Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-08
WELCOME HOME .
GIVEN W|LMETH
Treasury Chief Clerk Back
From European Relief
Trip.
ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS
ARRANGE A SURPRISE
Friday His Eighteenth Wedding An
niversary-Tells of Condi-
lions Abroad.


headlights. where the fear of Zeppelin
attack has made gay white ways obso-
lete. came yesterday James l. Wilmeth.
chief clerk of the Treasury Department
one of those carrying relief to stranded
Americans in Europe. He came to the
land and home of the rockets RED
glare" for when he arrived at his home
last night be burst right into the mids;
of community Homecoming cclcbra-
ton which had been arranged for him,
and while he stood under the stars and
stripes more than fifty voices Joined In
singing THE Star Spangled Banner"
1t was a sort of triple celebration
which the neighbors of Mr. Wilmetr
and number of his associates in th"
Treasury Department gave him. At tho
time he arrived in the city he was JUS
one day past his eighteenth weddin-
anniversary, and ii was to day. Tn"
second time in eighteen years that Nj
wilmeth landed in Washington after
long travels. Just eighteen years ago
yesterday Mr.. Wilmeth first came to
Washington from Arkansas.
MIR. Wilmeth's home. at SIS Kenyon
street northwest, had been com
maudeered by his friends and neigh
bors after Mrs. wilmeth and Miss VIII
meth had departed for New YORK 10
meet the husband and father. They
decorated it with autumn leaves aud
meth arrived home, about o'clock, he
walked into the midst of more. thah
fifty of his friends, neighbors ana as
sociates Under the stars ana STRIPES
he held an impromptu reception, anu
listened to the remarks of Wiiiidni
Foley. representing the neighbors ana
the Treasury associates who welcome
MIR. Wilmeth home, and presented MN
with e large .cut-glass mower vase
filled with chrysanthemups.
Happy to Be Home.
nec,arinr that he was most happy
tn be back in the country and home
aeain Mr.. wilmeth expressed his APP
probation of the honor bestowed upon
him nv the reception and also by the
present. He explained that the suffer
ing of the present war in Europe
should impress upon the people OF the
United States its horrors, and shoula
make the people resort to efforts that
would make for friendly reiatiois ne
tween this and foreign countries.
Everywhere one goes in the nellis
erent countries, said Mr.. Wilmeth.
speaking to a Star reporter, one Is I'M
mediately impressed with r.. the he ho Tor
of the war. There Is suHerihg every
where, he said.
81 was in Faolkestone the day follow
ing the capture Of Antwerp by the
Germans, when 10000 Belgians cane
there to be succored- 1t was SAD
sight.
rived in the stricken zones money was
tight everywhere, although the money
strineency had been relieved somewhat
by the announcement that the United
States cruiser Tennessee was speeding
across the Atlantic with gold aboard for
the stranded Americans. l went through
IA1N
was much difficulty in getting funds dis
tributed in Belgium. There would be a
communication sent and nothing more
would be heard of 1t until some agent
of the relief party was sent out.
Praise Due the Committee.
There is much praise due the Amer
lean relief committee of London. which
had done quite great deal of relief
work by the time the party aboard the
Tennessee arrived. They had worked
out a very efficient organization and
simplified greatly the work of the
party which came aboard the Tennes-
see. In Norway and Sweden there was
a great demand for the funds which the
the outbreak of the war a number OF
American refugees collected there and
were badly in need of money.
Mr.. Wilmeth pointed out that no one
but the soldiers actually engaged liz
the fighting get in the zones where tho
forces are in contact.
1.-The armies of all the nations are
carefully keeping every one out un-
less they have business there. Al
though permits are issued from tlmr
to time admitting various parties 70
the immediate theater of war, no one
really gets there. This is even so oi
the American army officers, whom tn"
allied governments have accepted, an"
had rod IN hPp ne
the fighting. But in no case have theS'
American officers gone to the w"r
They want to get there, and are hor-
ing every day to receive notice that
they will form part of a movement to
the front But the notice has never
come to any of the officers. who have
been accepted, nor is it likely to come
Among those who have been accepted
and who have not gone or even re
ceived notice that they will be able TO
go in a movement soon, is Maj. SQufer,
military attache of the American en-
bassy at London.
London Dreary at Night.
"As for London" continued Mr.. Will
meth, Everything is darkened there ut
night. It is dangerous to be out in the
street, and really no one ventures out
after dark Every light in the city is
extinguished on account of the fear OF
an overhead attack from a fleet of
Zeppelins which might venture across
the channel separating the British
Isles from the mainland. The taXicahs
and other vehicles go cautiously over
the streets without lights showing on
them or even city lights to guide them.
Even the trans and buses are without
lights either inside or out. Ii is
dreary place to be at night.
I'VE were not troubled by any cruls-
ers on the way back to the states, 80
far as / know. We We're troubled by
some rough weather and made slow
time. Although I did not see it. I WAS
told that on the second night out the
.apland was hailed by British cruiser.
but after having been identified we
were permitted to proceed AS
passed away from the British isles we
saw numerous cruisers patrolling in the
but they did not trouble as.
Those were the last warships / saw
until we arrived in New York harbor''
Present at the Gathering.
Among those present last night Were:
Mr.. and Mrs. A. Z. Shanbaugh and Miss
Mrs. Shook. Mr.. and Mrs.
4. c. Ridgway. Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Campbell, Mr.. and Mrs. f. Newman. Mr..
md Mrs. Benjamin Kroeger, Mr.. Pol
ock, Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Dey, Mrs,
}. H. George Mrs Shinn, Mr. and Mrs.
William Foley. Maurice W. Spencer.
lr. and Mrs Harry Melville, MIR. and
irs. Z. W. Gray, Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur
Horn, Mr.. and Mrs J. A. McGratf. MIR.
nd Mrs. B. Vernon and Miss Vernon.