MARSHAL FOCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 February 1919, Page 7

MARSHAL FOCH.

LONDON'S WELCOME. Writing of London's welcome to Marshal Foch recently, a correspondent said: "Foch and Clemenceau are coming to London on Sunday on a purely business visit. See that they receive a real London welcome." Couched in, of course, vastly different language, the citizens of the Jimpire's "hub" were advised less than twenty-four hours in advance of the coming of the Allies' generalissimo, Marshal Foch, and the French Premier, M. Clemenceau, whom we have been coached to refer to as "The Tiger." Also we were told to be ready to include in a joyous welcome Signor Orlando, the Italian Premier, and Baron Sonnino, Italy's Foreign Minister. It is to be feared that these eminent Italians were but "shadowy figures" to the average Londoner, but the men from France —well, their names are by way of being "household v.-ords" in the Old Country. So, though the weather was pretty well all that it shouldn't be l'or the gracing of such an occasion, Londoners mustered in fullest | force in all those places which promised | to give even the merest glimpse of our distinguished and very welcome visitors, and in addition to tiie ordinary inhabitants of this great eity the best part of London's present huge ''floating population" took a hand in the "joyous welcome." Londoners certainly took full j ailvuntago o; their opportunities to give our visitors a foretaste of the greeting I iu store for them when they come on j that great day when the head of the French Republic himself sets foot iu the S capital to return the visit of King George | —"The Day" when the world is "all at I peace." As it was, no man within living ! memory has ever made a triumph- ; am progress through than did 1 Marshal Foch on Sunday. December 1. j His progress was marked by a ceaselcsc I I bunder of cheers from the" time he left , Charing Cross Station until his carriage ; ''rev.- t Oaridge's Hotel. Knglish j reserve was blown to the four winds in the ;-o!dier-iincd West End streets along which the little procession of carriages, escorted by Life Guards, bowled. °AII kinds of greetings were called cut for Marshal Foch, and even when he had disappeared inside the hotel, where his feli low guests were lined up to give him an enthusiastic welcome, the crowd reiiised. to move on until he !:ad once more shown himself to them. "We want Foeli!'' they called, and continued to call until the great Marshal stepped out on to tin balcony of his suite, and stood at the sulute beneath the tricolour which waved there, in his honor. Foch was "the'' hero of the day, but M. Clemenceau certainly could not complain of the warmth of his individual welcome as, after parting company with the Marshal at Hyde Park Corner, the Irench Premier drove to the French Embassy in company with Mr. Lloyd George. Tumultuous cheers accompanied them all the way, and Jor at least a quarter of an i hou" the crowd outside the Embassy were clamouring for a view of the French Premier. "We want Clemenceau!" "We went "The Tiger!'' was shouted again and again. By way of variation the "Marseillaise" and "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" were sung, and when at last the two Premiers emerged from tho Embassy to drive away in a closed motor the '-' l P at throng broke into such a hurricane of cheers that it was long before the echo was lost in the distance. DOWNING STREET SCENES. On Monday our visitors were due to make their appearance at Downing Street to "get on with the business" that brought them over. Downing Street is among the shortest and lea3t significant of Lnodon streets, but it. was on Monday the centre of all interest, for there only were our distinguished guests to bo seen .by a public anxious to do them all honors. Downing Street itself could hold but a small proportion of those who gathered to see and to cheer. At ten o'clock the space about the Prime Minister's residence was packed, but it was nearly eleven before the assembled public were given their firet opportunity to demonstrate, when M. Clemenceau arrived. Many of his countrymen and women were m the throng, and amid the British cheers were heard many shouts and greetings in his own language. Signor Orlando end Baron Sonnino also shared a most enthusiastic reception. But the man whom the public most wished to see was Marshal Foch. Mr. Balfour and other British Ministers were recognised and cheered. When Marshal 1' och appeared a great roar went up, and amid a tumultuous chorus of welcome t'ic crowd 'broke and surged around the vehicle. A French lady wearing the luion Jack and the French Tricolor pressed ahead of the others, leading a cry of "vive, Foch!" and "Vive la France!" Tiie great soldier smiled in recognition of the greeting, and with some difficulty gaini'd the step of No. 10. There he turned right round, faced the crowd, and repeatedly saluted before he disappeared within the doorway. A little Frenchwoman led oil; with "The Marseillaise" and the rousing strains taken up and echoed through the street !.'he Englishmen iu the crowd cou'd think of nothing better to follow than "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," and then came cries (if "We want Foch now!" By this time, presumably, the British and Allied representatives had retired to the Cabinet room and were all well out of earshot, but the populace displayed no intention to disperse. The National Anthem and "Rule Britannia" were sung, and at every lull there rose ngain a stentorian call of "We want Foch!" So the crow'd :;ang and cheered and wainr-d through (wo hours, before the eoniereuce broke up for lunch, and the people had again an opportunity of seeing the visitors. Each one as he came out was the object of renewed demonstration, M. Clemenceau being greeted with cries of "Vive la France!" and "Good old tiger!" But the greatest demonstration was again reserved for Marshal Foch. People clambered on to the steps of the car endeavoring to shake hands with him, and he drove away amid a storm of cheering.