New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-22
Metz Applauds
X. ofC. Tribute
To Lafayette
Statue Unveiled and Presen-
tation to France Made by
Supreme knight Flaherty
B e fore Big Crow d
Baton Is Given to Foch
Ancient Friendship of Both
Countries Pledged Anew;
Wallace Assails Red Rule

METZ, AlsaceLorraine, Aug. 81
(By The Associated Press The statue
of Lafayette presented to France by
the Knights of Columbus of America
was unveiled day by Supreme Knight
James A. Flaherty, of Philadelphia
Most of the population Of Metz checred
when Mr.. Flaherty drew aside the silk
sheet yelling the statue, which stands
on an eminence dominating the valley
of the Mosele
Marshal Foch, standing at the foot
of the statue. received from the
knights jeweled baton, an insignia
of his office as Marshal of France
He sat on the platform among the
other guests smiling when the compli-
ments were translated, but he was OBJ
viously deeply moved when the baton
ceremony took place
It was decidedly a Foch day. The
Marshal rose early and headed a pro-
cession of Knights into the old Cathe-
dral, saying to the knights: II have
come to pray side by side with you
for the American heroes in the war"
The Marshal took communion with
the knights during the solemn high
requiem mass celebrated by Bishop
Pelt.
Metz Flies United States Flags
The ceremony at the statue brought
out the population of Metz and hun
dreds from the surrounding country.
The city was decorated with American
flags, and it was a general holiday.
The statue was yelled in silk. An
American flag which had been repaired
by Madame Milerand was drapcd near
the base. Around the platform were
grouped 5000 children in native cos
tune. Five thousand troops formed a
guard Of honor and thousands of civil
ians crowded the park sloping toward
the Moselle.
Supreme Knight Flaherty, in pre-
been drawn aside, reminded those as
sembled of the famous words: LA
fayette, we are here" and added LA
fayetto, we are still here"
The statue was dedicated by Martin
H. Carmody and was accepted by the
Mayor of Metz and representatives of
the various departments. Immediately
after the ceremony Marshal Foch came
TO the foot of the monument, to which
taiing the baton, which Mr.. Flaherty
presented, at the same time describing
Marshal Foch as "the ideal Christian
soldier" and the greatest son of
France and the warmest friend of
America"
The Marshal embraced Supreme
knight Flaherty and in rendering his
thanks, said: 81 welcome you, Knights
OF Columbus, as the representatives of
America. | know you merits because
OF what you have done in the war. The
c hmm bat
go to America to fight, have prompted
you to come to Metz to reassure France
that America is ever ready to do her
part.
You have come here to tear down
the statue of the Red Prince, just as
your soldiers came to tear down the
menace of autocracy which the statue
represented, and you have come to put
IN it's place the protagonist of freedom.
Lafayette.
You have given me this magnificent
patton as tribute of your affection for
France and for me. You have men
toned st. Clements College. | was a
student there and | was exied by the
rious privilege to lead the victorious
army into Metz when we won the hard
earned victory.
Liberty Is Watchword
"The union of France and America
will assure forever that the natural
boundaries between France and her
late enemy will be maintained. Alsace-
Lorraine will be forever French.
America and France have long fought
for liberty and they will continue to
protect liberty throughout the world.
Knights of lumbus, you have done
France and America Il service"
In his speech at the statue, Mr..
Flaherty said: This noble figure of a
French nobleman denotes more elo-
quently than | can say the nature of
this gift from the Kni ghts of Column
bus to the Republic of France in mem
DRY of our common dead who persisted
SO that the liberty that Lafayette and
Washington fought for and won might
be preserved to the world.
Here. by this single figure in bronze.
with the bas-relief of American
marble, we see Columbus, the patron
of the knights of Columbus, in the
act of discovering America; we see
President Wilson declaring before the
American Congress in 1917 that the
lost provinces Of France must be ro