The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-04
WILSON GUEST AT
SMOKER GIVEN BY
PRINCETON ALUMNI.
President-Elect Is Greatly
Moved in Speaking to
Former Class
mates

Washington. March PRESIDENT -elec.
Wilson was given Princeton welcome to
the national capital tonight, welcome
that brought "reminiscences of his many
years as president of the university. The
occasion was a smoker at which grad
yates from all parts of the country gath
cred.
For an hour the President-elect was the
center of a wild demonstration Of cheers
ano songs. He had not intended to make d
speech, but the enthusiasm of it all moved
him so deeply that he spoke for few
minutes expressing his thanks for the con-
fidence that the Princeton alumni hez.
reposed in him.
Fellows l had not expected to saE
anything he said with a noticeable trel
or in his voice, because the only "a
propriate thing to say can't say, becau
there are no words for 1t. There are aonaa
emotions that are very much deeper tha
a mans vocabulary can reach; and {
have feeling tonight that moves me vel5
much indeed.
COmradeship at Princeton
I'VE have often spoken of our COM
radeship together as Princeton men
and / have spoken so often that l am
ashamed to repeat 1t almost of the
part that Princeton has played in pub
lie life and the part that she ought to
play in public life and have spoken
so often of that sense of having a great
invisible brotherhood that binds a man
by uncommon standards of honor and
of service.
NOW / stand here upon the eve of
attempting a great task-a profoundly
great one-and know that there are
SO many men In the United States who
know me and understand me to whom
l do not have to explain anything.
Members of the family do not have
| to be told what is going to happen.
And therefore 1t is not necessary to
make speech to the family.
Il have only TO say that my feel
ing tonight is a family feeling, of be-
ing among men trained as I was
trained, looking out. upon life as [
look out upon it and ready to give me
that sympathy which buoys a man up
more than anything else in the world.
thank God that 1t is so and thank you
profoundly for this evidence of it,
Prolonged cheering followed the
speech and the singing of "Old Mas
sau," Princeton's historic anthem The
President-elect stood on a little plat
form and Joined in the singing, moving
his upraised hand to and fro In the re-
frain of the song as Princeton men are
accustomed to do.
When Mr.. Wilson arrived after passing
through a big street crowd, he passed
through lane on both sides of which
the alumni stood cheering and yelling.
The President-elect was escorted to a
platform, where Henry Clay Stuart, 81.
president of the local alumni association.
and Mr. Justice Malone Pittney, 70, cf
the United States supreme court, present
ed him with ribbon tied package of ci-
gars and cigarettes Mr.. Wilson took
them with q smile and he doesn't smoke.
Locomotive" cheers were given with
vim for Wilson" and princeton and
soon the entire crowd of alumni Formed
a line and shook hands. Many OF those
present were in uniform of the Essex
cavalry troop, which tomorrow will escort
Mr. Wilson and Squadron of the First
regiment of New York, made up largely
of Princeton men.
Many Of Mr.. Wilson's own class. 1879,
were present, including Cyrus Mccormick
of Chicago, William p. Wilder of New
York and Robert Bridges of New York.
As the graduates filed by. Stanley Hun
ter, 10 who has been missionary in
India, gave Mr. Wilson tigers tooth for
good luck which the President-elect has
now added to his collection of rabbits
feet and other luck symbols.
In the crowd of Princeton men were
a few who had figured conspicuously in
the campaign. William II. McCoombs, 'gS.
the democratic national chairman, and
Rolla Wells, 76, the democratic national
treasurer, and Senator Atlee Pomerene,
49, OF Ohio were cheered enthusiastically
by the Princetonians.
The smoker closed with the singing of
"old Nassau" once more followed by
America
President -elect Wilson retired to his
room at IL o'clock tonight short
time after he returned from the Prince
ton smoker.