Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-19
Paris GayIy Decorated for
Big Turnout of Veterans.
Marchers Impress Crowds.
SPECTATORS SURPRISED
AT ODD U. S. UNIFORMS
Drum Majors Queer Antics, Eagles
and State Yells Feature
Spectacle.

BY the Associated Press.
PALAIS DU TROCADERO, Paris.
September 19.--The American Legion
parade, headed by a delegation of
French war mutilated, started from
the Place D'Iena at 1:41 pm.
Delegations from all the States in
the Union began assembling in the vi
Cinity of the Place D'Iena shortly be-
fore l o'clock just as rain started to
the great disgust of thousands of
did not seem to care.
Drain Plans Mobilization.
The Avenue President Wilson was
chosen by many as an ideal spot and
the delegates here from Arkansas,
Michigan, Alaska, Virginia, South Car
olina, Maryland. Iowa, New Mexico,
Nebraska, Utah. Missouri, Colorado
and Massachusetts, were watched by
great crowd of spectators.
Gen. James A. Drain, grand marshal
ton in great style in spite of the in
clement weather, while Gen. Gouraud,
the honorary grand marshal, gave val
liable assistance.
Thanks to Gen. Gouraud these ar
rangements proceeded just as well as
the preparations for last years parade
at Philadelphia" Gen. Drain said.
The statue of Washington in the
Place Iena-the most decorated monu-
ment in Paris-was the object of spe
cial attention from the groups of
Legionnaires formed in its vicinity.
Gen. Drain. in his full uniform of
a general of the American Army.
headed the first group of American
marcherS.
Weather Changeable.
A driZzling rain and cold wind made
it a shivery day for the spectators,
and although a fair-sized crowd had
assembled 1t was not the huge throng
that watched Lindbergh's progress
along almost the identical route when
he was received by the cheering thou
sands at the Hotel de Vile.
Vantage points like the Place de Con-
corde and Place de L'Opera We're we'll
filled, but some places along the route,
especially the lower Rue de Rivoli,
were uncrowded. 1t seemed hours be.
fore the parade was due to pass there,
and there were more soldiers and
police than spectators. At 2 o'clock
there were about 5000 persons masset
in front of the Hotel de Vile, where
the line was due to begin disbanding.
FlOrida's canary-colored costumes
made a great hit with the French,
while Oklahoma's Indians, with their
feathered headdreSses, were cheered
as they passed Washington's statue.
One man bearing a placard on his
back reading, From Lindbergh's
Home Town." received the greatest
reception of any general or other
celebrity.
The rain had halted by the time
that the parade got fully under way,
and as the paraders approached Etoile,
there was a regular old-fashioned
14th Of July-the French Independ-
ence day-crowd present.
Uniforms Puzzle French.
French Boy Scouts before the
statue Of Lafayette handed the
marchers little bouquets of red, white
and blue flowers to be pla ced on the
grave of the Unknown Soldier as the
Legionnaires passed under the Arc
d'Triomphe.
The French crowd was amused and
puzzled by many things in the
parade. They laughed loudly at the
high gold boots of an Ohio drum
major, and applauded the smart uni
forms of the various groups, but their
comments showed that many thought
the various State costumes were some
sort Of queer American Army uni
form. They were amazed at the
great Connecticut banner that
stretched across the street, which was
altogether new to them in parade
stunts.
AS the parade got under way the
weather improved, and Parisians, not
content with merely occupying the
windows and doorways of their
houses, invaded the streets. BY 3
o'clock it was the wonderful crowd
Of the great French holidays.
The parade at this time had covered
nearly a mile without the slightest
sign Of trouble. when suddenly a cry
arose from a little restaurant in the
Rue Poissiere. The crowd, which
was at a highly nervous tension be-
cause of tear that the Communists
might make trouble, made con-
certed rush on the restaurant, only to
find that it was provincial visitor
SolICC IoltcI
Take it away"
Cheers for Lindbergh.
When the Minnesota group came
along with its sign, Minnesota, Etat
de Lindbergh gh'--''Minnesota, State of
Lindbergh"-there were great cheers,
for the French have not forgotten
the tremendous enthusiasm which the
transatlantic flyer aroused.
The Legion eagles reminded the
old Frenchmen of Napoleon and never
since his day has Paris seen SO many
such emblems.
The State yells given by the various
contingents startled the crowd. Both
men and women marchers took ad-
vantage of every halt in the parade
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,ned Without Food