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Show . iITZ WELCOMES ! P01NGARE PARTY French President Rapturously Raptur-ously Greeted by People of Liberated City. Marshal's Baton Bestowed Upon General Petain; Many Present. METZ, .', in day. Dc. S. After etU ins hearty srootinss to the French troops ' three weeks ao. Metis od.iy receiver) President Poincare and representatives of eery branch of the French government. The enthusiasm shown was more than significant. : r In the first surprise at again finding themselves Trench, the people of Lorraine j were unable to express their emotion. They now have become familiar with French uniforms, and French martial music has been heard every day since the first entrance of General Mangln's army. They have become accustomed to French occupation, which, true to the military spirit for which they arc famous, they thoroughly enjoy. The visit of President Poincare and representatives 'of the French government meant more than military occupation. The people of Metz looked upon it as a sort of official entry into possession of the city. They approved of it by the presence of a vast throng that continually continu-ally cheered President Poincare, Premier iTemcnceau, Marshals .loffre, Foch and Petain and Field Marshal Halg and Genera! Gen-era! Pershing, who were included in tne official party that assembled here today. Poincare Welcomed. Ml the bunting In Metz was flying when the presidential train pulled into the station sta-tion a Utile after 9 o'clock. The streets were as crowded as it was possible to allow. The girls of Metz. wearing their national na-tional costume. were banked on both tides of the streets from the station to the esplanade. Behind them were packed men and women carrying the French flag ind wearing artificial tricolor bouquets " in default of real flowers. Shouts acclaiming the president, the premier and the general officers could be heard from the esplanade long before their carriages appeared in sight. All around the siuaro of the esplanade were Kieat grandstands while crowds covered the housetops and filled the windows, giving the visitors a hearty welcome. Marshals .Toffre. Foch and Petain and Generals Pershing, Fayolle and Goutaud received the warmest greetings when they were recognised by the great throng. A notable feature was the presentation of the baton of a marshal of France to General Petain, announcement of whose , elevation to the rank of marshal was made last month. Petain Is Honored. The crowd gave a tremendous cheer when the president handed the baton 10 the marshal, and another as Premier i.'lomenccau advanced to give the noted soldier the accolade. But the enthusiasm enthusi-asm which seemed then to have reached its limit took another upward bound when President Poincare embraced Premier Pre-mier Clemenceau. VTlic ceremony look place on the espla-nado espla-nado in front of the statue of Marshal New The Ulsl legimcnt of the Thirty-ihirrl Thirty-ihirrl division of the American army was drawn up on one side and the tamous .French marines in front. Other French troops formed tho other side of the rectangular rec-tangular space. The American troops had the honor nf leading tho line (luring the rc iew. and the Star Spangled Banner was wildly cheered as the regiment marched by in columns of eight in faultless style. The marines of Piixmude, whose fame had reached Metz' even during hostilities, provoked pro-voked fresh outbuists of cheering, as did the passage of various sections of the troops in review. |