New-York tribune., 1921-01-06
600 Pay Honor
TOCen. Niyelle
At Dinner Here
Former French Army Com
mander Guest of France
American Society on Eve
of Departure for Home
Pershing Sends. Tribute
Noted Soldier Confers the
Legion of Honor on Three
American Army Officers

SIX hundred prominent men and
women attended a farewell dinner to
General Robert Georges Nivelle, for
merly commander of the French army
given by the Franco-American Society
last night at the Hotel Biltmore.
General Nivelle will sail for France
next Saturday, after having made
two months tour of the United States
to express Frances appreciation OF
Americas part in winning the war.
tie arrived in New York November 8
as the French delegate to the Pilgrim
tercentenary celebration.
Standing beneath panoplv Of inter-
twlned flags of the Allies, General Nj
Velle received tributes from the Amer
ican army and navy. The army's fare
we'll was contained in telegram from
General Pershlng, which was read bv
MAYOR General John +. O'Ryan. After
expressing his regrets at not being
able to be present, General Pershing
said: "America will long remember
your memorable visit. 1t will serve to
remind US OF the inspiring forttude Of
the Frenh nation and it will set seal
on the everlasting friendship between
yOuI COuHlIVf ana ]N1Qo.
Similar tributes were paid by Myron
7. Herrick, formerly Ambassador to
France; Major General O'Ryan. Rear
Admiral Edward Glennon and John II
Finley.
Bond Better Than All Leagues
General Nivells, in response. spoke
partly IN French and partly in English
Every Tommy, Sammy and poilu de
serves as much credit as any of the
generals" he SAID. "The soldiers OF
the sister republics, France and Amer
lca. have sealed q bond undying and
everlasting. That is better than all the
leagues Of nations, better than any
treaty"
The future of France, he said, is
particularly bright because of the
plans already under way to rehabil-
tate the devastated regions and restore
them to prewar prosperity MY last
thoughts on leaving Nour country will
be OF gratitude for what you did in
the war and for what you are doing
now to help us in our reconstruction
period. Since | came here | have trav-
eled to the Pacific Coast, and I found
everywhere the same sentiment which
| have heard expressed here toni ght-
enc OF sincere love for France. On be-
half of the French nation, can say
she entertans the same affection for
America"
Referring to the political situation
in France, General Nivelle minimized
the Importance Of the Socialist con
gress at Tours, which recently pledged
its adherence to the Third lnternation-
ale and to the doctrines Of Lenine and
Irotzky.
There IS no more Bolshevism in
France than there is in America he
said. 1--WE are a democratic people like
you ere. The talk that France is be-
coming sociahstic has no foundation
in fact
At the conclusion Of his address
General Nivelle conferred decorations
of the Legion Of Honor on three
American army officers. They were
Colonel Orrin r. Eolfe, Colonel Mer-
Wyn c. Buckley and Captain John b
Trevor.
Among those who attended were Ger-
eral George y. Wingate. Mr.. and Mrs.
Whitney Warren. j, Mayhew Vain
wright, Mrs. ". X. Vanderbilt jr., Jules
II. Vernon. James B. Townsend Mrs
Belmont Tiffany. Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur
iurnbull, Captain }. 6. Phelps Stokes,
Mr.. and Mrs. Gerard swoDe, Mrs Doug
las Robinson Colonel Theodore Roose-
velt, J. NJ. Revillon, Henri Picard. Al
ton b. Parker, M. and Mrs Adolph S.
Ochs, Frank A. Munsey, Miss Anne
Morgan, Mrs. A. Iselin. Mr.. and Mrs
Elon II. Hooker, Mrs Borden Harri
man, f. W. Calbraith jr., Mrs. Joseph
ii. Choate and a. b. Boardman