The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-08-21
LAFAYETTE STATUE
UNVEILED At METZ
Gift to France BY the Knights of Col
umbus of America Stands on
Eminence Dominating Val
ley of the Moselle.

IVY Va eaA~ A&O~NAA~'
Metz, Alsace Lorraine, Aug. 2l by
the Associated Press The statue OF
Lafayette, presented to France by the
Knights of Columbus of America, was
unveiled to-day by Supreme Knight
James A. Flaherty of Philadelphia.
Most of the population of Metz cheered
when Mr.. Flaherty drew aside the silk
sheet yelling the statue, which stands
on an eminence dominating the valley
of the Moselle
In his speech of presentation, Mr..
Flaherty said: This noble figure of a
French nobleman denotes more elo-
quently than l can say the nature Of
this gift from the Knights of Columbus
to the republic of France in memory of
our common dead, who perished so that
the liberty that Lafayette and Wash
ington fought for and won might be
preserved to the world"
Mr. Flaherty said that the Knights
of Columbus, as Catholic citizens of
America, desired by this memorial to
commemorate foever the holy bond
of union between France and America,
sealed by the blood of the French and
American hero dead.
William p. Larkin of New York, SUI
preme director of the Knights of Col
umbus, delivered the oration of the
day He reviewed the historic rela-
tions between France and the United
States, and told of the French Catholic
clergy collecting S6,0O0,000 to aid the
colonies of America.
I'VE of America can never forget
the pastorals issued by the bishops of
France urging the people Of France to
aid America in those trying days" he
continued. ut is altogether fitting
and appropriate that the knights Of
Columbus should select this historic
spot as the object of their pilgrimage.
for was not Metz the starting point OF
Lafayette's American career?"
And was it not in Mezt that, 100
years afterward, within the sacred
precincts of st. Clements college, Mar
shall Ferdinand Foch, the hero of the
war, was laying deep the foundations
Of that character and genius which, in
later years, stood civilization in such
stead and saved Franee!"
Mr. Larkin said the Knights Of Col
umbus welcomed the opportunity to
symbolic the age-old binding Ameri-
ca to France. He declared the organi
zation had chosen Lafayette because he
typifed pre-eminently and beyond all
Others the incarnation of Frances fra
ternal feelings towards America
throughout the centuries and because
he was loved and trusted friend of
Washington.
Hugh c. Wallace, the American am
bassador, in his address discussed the
Russian situation in describing La
fayet.e's Service to an ideal"
what would this great apostle of
liberty think of the crimes being com
mitted to-day in the name of liberty?"
the ambassador said. "The madmen |
who have clothed, themselves with brief
authority are trying to barter bogus
mess of pottage for suppression of the
civilized conscience and recognition of
their government. Notwithstanding |
their crimes, the great people whom
we know as Russians will, in the provi-
dence of God, come out of their present
darkness into the light"
"Those among them who honestly |
are deceived will cease to follow their
false prophets and the nation VIII turn
to its wise men and through them es-
tablish a government worthy IN en-
dure. The imperial autocracy once de-
throned on the battlefield is not to
rise again through the excesses of
barbarous proletariat, nor can the
great battle Of civilization won IN the
west bel ost"
Mr.. Wallace retold the career Of
Lafayette and his relations with the
Americans, "who took him To their
hearts" He described Washingtons
and Jefferson's efforts to obtain La
fayette's release from an Austrian
prison so that he might come TO the
United States. The ambassador quoted
Lafayette's answer TO Tslleyrand, who
had offered him the ministry to the
United States. Il am too much an
American to present myself in the part
Of foreign diplomat"
A great company Of notable persons
the French and american
o,ernments. the prelates and armies
II both countries were on the platform.
Among them were Marshal Focb. Min.
ister Of Justice L'HoPitesu, Bishop
pelt. General johnson, commander of
he DIST division. DR. Marcel Knecht.
who was a member Of the French mis-
ion 20 the United States, and the mu-
licipal and departmental officials.