Hester street and the East Side landed
right In the middle Of the forest. Faced
by obstacles which you cant imagine
they got away with 1t. which wasn't baC
at all +"
Gen. Alexander wanted 1t understood
| war, but 10 other division actually oper
ated In the Argonne Forest. For TWEEN
ty-one successive mornings they at
tackled, Just as Jim would take his din
ner pail and go to work"
1T bespoke a spirit which / canno
praise too highly" Gen. Alexander said
You here tonight ought to recogniz,
that they were some soldiers" After
knowledging the service of the artll
lery and engineers in supporting the in
fantry. he said: The result attained
by this and the other divisions could onl,
have been achieved by the most hearty
| cooperation OF every element and from
| soul intending to conquer 1t cam,
also from the knowledge that behind W
in the United States every effort wa
being made. Supplies were sent US with
out stint. and we knew that the womeT
were helping us with their work ant
their prayers.
All Nationalities Represented.
This division IL perhaps more cosmo-
politan than others. l had the good
fortune to be able to distribute some
OF the rewards, I remember particu.
larly Capt Herman Staadie. born ir
Germany Sergeant Sing Kee. whose
parents came from China. and Sergeant
Abraham Kretoehinsky. There were
names from the Emerald Isle-from al
| over the earth--and all were repre-
scented among the men to whom honors
were given. and in the still more honor
able order of the little wooden cross"
When the honorary color guard en-
tered the ballroom and placed the sill
flag beside Gen. Alexander. Mr.. Wanna
maker said:
I'VE know these men do not like 10 be
praised for what they have done oil
coddled when they come back. But we
have heard the word OF Gen. Pershinl
that there was no better division in thu
| army. We know that these men were ir
the only division to go into n wood where
Hannibal and Napoleon failed-that they
went into the wood in the face OF the
foe; that they went through that he'll
! and conquered"
The red in the nag. Mr. Wanamakel
said. recalled the 9,6ll members OF the
division who gave OF their blood the
white was for their purity OF purpose. and
the blue was for the heavens that guided
them
II desire to present this to you. Gen.
eral" he said. Your rag. your colors
the colors OF your country"
The Mayor was introduced by Mr
W dnaHlhkeT as JOnn faIlnIul i1ylhH
He acknowledged the city's apprecia-
| ton of the patriotism OF the volunteer
| draft boards and their careful selection
of the men.
Mayor Praises the Division.
THE brilliant success of the allied
| armies" said the Mayor, has thrilled
and warmed our hearts. What must bt
the feelings of city such as New York
| now offer to our military heroes the
| congratulations of our citizenry on tht
| extinction OF the peril which threatened
! all civilization. The men OF the Liberty
Division return to us bringing honor.
| from the battlefelds OF France, The
| gallant stand of the detachment of the
| S07th and the 30Sth Infantry in tho
| forest fastness when faced by imminent
humiliation will be immortal in Amer
| lean history.
The perseverance which characterized
this little band OF 700 patriots is typica
OF all the men OF the division. That thu
men who have made it possible to Sc
cure a peace worth preserving and likel,
| to endure may have their full share II
| the prosperity OF our country Is the sin
cere and earnest wish OF all of u.s."
Finally General Order IS. which II
| Gen. Alexander's formal valedictory I,
| the division. was read. In 1t he salC
that the individual and divisional recorC
| had been consistently one OF faithful
service and a high sense of duty.
wished everybody future happiness anC
pr odiCted that all would display in civil
, life the same qualities of fortitude anC
/ patriotic devotion they have so fully de
monstrated as soldiers"
| Those at the principal guest tabl
were Brig. Gen. Harrison J. Price