Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-24
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER "a. 1921.
Richmond's Great Day

T. OCH DAY i'll Richmond! IL mas passed.
l into history. there to take its place
among those other historic days cnshrined
i'll the heart of the Old Dominion's capital.
1t was one of those never-to- be-forgotten
occasions when Richmond really rose to
exalted heights, when its very soul poured
forth in great golden flood of welcome to
its illustrious guest whose physical presence
unleashed memories at once joyful and sor
rowful, the man who, more than any other,
symboizcs in the popular conception all
that the world has passed through to earn
its present peace and freedom
Foch Day is hardly comparable with the
first Armisticc Day, and it is by the latter
that all modern storms of civic and popular
enthusiasm must be measured That Ar
mistce Day was a spontaneous outburst of
feeling, pandemonium OF noise, Il vcritable
happy riot on the part OF tens of thousands
of jOymaddened people from whom had
been removed the CHASTITY burden of war.
Yesterday different 1t was more
formal occasion. The pageantry was order
ly and magnificent. The program had been
prepared after weeks OF detailed work, IN
which nothing was overlooked. The whole
program moved without a hitch and the va
rious organizations responsible for the dae's
varied events func,icned like wcl-oilcd
pieces OF machinery.
In yesterdays parade and in the other
features that made The day memorable.
there was not, then, that spontaneous and
wild abandon which heralded the news OF
the advent of peace. That was psycho-
logical condition that never could be repro
duced except under like circumstances. Nor
was ii necessary 10 the success Of Foch Dav
for in the faces of the tens of thousands
OF people who formed living walls bordering
the streets from Broad Street Station To the
Governors Mansion, in the cagerness with
which their eyes sought out that figure in
horizon blue, in The myriad of commingled
flags Of the sister republics. and i'm the
overcoming waves OF cheers that sweDt
up from that ocean OF humanity. the Mar
shall must have sensed the reverence Rich
lnond has for him, the affection in which
1t holds him, and its pride in having him as
its guest for day The same spirit was
III tSiu'htt everywhere from the moment
the great soldier alighted from his car
TO be received by the Governor. until las,
night when he, apparently a weary but a
happy man. departed from the capital of tho
Old South for the capital of this re-
united nation.
Foch Day is now a brilliant memory. Blu,
it is more than that 1t means something
to Richmond the effects OF which will be
lasting, for if il demonstrated ANYTHING
above and beyond our desire to do honor to
the leader Of our boys in France i, is that
when Richmond wills TO do big thing in
big way il does it, Tho same shirt -,
cooperation and coordination that made
Foch Day among the greatest of its cele
brations, applied elsewhere will bring The
same gratifying results. IL demonstrated
too, that Richmond is not cold, az has bean
charged so often, and this mornings hoarso
voices, blistercd hands and battered hats
VIII testify that on this occasion AT least
IT was not afraid or ashamed to give free
play to It's emotions.
8s TO the American Legion. whose guest
tine marshal was, and to whose tireless ef
forts the program for his entertainment was
y largely due, Richmond owes vote ot
thnnkse and to all those other organiza-
II