Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-26
LONG TO Be REMEMBERED
As MILITARY CHRISTMAS
Everywhere In Great Britain Men in
Uniform Are Objects OF
Attention.
MANY VOLUNTEERS AT HOME
General Atmosphere One of Sadness
Rather Than IIilarity-Economy
Is Watchword Of Hour-Attenti-
ance mt Churches Notably Large.

LONDON. December 20 (6:l5 p. Nj.
christmas. 1914. will long be remem-
bered In Great Britain M military
christmas. Everywhere men I'm khaki
and In blue wore the object of alton
ton and admiration. There was n great
decrease In tho customary railway
crowds OF civilians visiting their
homes. but almost tho usual number
OK trains were running. Tho cars were
nlled with soldiers and sailors on
leave. Many thousands OF volunteers
rom the training camps and con
Siderable contingent from the CONT
heht ana the feet had two or three
days for a holiday.
Lohuoh particularly seemed to swarm
win uniforms. Conspicuous among
them were several. thousand Canadians
from Salisbury Plains. Christmas in
! ., IL Sabhath-like. because the
tnehtres are closed and hotels nd nub
nc houses keep Sunday hours The
Few hours OF daylight however ware
"i'ios' DrlBht. q rare phenomenon in
an English winter. and the soldiers
n -, salIors appeared to find amusement
III trnmpinE the streets and parks
fhtn!iy parties taking an afternoon
stroii generally had youth in khaki
or biue as the central figure. escorted
bv admiring relatives
Al ranks OF the troops ut the front
ana In home camps were loaded down
Win presents. Princess Mary's fund
,on ,nristmas gifts amounted to nearly
SeVo,ooV. while there were numerous
FUNDS for tobacco, buildings and o,bar
lukuries raised by newspapers and so.
cieties. Gnu s'-
r:'eh tho German military prisoners
and civilians In the concentration
camps had Christmas trees and rif,s
from home and from wealthy Germans
In England. The German Young Men.
81
cuakers devoted special care 10 tho
prisoners 0
hundreds OF Belgian wounded in tho
hospitals and RcIgian refugees were
inc recipients of many attentions.
GIVING FREE MATINEES
FOX SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
To- morrow. known in England as
boNing Day. secs the beginning OF
pantomines At several large theatres
some shows are giving free matinccs
Tor soldiers and sailors.
specia! committee. formed to
watch conditions OF distress I'm Lon
don has reported that there Is less
PauPeriam and unemployment in the
CITY than on any Christmas In thirty
years This is due TO the large en-
istmcnts
The general atmosphere was. OF
course, one OF sadness rather than one
or hilarity. Economy was the watch
" VI" VI the uuS. christmas trees
from Germany and rnistletoe from
France. hence both were scarce.
Christmas turkeys had slightly IN
creased in price
King George and Queen Mary sent
messages TO the army and to the ncet,
and Christmas cards. bearing their
portraits. To every sailor and soldier.
Attendance at the churches was
notably large. Dean Inge. OF ST. paurs
spoke or the Anglo American peace
centenary Referring to tho Canadian
American boundary. he said:
For a hundred years America and
Canada have been at peace. A true
paace--not watching and snarling nj
each other like two ill-brcd dogs.
This is something 10 thank God for
on Christmas Day. There are mil
lions In Europe who look TO America
as Il land Of hope. and l think they
are justified In doing SO. One cannot
spend week In America without feel
ing that hope and freedom give buoy
ancy TO life there such as we rarely
see at home"
The dean thought, however that
America had failed TO achieve a type of
Christianity that Christ would approve
Compctitive industrialism." he said.
has not fulfilled this promise The
plea that business is business may
cover almost as much cruelty and in
Justice az may the maxim that All
Is fair in war"