The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-04-08

4 president or the cnamOer or QepuLieS-
From there the two proceeded in state to the
Hotel de Vile, Poincare occupying the seat OF
honor by virtue Of right
At the Hotel de Vile, which is the seat not OF
the national government but OF the municipal ad-
ministration of the metropolis President Poincare
tremendously presented his successor to the City
Fathers, whereupon the president of the municipal
council, that is to say the mayor In chief of the
entire capital and the Project de la Seine, gov
ernor of the metropolitan county department,
welcomed the ruler of France In the name
of the city of Paris.
The two still living former chief magistrates OF
the republic. Emile Loubet and FaIeres occupied
places of honor at the ceremony. After Paul
DeSchanel had fully acknowledged the two
speeches and had given brief expression of his
intentions to emulate the services of his prede-
cessor and to fulfill the obligations of his office
In accordance with the provisions of the cOnsttu-
ton, POincare and Deschanel resumed their places
In the presidential eQuipage. The outgoing preSi-
dent again occupied the seat on the right, no
longer as a matter Of prerogative, but act Of
courtesy of his successor, who drove him. still
escorted by cavalry, to the residence which he had
rented for Mime. Poncare and himself in the Rue
Marbeau. From there President DeschaneI pro-
ceeded alone to the Elysee palace, of which, after
having been welcomed there with full military
honOrs. he assumed formal possession in the pres
ence of the members of the cabinet.
Quite different sort of Inauguration from
ours! The French president is not called upon to
take oath of office and the people of Paris go
about their business much usual while the
business of the president taking Office is going
What is perhaps the nearest approach to any
thing resembling investittre OF Office will be
when the distinguished general who is grand
chancellor Of the French National Order Of the
Legion OF Honor calls In state the EIysee pal
ace the designated afternoon to place around
the neck of the new president the great gold chain
of grand master Of the order.
1t is a gold chain composed Of seventeen gold
and blue enamel medalIions connected with one
fhnF hE O0ld links and ofs1roI liz,
perior to the grand cross first class of the or
der. It is fastened to each shoulder with bows OF
white ribbon. while suspended in front of the
collar is large cross Of the order.
The first nine medalIions are engraved with the
names OF the chief magistrates who have worn
the collar since the foundation Of the present re-
public, namely, Theirs. Marshal MacAfahon Jules
Grevy, Sadi CarnOt, CasimirPerier, Felix Faure
Emile Loubet. Armand FaIlieres and Raymond
Poincare. The name of Paul DeschaneI is en-
graVed on the tenth medallion.
This chain or collar of the order, dating from
1872 is the fourth that has been made since the
of the Legion of Honor, just 118 years
ago. by the first Napoleon. He caused three col
and by his nephew Napoleon III
throughout his reign.
The second Is in the possession of Prince 10
achim Murat, who inherited it from his great
great grandfather, Field Marshal Joachim Murat
brother-in-law of the first Napoleon, and some time
king Of Naples. The Prince Murat of today of
course, cannot wear 1t, not being knight of the
order, even Of the lowest grade. He merely owns
it family relic.
No one knew what had become of the third col
lar until it turned up In 1867 among the crown
jewels OF the regning house of Austria-Hungary
and Emperor Francis Joseph wore it when he
visited Paris that year In connection with the In
ternational exposition. 1t is now among the
French crown jewels.
OF course the gold collar of the order recov-
cred from Vienna and that worn by the first
Napoleon as founde- and first grand master of the
order are so adorned with crowns and imperial
emblems as to be unsuitable for the president of a
republic. Therefore the official insignia of PaaJ
Deschanel as the grand master is the collar
made In 1872 for AdOlphe Theirs, first president
of the third republic.
Although President POincare, like his predeces-
sors at the Elysee palace, was compelled to re-
linQuish the collar of grand master at the close
of his seven years term of Office he will ex-ofRcio
as a past grand master, remain a knight grand
cross for the remainder OF his days This in If
self gives him high official rank Indeed. the
knights grand cross of the order-relativev few
in number-are officially considered as among +be
highest dignitaries of the republic coming i'm
medately after the president, the speakers of the
senate and OF the chamber of deputies and tbe
three marshaIs-Foch. Joffre and Petain
They entitled to all sorts OF military and