The Washington times., 1916-11-17
WIN Barred Head, He Takes
Part in. Singing on White
House Portico.
NIGHT IS SPECTACULAR
Hundred Thousand in Parade to
: Welcome Woodrow Wilson
! Back to White House.

Cd along Pennsylvania avenue with
blasting torches and waving flags, and
while aerial bombs and many cosered
rockets doomed in his honor. Presi-
dent Wilson stood in the north por-
tico of the White House last night.
his head barred, and Joined a chorus
IN singing The Star-Spangled Ban
The chorus. led by Percy Foster, mad
Just sung Garry Me Back to Old Vir-
ginny," and other Southern melodies,
and the singing of the national an
them brought to close the big pro-
cession and celebration given by
Neutrality-suspicious. in commemoration OF
the reelection of President Wilson,
one OF the most brilliant and spectac-
Miar night events ever staged in the
National Capital -
All Creeds in Line.
The procession was organized by
the Wilson and Marshall Democratic
Association, of which Charles w.
Darr is president. and included in the
nrmiss 81 HSiiticS 9ro orgsnizations
Government departments, \women's
clubs. labor organizations, suffragists,
delegations from Maryland and Vir.
Einia, bands OF students from George
town and George Washington Uni.
versities, and thousands of "just plain
son.
rom tne nOrtn portlco the Presi-
dent, with Mrs. Wilson at his side,
stood and watched the procession file
by, while from a grandstand on La
fayette Square. Immediately in front
S OF the White Viii House Ser members Of the
Government reviewed the parade.
Harper in Lead.
Led by Chief Marshal Robert ". Har-
Der and corps of mounted aides. the
W. aaNA a.
at o'clock. and. with thousands OF
blazing torches and waving flags, and
music by more than a score OF bands
hled up Pennsylvania avenue, while
more than 100, COO spectators watched and
cheered from all sides.
BY the time the vanguard reached Fiji
teenth street Pennsylvania avenue. look
ing toward the Capitol. resembled a
reach, the heads Of marchers, sur
mounted by bobbing lights and waving
flags could be seen, and cheers and
shouts of "Hurrah for Wilson could
be heard on every hand.
As the paarde reached Pennsylvania
avenue between Fifteenth and Sew
enteenth streets. hundreds OF torches
which had been. a rranesds along the
Elfipse back OF the White House, a
salute OF twenty one bombs was fred.
The bombs were followed by brilliant
rockets of red. white. and blue. which
the procession was passing.
Lafayette Park, Madison place and
every available foot of space in the re-
sfon OF the White House was crowded
with spectators
Chief Marshal Harper and his aides
and the entire Wilson and Marshall As
seciation. turned to the left when they
reached the east gate of the White
House. and passed under the north por-
tico, where they were greeted by Presi-
dent Wilson. Passing out at the west
gate. the chief marshal and his aides.
lined up on the south side OF the ave-
nue. In front OF the White House, while
President Darr and other officers of the
Wilson and Marshall Association took
places on the grandstand and reviewed
the remainder of the procession.
A number of attractively decorated
0oats and many unique signs were scat
tered through the procession. One
which attracted much attention was
biz machine in which, Miss Democ-
rscy" stood alone and bowed to the
crowd. Another float of especial interest
was In the section OF the Women's Will
son Union and was marked American
Beauties" On 1t were a score or more
pretty girls, In rows one above he
other the topmoSt girl bearing huge
bunch of American Beauty roses.
Women Prominent.
', omen were prominent throughout
the parade. They occupied machines,
rode on floats, rode prancing steeds.
and hundreds of others marched.
Among the latter was a brigade OF
suffragists. 100 strong, who wore paper
caps of stars and stripes, and wore
American flags as sashes.
The Alexandria delegation, which was
the largest out-of-town organization.
attracted much attention and won APP
plause all along the route. They were
struck up Dixie" just as they entered
the court OF honor, in front of the
White House. Behind them came hun
dreds of Alexandrians on foot. They
carried -transparences showing huge
letters which spelled Alexandria. and
which extended an entire block.
Many donkeys, some of them bear
ing huge signs. with pictures OF Will
son and Marshall on them, others draw
ing small carts, were in the procession,
while vehicles of various descriptions,
ranginT all the way from high-powered
limoUsines to farm wagons, drawn by
mules, were constantly passing.
Automobile Parade at End.
Bringing up the rear of the procession
was the automobile section, of which
Guy S. Whiteford was chairman, IL Is
estimated that at least n thousand ma
chimes were in this group. They were
decorated In various ways, asthe fancy
or the owners dictated, and their APP
proach to the court OF honor was pro-
claimed BY a din of horns, sirens, and
other matchmaking devices, that could
be heard for blocks.
Seated on stand opposite the review
Ing stand were the 300 members OF the
chorus. and the minute the procession
had passed these became the center OF
attraction. The crowd surged over the
curb and pushed up until they complete
ly surrounded the stand, expectantly
awaiting the singing. The singers aban-
doned the stand as the crowd approach
ed and were hustled down to the west
gate of the White Houne grounds by a
corps of policemen and into the grounds
before the crowd realized what had hap
pened. The gates were stormed, but
only a few who had had the fore
thought to procure tickets We're admit
nue. and watched and iisiened while
the chorus assembled under the north
portico and began Its serenade OF the
President and Mrs' Wilson.
Long before o'clock, the time set for
4 the head OF the parade to leave Peace
Monument, crowds began to gather