Early in May 1917, an abbreviated Allied War Commission, comprised of separate French and British commissions, came to New York City. The French group had star quality, being led by Marshal Joffre, the charismatic commander who won the Battle of the Marne, and Rene Viviani, a former president of France. The Marquis de Chambrun, a descendant of the Marquis de Lafayette, also accompanied them. By contrast, British representation was simpler, being led by Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour. Some pointed out that a significant element of his visit included the first flying of the Union Jack over New York public buildings since the area was a British province.

The French commission arrived on Wednesday, May 9, two days ahead of the British. Special trains brought each group from Philadelphia to Communipaw, the Jersey Central terminus just across the Hudson River from Manhattan.  This route avoided the security issue of using the Pennsylvania Railroad tunnel under the Hudson River. Communipaw’s informal welcome centered on the city’s Reception Committee escorting the group to Patrol, the yacht-like New York City police boat. Once underway, Patrol joined a harbor filled with vessels and the sounds of whistles and horns: the New York Herald reported “a pandemonium of welcome.” Waiting at Battery Park were cheering crowds, squadrons of mounted police and a motorcade sprinkled with Pierce-Arrow touring cars.

Seeing those cars confirmed expectations of Pierce’s participation, but the extent of that participation was not fully apparent until a specially trimmed, seven-passenger touring car was seen positioned as the lead. It was a striking vehicle, set on a long, 142-inch wheelbase chassis, which rode on double-sided whitewall tires. Using conventional bracket-mounted headlights with nickel-plated bezels and specially blackened lenses (rather than Pierce’s unique fender-mounted headlights) created elegance with a formidable look, a good contrast for the celebration’s bright-colored decorations. It is worth noting that old photos of the parade reveal a perfect double of this car was also among the other Pierces present.

Most of the other Pierces in the parade also featured bracket-mounted headlights, likely blurring identity for security purposes. Even so, two of the vehicles towards the front did, indeed, feature the unique fender headlights. At first glance, the cars appeared randomly positioned, with one well ahead of the other. However, as the lineup was being completed, one light colored touring car pulled forward, right behind the black-eyed Pierce. Seeing those two touring cars share the lead on their journey through the city was great demonstration, complete with a display of the range of headlight and trim choices in the sales catalog! 

The official French welcome at City Hall began just after 4 o’clock. A detachment of the New York National Guard marched by with 20 bands playing “La Marseillaise” and the “Star Spangled Banner.” From there, Mayor John Purroy Mitchel escorted the French through the city. The streets and buildings were “en fete,” alive with flags and bunting: decorations orchestrated by architect Cass Gilbert to harmonize with the use of dark blue to symbolize the war’s “freedom of the seas” theme. That afternoon’s agenda included driving from City Hall via Lafayette Street, stopping in Union Square to lay a wreath at the Lafayette monument, then turning north up Fifth Avenue. Learning the size of the avenue’s decorations, such as the 100- by 65-foot American flag hanging from the B. Altman department store (said to impress Marshal Joffre), suggests the scale of flags in Hassam’s Allies Day scene is not necessarily exaggeration. 

The procession ended at the magnificent home of industrialist Henry C. Frick at 1 East 70th Street, overlooking Central Park, where the French stayed while in the city. That evening’s exclusive dinner, a la maison, may have been the apogee of the week’s extraordinary events. Among the attendees was Col. Theodore Roosevelt (as the former President was known), seated to the right of Marshal Joffre; both were reported as enthusiastically conversing in French.

On Friday, May 11, the British commission, led by Arthur Balfour and escorted by Mayor Mitchel, followed a similar route from City Hall, heading uptown with Pierce-Arrows leading. The welcome appeared restrained, however, compared to Joffre’s overwhelming reception. This was partially due to security concerns surrounding the British presence, as 2,800 police guarded the route against threats of Irish independence activities. The motorcade route passed through the Washington Square arch, then up Fifth Avenue to be Vincent Astor’s guests at his home at 65th Street. A grand surprise was seen once Fifth Avenue’s width allowed the motorcade to expand into a striking parade. At the intersection of 42nd Street, by the city’s monumental Public Library building and its famous pair of lions, was the dramatic Court of Honor. A setting decorated with flags, shields and evergreens perfectly complemented the rows of mounted troops, 11 horses across. The lead Pierce-Arrow was escorted by horsemen on three sides. Following, in tandem, were two touring cars with fender-mounted headlights, flanked by military vehicles.

In time, the Belgian, Japanese, Russian and Italian war commissions had similar parades and celebrations in the city. Pierce-Arrows continued their prominence in these parades too, with the dark touring car still officiating. 

Also interesting, the Russians were honored with two parades! The country’s revolution had begun: the Czar abdicated as a new provisional government took control, but its organization remained a work in progress. Their commission’s first ceremonial welcome at City Hall had taken place in late June, with Professor Lomonosoff of the Russian Council of Engineeers heading the delegation. The dark- and light-colored Pierce-Arrows remained the motorcade’s lead. A change in Russian leadership the following month, as Alexander Kerensky replaced Prince Lvov as premier, led to repeat ceremonies, this time with Russian Lt. General Vladimir Roop leading. Roop’s first assignment was to squelch Allied concerns of Russia negotiating a separate peace with Germany by confirming the Russian war offensive would be resumed.

This second group of dignitaries combined introducing post-Czarist Russia, called New Russia,with military business, travelling as far west as Topeka and Santa Fe. Roop traveled via a special train carrying the private Pullman car New York. The first stops were in upstate New York, visiting Russian communities in Troy and Albany, followed by a subsequent military stop at Madison Barracks in Sackets Harbor, where a welcoming parade of 2,000 students was subdued by war restrictions on cannon salutes. Despite the lack of artillery, Roop was available to critique a student trench-building project. The famous luncheon in Watertown’s Black River Valley Club, where the first toast was made by Mayor Breen with cold water, provided a diversion from inspecting the Watervliet Arsenal (near Albany) and Watertown factories then making ordnance for Russia.

Turning then to the west, the special train pulled the New York to Buffalo. Upon reaching the city, Mayor Fuhrmann introduced Roop to a local Russian speaker, Mrs. Fox, to officially warm the welcome. The following day was a full one, beginning at the Curtiss Airplane Company and ending at the Pierce-Arrow headquarters. 

Conveniently, the Pierce and Curtiss factories were neighbors, the latter being located at 2050 Elmwood Avenue while Pierce-Arrow’s address was number 1695. This proximity lent itself to another procession featuring a neat line of Pierce-Arrow touring cars, all fitted with fender-mounted headlights, to bring General Roop and his party to Curtiss Field, near the modern intersection of Niagara Falls Blvd. and Eggert Road. Here, the Russians were welcomed by an interesting row of airplanes, with crews positioned for inspection.

General Roop’s party continued travelling that summer, still using a zigzag pattern to minimize security issues, reaching as far west as Santa Fe. The effort abruptly halted in October, when the Bolsheviks displaced the Kerensky government. Once Russian participation in the war ended, Roop returned to Russia to join the counter-revolution against the Bolsheviks.

While, given subsequent events, the fate of General Roop can be guessed at, details of another New York City war celebration participant have yet to be uncovered. What ever became of the dark Pierce-Arrow (and its twin) that led so many parades? Rendered near-anonymous by changing headlight lenses, one cannot help but wonder if one—or both—were also among the Pierces in the city’s post-war homecoming parades?