The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-25
Wearing New Sweaters and
Smoking New Pipes,
Soldiers Celebrate
HAVE TREE FOR THE
FRENCH CHILDREN
Real Santa Claus Hands
Out Presents Soldiers j.
Gave Little Orphans
az AssocIated Prena.l

With the American Army aus
France, Monday, Dec. A.-The Am-1
ertcan expeditionAry force toniRhn4
capitulatsd 10 Santa Claus. with a.
light snow falling every man in Gem
eral Pershing's army-"dough boyS's
caValrymen, artillerymen, marine en-
gineers, mule skinners''-stopped
work as the sun went down and
started in to do the bidding of the
Joyial saint temporarily In command I
First there was rush 70 open the
Christmas packages from home, for
during the day mail truck after mail
truck had arrived in the various
towns where the troops are quarter
ed, loaded to the top with presents.
| The mail arrived at the base port
late, and extraordinary efforts were
made TO get II to the soldiers prompt
fy. Many lonely American fighter
who had about come to the conclus-
ion that his friends at home had
forgotten him had cause to rejoice.
With their new sweaters on, new
pipes in their teeth. some Of them
smoking fragrant cigars, the men Of
the army then set to work in earnest
making 1t merry for the children ofl
France.
At some distance from the Ameri-
can zone the railway engineers att
the British front and other engineers
at the French front were spending
i their Christmas eve under fire, but
even there the children of nearby
neighborhoods were being cared for!
1t was in the headquarters town OF
the first division to land on French
soil that the most elaborate enter
tainment was held, however. Becausa
the church there was small, the Y.
M. G. A. hut was Communicated
During the afternoon the American
| officers and men erected q gigantic
Christmas tree and decorated It whila
sentries kept inquisitive youngsters
at safe distance. Finally the doors
were opened and the procession filed
in, each little French boy and girl
dressed In his or her best and ac-
companied by the mother or, in the
cases OF the little refugees, whose
mothers and fathers are missing, BY
the woman who In caring for them.
The lights were suddenly flashed
/ on and the tree and Santa Claus re-
vealed. A chorus OF shriil, joyful
crtHass came from tll8 assem- "a
young teKs WHO were ali eyes for tbs
tree With its glittering tinseI set or
here and there by the customary red,
white, green and purple hghts.
Crossed American and French aaea
were ntimerously displayed and from
every branch there hung boxes OF
candy, jumping jacks with candy
sticks, drums. dolls and other play
things and a plentiful sprinIxling OF
apples and oranges. Piled high at
the base of the tree were many boxes
containing toy soldiers. guns. uni-l
forms, tops, sewing sets, heavy WOOL
en- mittens, mufflers. warm COATS
dresses and shoes.
Real Santa Claus.
Then the real, live Santa Claus,
the French interpreter at headquar~
ters-stepped out. His sprtngingi
activity called forth another ap-
preciative chorus from the young-
sters and a host Of khaki clad sol-
diers standing in the rear. some oc
them stiIl covered with the mud oc
the training grounds, grinned as they
heard the children shout.
The only reason any soldier Of thaf
division was absent wrom the cele-
bration was because there wasn't
room for him to crowd in. For IT,
was the men themselves who pro-
vided the bulk of the money ana
they naturally were eager to see the
children being made happy by the
soldiers gifts. As quickly as tha
child's name was called from the
box containing the present, the smil-
ing bashful young citizen OF France
WdAhGu up ana EGGEtWG0 IL linen
Santa Claus assistants distributed
the candy, fruit and small toys To
all.
There were entertainments Of
similar nature throughout the army
zone on Christmas eve while the
festivities were planned for Christ-
mas day at some places.
The men themselves, In addition
to the presents they received from
Ne6f
other sources, such as the Red Cross
and the tobacco fund, which later
distributed quantities OF smokes.
on behalf OF many newspapers In the
United States. Despite the fact that
there was a turkey famine many OF
the units managed TO purchase q
number OF these birds" in France,
while others were provided with
Taken All In all the American
army Is spending a real American
Christmas in France.
Christmas IN Navy.
Base of the American FIotiIIa IN
British Waters, Dec. 25.-Every sale
or In the f1otiIla had q real Ameri-
can Christmas. The sailors ate tur-
key and mince pie and had all the
other trimmings that go with Christ
mas dinner. There was music at meal
time and q few extra hours of duty
and each sailor was happy.
Letters and cards from the folks
back home were late but Jackie con-
soled himself with the thought that
he win be happy when he finally gets
them.
At the naval club house American
sailors and soldiers from the famous
Black Watch regiment staged an EN-
tertainment. Admiral Sims who came
all the way from London to be with
the boys over the holidays, was q
smiling spectator.
Every ship fortunate enough TO ba
in the harbor had a Christmas tree.
Most Of the trees were Of the toy
variety, but they were Christmas
trees. The sailors on one vessel
played hosts TO their officers. They
decorated the ward room with holly
and provided an elaborate menu. with
one cigar and two cigareta Tor each
oficer.
This il the bill Of fare provided ON
an ships: Cream celery SOUP sweet
pickles, celery and chow chow, Bho9e
Island turkey, spiced ham. Ribiee
gravy, fruit dressing, asparagus
sugar corn, cream potatoes. rocoamtt
layer cake. mince pie. fresh appae
black coffee and cigaras