An historic event or rather a succession of events which will be remembered and talked of long after the great war is ended, is the reception of the War Commissions to this country from France, Great Britain and Italy.

 On Wednesday, May 9th, New York welcomed the French mission headed by M. Rene Viviano, Vice President of the Council of Ministers, and Marshall Joffre, the great soldier of France who turned back the hosts of Germany and saved democracy from extinction.

 Marshall Joffre who, as the hero of the Marne, will stand for all time as the soldier who won the most momentous battle in the history of the world, was acclaimed with tremendous enthusiasm to the very end of the route on Fifth Ave., the home of Henry C. Frick, where the commission were guests during their stay in New York.

Two days later, Friday May 11th, the British war Commission headed by Arthur J. Balfour, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and formerly Prime Minister of Great Britain, arrived. The reception of the British Commission was no less enthusiastic than that of the French, and on both occasions the streets were lined with hundreds of thousands of people eager to give the visitors the very heartiest of welcomes. The buildings all along the way of the procession from the landing place at the Battery to the City Hall, and from there to the end of the route at the residence of Vincent Astor on Fifth Ave., whose guests they were, were decorated with all the colors of the Allies and flags of these nations in abundance. The sight was inspiring and will be remembered as an event of exceptional interest.

Mayor Mitchell on both occasions welcomed the commissions in speeches which could not be excelled for their happy and exceedingly well expressed sentiments. Joseph H. Choate, the grand old man of New York whose death a few days later was so deeply mourned accompanied both the missions and presented them to the Mayor.

The Italian War Commission did not arrive until June 21, but was tendered a reception equally enthusiastic. The Prince of Udine, a distinguished naval officer and cousin of the King, headed the commission. Guglielmo Marconi, the great inventor who is also a soldier of Italy, was one of the Commission. The City's great Italian population was out in force, and thousands, not of Italian birth, came out to cheer and welcome these brave and distinguished men.