The New York herald., 1922-04-20
Jonre Is Guest at
Harding Reception
for Army and Navy
Five Thousand Persons Attend
Event at the White
House.
Special Dispatch 10 THE NEw YoRK HERALD.

Special Dispatch 10 THE NEW YoaK HEnALD.
Washington, ID. c., April 10.
The army and navy reception post
poned from February was held tonight
al the. White House, with the President
and Mrs. Harding as hosts and Marshal
Joffre as the bright particular star or
the occasion.
IT was happy chance which brought
the great French warrior TO Washing
ton at the time OF the reception In
honor of the military, and when he
called upon the President to-day he ac-
cepted an invitation To attend. With
Nine. Joffre, he arrived under the escort
OF the French Ambassador and Nine
Jusserand. holding an lmpromptu re-
ception after they had been greeted oy
their hosts. All evening they were sur
rounded by an animated group. the
scarlet trousers OF the Marshai's uni-
form in striking contrast to the Ameri-
can sonlber olive drab and blue.
Five thousand invitations were issued
for the reception and apparently there
were no regrets-for to army and navy
officers an invitation from the Com
mander In Chief is command. Both
the south and north entrances or the
White House were In use. as well as
the more familiar east entrance. so
that despite the size OF the crowd there
was no delay. From all sides the guests
debouched upon the hallway and the
red corridor, where they We're marshaled
into line and headed through the State
dining room and the Red Room to the
historic Blue Room. where the receiving
party always stands.
The Secretary OF War and Mrs.
Weeks and the Secretary of the Navy
and Mrs. DENLY assisted the President
and Mrs. Harding in greeting the guests
and Con. John J. Pershing. chief of
staff. u. S. A., was the first to go down
the line.
Marshal and Nine. Joffre were in
cluded in the stately procession which
descended the stairway. AS the recep-
tion was an official one this was con-
sidered very unusual and high COM
pliment to the French chieftain As
they advanced the Marine Band played
"The Star Spangled Banner" and the
"Marseillaise.
All the dignitaries of army. navy and
marine corps were present. Rear Admira!
and Mrs Robert X. Coontz. Major-Gen.
and Mre. John A. Lejeune and so on
down the line-with many of the diplo-
.rnats. the members OF the military and
naval committees of the Senate and the
House, a grist OF others prominent in
Official life and sprinkiing of unofficial
folk.
The army and navy reception was
originally scheduled for February 20, but
was postponed until the present date
on account Of the Roma disaster, which
cast the service into mourning.
Marshal Joffre. accompanied by Nine.
Joffre and his daughter. arrived in
Washington early to-day The Marshal
was greeted by large crowd at the
station He came directly from Chicago
on his way from the coast and will
remain in Washington five days before
leaving for New York.
A busy day commenced at once for
the Marshal. He and his party were
driven at once to the Lafayette Hotel.
where he was greeted by Col. Hanford
MacNkier, national commander of the
American Legion. Col. MacNider dec
Grated the Marshal with the distin-
guished service order of the, legion. This
order has been conferred only four times
previously, one of the recipients having
beefi Marshal Foch
Tomorrow. Marshal Joffre. accom-
panied by the French Ambassador, viii
vst Mount Vernon. where he will plant
= tree from France for the Daughters
OF the American Revolution. In the
evening he and Nine. Joffre will dine
at the White House.