New Britain herald., 1921-08-03
EGION DELEGATES
 SAIL FOR FRANCE
Flp Mill Take Them to Famous BattleGeldS Of War

New York, Aug. 3.-With the flag of he national commander of the Amer an Legion flying at her masthead nd more than 150 members of that FEanization on board, the American Rssenger steamship George Washing pn sailed today for Cherbourg and remen.
 The Legioners will disembark at the rst port, whence they will go to vis-
 the battlef1elds on which for more han a year they fought against the orces of the German empire. To nany of them it will be the first wis.,
 to the scene of conflict since they oft for home, uniformed members of Farious units of victorious army.
 Take George Washington.
 The George Washington is one of he largest passenger ships under the American flag and one of the ships |eized recently by the United States Shipping Board from the United States Nail Steamship Co.,, her operating managers but released through injunc- ton proceedings. For months she has been in the hands of shipbuilders un dergoing a reconditioning to restore her as one of the finest of American liners.
 The Legion party is headed by na- donal Commander John G. Emery md includes men from every state of Ehe union. The George Washington was dressed in flags of the allied na- lions with which her honor passengers Fought. Two destroyers and a con- Koy of army airplanes were on hand to escort her out of the harbor.
 Reception Plans.
 Cable advices from Cherbourg said That the veterans would be officially received there by representative of the French governmnt. special de- tail of American soldiers from the forces now in Germany will be on |hand to welcome their former com trades.
 President Millerand and Premier Briand will receive the toursts in Par . is and Marshal Foch will join them in Flirey, where a monument erected by citizens of liberated Lorraine will be Unveiled, as a token of esteem to fAmerica. The war department has or dered Major Gen. Henry T. Allen and . company of infantry from Coblenz to attend the unveiling ceremony. The offical itinerary of the Legion hires includes visits to Blois, Verdun, Chateau Thierry, Toulouse, Lyons, Strassbourg, Metz and Bordeaux.
 Program of Activities.
 The tour will be made in special ttrains.
 At Blois the Legion men will attend the dedication of the statue of Joan of Arc, presented to the French city by the Joan of Arc committee of New LYork City. At Verdun the party will spend night in the famous citadel and at Rheims they will take part in 1.-the ceremony surround ing the nresen- tation by President Nicholas Murray Butler of Columbia University of the 5000, 900 franc gift of the Carnegie Foundation to the Rheims municipal library.
 At Chateau Thierry the Legion par ty will witness the layng of the corner stone of the Pont Roosevelt, which will replace the wrecked bridge across the Marne defended by American ma chine gunners.
 We are making this pilgrimage 2 said National Commander Emery, "as "a proof that the war alliance of Amer ic and France was based on righteous concepts. More than two years have passed since we fought side by side
 Many friendships have been brok. en iii that time, many agreements and associations repudiated. But the friendship of America and France per sists. It endures because it rests or something more binding than the for nal agreement of statesmen. It i based on common understanding ant a oneness of aspiration that lives deer in the hearts of the two great demo cratic peoples