Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-26
ALL BOW DOWN TO
KHAKI AND BLUE
Christmas Day in London Devoted
Almost Entirely to Recognition
of the Soldiers.
oN-coMso EVEN RECOGNIZED
Regarded as Matter Worthy of Note
that They Are Seen MinEIing
with Officers in Cafes
and Hotels.

LONDON, Dec. 25.-Christmas of 1914
will long be remembered in Great Bri-
tain as a military Christmas. Every
where throughout the island men in
khaki and in blue were the object of at
tention and admiration
There was a great decrease in the GUS
tomary railway crowds of civilians visit
ing their homes for family reunions, but
almost the usual number Of trains was
running.
The cars were filled with soldiers and
sailors taking a brief leave to visit their
families and all were travelling on
passes. Many thousands of volunteers
from the training camps and consider
able contingent from the continent and
the fleet had two or three days for a
holiday at their homes. and the whole
country seemed to swarm with uniforms.
Canadians Are Prominent.
London particularly was full OF soldiers.
Conspicuous among them were several
thousand Canadians from Salisbury
plains. Christmas in London is Sabbath
like because all the theaters are closed
and the hotels and public houses keep
Sunday hours. The few hours Of day
light, however, were almost bright, which
Is a rare phenomenon In an English
winter, and the soldiers and saiiprs APP
peared to find amusement in tramping
the streets and the parks from the fash
ionsble West End to the suburbs.
Family parties taking an afternoon
stroll generally had a youth in khaki or
blue as the central object escorted by
admiring relatives. Dinner in the big
hotels was notable for the presence of
the military, and an unusual feature was
the presence of men in non-commissioned
uniforms, who have even been mingling
with officers.
Loaded with Gifts.
All ranks of the troops at the front
and in the home camps were loaded down
with presents. Princess Marys fund for
Christmas gifts amounted to nearly
$500, 600 while there were numerous funds
for tobacco, buildings and other luxu-
ries raised by newspapers and societies.
Even the German military prisoners
and civilians in the concentration camps
nad Christmas trees and gifts from home
and from wealthy Germans in England.
The German Young Mems Christian asso-
citation and the English Quakers devoted
special care to the prisoners.
Hundreds of British and Belgian
wounded in the hospitals were the re-
cipients of many attentions. Three
thousand Belgian refugees in the Earls
Court exhibition buildings were given
Christmas dinner and at night a huge
Christmas tree was presented to them by
Lord Salisbury. Twenty-Five hundred
of them in Alexandra palace had a sim
liar celebration.
Theater PantOmines.
Tomorrow, known in England as box
ing day sees the beginning of pantomimes
at several large theaters. Some Of the
show houses are giving free matinees
FOR soldiers and sailors.
special committee formed to watch
conditions of distress in London has re-
ported that there is less pauperism and
unemployment in the city than on any
Christmas in thirty years This is due
20 the large enlistment in the army, many
If the workers making room for the UNI
employed.
Nevertheless, the general atmosphere
was one of sadness rather than that of
hilarity. Economy was the watchword
IF the day. Christmas trees come from
. Germany and mistletoe comes from
France. hence there was notable scar
city of both Christmas turkeys had
slightly increased in prices. but fruit was
cheaper than usual owing to the smaller
continental demand.
King sends Message.
King George and Queen Mary sent mes
sages and sent Christmas cards with
their portraits TO every soldier and sailor.
Attendance at the churches was notably
large. Dean Inge. at st. PauFs. spoke
of the Anglo-American peace centenary.
Referring to the Canadian-American
boundary he said.
For a hundred years America and
Canada have been at peace. A true
peace-not watching and snarling at each
other like two Inbred dogs. That is
something to thank God for on Christ
mas day There are millions in Europe
whs look to America as a land OF hope
and think they are justified in doing
so. One cannot spend a week in America
without feeling that hope and freedom
give buoyancy TO life there such as we
rarely see at home"