New-York tribune., 1922-09-07
Marl1e Heroes
And I4afa yette
Hollored irls CITY
General Pershilag, ai4,Union
Square, Pays TriIsate 10
His Comrades i'm Arms.
Marshals Joffra anG.Foch
u. S. Soldiers Extolled
Count de Chambrun Assures
America France is Ally;
French Soil Put ON Grave

New York City played its partSin the
nationwide celebration of Latayette-
Marne Day yesterday by patriotic
demonstrations at the Lafayette
Statue, Union Square, and at the grave
of Lieutenant Colonel Stephan Roche-
Fontaine, in the churchyard of ST..
Faul's Chapel, at Broadway and Fulton
Street General Pershing was the
guest of honor, and Augustus Thomas
the speaker at the former exercises.
DR.. John H. Finley presided.
General Pershing, who read COM
munications from Marshal Foch and
Marshal Joffrc at the morning meet,
ing, in Union Square, said:
~ am glad to be able to take al
simple part in the ceremony this morn !,
ing by reading the two messages from
my comrades in arms, Marshal Joffre
and Marshal Foch. While we did not
speak the same language, | very little
French and they no English, we did
converse in an understanding manner
without the necessity of having com
mon language We had a common pur-
pose and common aim, which, under
all circumstances, unites people more
than language"
Flower-BanIsed Statue
With the assistance of the French
representative, Count de Chambrun
French Charge RAfaires. and a linpai
descendant Of Lafayette. General
Pershing placed huge rose wreath
at the base of the monument, culminat-
ing the floral offerings from the
various patriotic and historic societies
of New York. The 10th Infantry
Band, from Fort Jay, played "The
Marseillaise" and America" while the
wreaths were being grouped about the
pedestal
Among the patriotic; and civic soci-
eties represented were the Sons of the
Revolution, the Sons of the American
Revolution, the National Security
League, the Y. M. C. A., French Vet,
Grams of the War, delegations from the
American Legion, Veterans of FOREIGN
Wars and others
Myron T. Herrick, American Ambas-
sador to France, who was unable to at
tend the exercises, sent a telegram
from Cleveland, which was read by Dr.
Finley. 1t read, in part:
"The memory of the battle of the
distant rumble of the guns during its
progress as l awaited it's outcome in
Paris. Before there was another
Marne, before victory finally came,
recall also going to she statue of La
fayette in Union Square with Marshal
Joffre and Joseph H. Choate, and re-
member Choate's words to the country
afterward: For Gods sake, hurry up
These words may we'll be spoken now.
| am full of hope that it can and will
be done"
Noon Hour Crowds Attend
Thousands of men ard women. re-
leased for the lunch recess, were wit
nesses of the half sacred, half martial
noon-hour celebration at st. PauPs
Church.
Soil from the city of AK, France,
sent by the Mayor of the city, and wa
ter from the River Marine were sprin-
kled over the grave of Rochefontaine
who served in the Revolutionary War
on the staff of General George Wash
ington. The service, which recalled
an occasion when Lafayette took back
with him to France American soil for
his own grave, was under the auspices
of the Sons of the American Revolu-
ton.
Exercises in the chapel at noon con-
sisted of a professional, the singing
of anthems and an address by the Very
Rev. DR.: George B. Myers, Dean of
trinity Cathedral, Havana, Cuba. The
earth was presented by James B. Laux
and the water by Ira B. Stewart, after
which both the soil and the water were
blessed by the Rev. DR.. J. P. McComas,
vicar of st. Paul's, who also officiated
at the services. The Rev, DR.. A. E. Ri