Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-18
LEGION FINDS WAR
WEATHER IN PARIS
Drenching Rain Fails to Halt
Ceremonies as Delegates
Plan for Trips.
By the Associated Press.

PARIS. September 17.-Argonne
weather--that cold, penetrating, slant
ing rain-closed in on the American
Legion today. The Legionnaires ar.
irving at Paris on this, the last dav
OF peaceful mobilization for their pious
pilgrimage, found that 1t chilled them
just as it did 10 years ago in the
trenches and as thsv went over the
top in that fateful forest.
Three thousand Legionnaires arrived
after having landed from the steam
grasse at Havre, and the steamship
Republic at Cherbourg.
Cold rain pelted down upon Mar.
shall Foch, Gen. John J. Pershing and
national commander Howard p. Saw.
age as they paid homage to the
American war dead in Suresnes Gem.
etery.
Ceremony at Suresnes.
But the gang is all here and the rain
has neither dampened the enthusiasm
OF the delegates nor chilled the
warmth Of the French welcome.
Twenty-Five thousand men and 5000
American women forming the deiega.
lions OF the American Legion and its
auxiliary now are here for their re-
specttve conventions which open
Monday.
The ceremony at Suresnes Cemetery
was the most important function to.
today. There Comdr. Savage, speak.
ing directly to the dead rather than
10 the living audience, said that the
I,Qptnn H. - IA
dead comrades had intrusted to II.
Marshal Foch, in a strikingly brief
address, said of the American war
dead:
-, ON the day they saw the justice.
liberty and peace Of the world men.
aced by violence and might nothing
could stop them. They took up their
arms"
mo soldier would wish a. sweeter
resting place than in the field of glory
where he fell" Gen. Pershing said.
The people Of two nations watch over
MIN In ceaseless solicitude and to
each ne becomes symbol Of mutual
gratitude"
French Welcome Sincere.
Never before has Paris been so pro.
fusely decorated since the armistice
celebration or the victory parade on
the 14th Of July, 1919. The enthus-
iasm OF the French people as a whole
Is really genuine, the only dis
cordant note coming from the Com.
munist publications, but they are
much less violent In tone than a few
weeks ago at the height of the Sacco-
Vanzetti demonstration.
The house of the American ma.
tons has been turned over to National
Comdr. Savage and the American flag
has gone up on the Paris city hall to
remain there for a week. A gold KEY
inla1d with diamonds, q symbol Of
welcome, was presented to Comdr,
Savage by Gabriel Hanotaux, mem.
Der of the French Academy and
president q the Comite France
Amerique.
You need no key to our hearts"
Hanotaux said. AS Gen. Pershing.
clasping the arm of his wartime
comrade, Marshal Foch, entered the
building several hundred persons
burst into enthusiastic and spon.
taneous cheering. The attitude of
Pershing and Foch toward one an,
other both at the cemetery and at
other functions is an evidence that
| they are the best of "buddies."
AS the cold rain filtered through
the himsy cloth roof Of the Legion
| headquarters which houses tho
travel department. the Salvation
Army, the knights of Columbus, the
library and cable Offices and the Red
| Cross hrst-aid station, efforts were
made to have things as homelike az
possible for the hundreds of Legion.
naires who had been driven from the
Paris streets by the steady downpour.
Many impromptu concerts were ar.
4 ranged v.tn T.
walton Army headquarters.
Headquarters Crowded.
The Legion headquarters were
crowded during the entire day with
visitors seeking information about
trips to the battlefieids and other
places. cashng checks at the branch
| bank or sending cables home, most of
them appeals for money from those
who underestimate the costs of the
Paris trip. Doughnuts and coffee were
| In great demand.
Bands and drum corps which were
on the ships came in today, played in
the pelting rain. They included the
illinois State Band, the Kankakee,
III. Drum Corps. the Fife and Drum
Corps from the Victory Post of Los
Angeles, the New Jersey Drum Corps
and the Maryland Bugle Corps.
The steamer Caledonia with New
York Legionnaires and the steamer
Celtic with contingents from Indiana,
Ohio and Iowa are due to reach
French ports Jate this evening or
early Sunday morning. These men
Will form the rear guard of the Amer.
lean Division and all Of them are ex-
pected to be in Paris in time to attend
the various religious ceremonies