Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-26
AMERICAN ARMY
In France Capitulates to
Gen. Santa Claus
Passes Real American Christmas in
France-Rush for Christmas Pack
ages and joyful Cries Of Refugees
Who Are Cared for in Celebration
Engineers Under Fire

With the American Army in France.
Monday, Dec. a+.-(By the Associated
Press THE American cxpeditionary
force tonight capitulated TO Santa
Claus. With light SNOW falling
throughout the zone every man in Cen
cral Pershing's army-"doughbov +"
cavalrymen, artillerymen. marina en-
gineers. mule SINNERS" stopped
work as the sun went down and start
ed in to do the bidding OF the iOvial
saint temporarily in command
Rush for Christmas Packages
First there was q rush to omen tne
Christmas packages from homo, for
during the day mail truck after mail
truck, loaded to the top with presents,
had arrived in the various towns where
the troops are chartered. The mail
arrived at the base port late, and eX-
traordinary efforts were made TO get
1t to the soldiers promptly. With their
new sweaters on. new pipes in their
teeth, some of them smoking fracra M
cigars. the men of the army then set
10 work IN earnest making it merry
for the children of France.
Railway Engineers Under Fire
At some distance from the Amer,-
can zone the railway engineers at the
British front and other engineers ar
the French front were passing their
Christmas eve under fire. out eve,
there the children of nearby neigh
borhoods were being cared for. II was
IN the headquarters town OF the ff,s.
division to land on French soil that
the most elaborate entertainment Wa
held. however Because the churc,,
there was pretty small the Y. NJ. c. A.
hut was commandeered
During the afternoon tho Aneriran
officers and men worked hard erecting
gigantic Christmas tree and deCorat-
ing II while Sentries posted outsid,,
Kept lnqulsltlVe youngsters at dis
lance. Finally the doors were oneped
ana the procession filed in, each little
french boy and girl dressed in his or
her best and accompanied by the moth
or, in the eases of the little refugees
whose mothers ana fathers are miss
lnG. by the woman who is caring fo-
hem. =
joyful Cries Of Refugees
Th"re WAS 4 tCISa air of 2XDeCtercv
until the lights were suddenly flashed
on and the tree and Santa Claus re.
TealeG. The revelation was the SIGNAL
for chorus OF shriH. joyful cries from
the assembled youngsters, who were
all eyes for the tree, with its glisten-
ing tinse! set off here and there by the
customary red white. green ard purple
lights. Crossed American and French
flags We're numerousiy displayed and
from every branch there hung boxes
Of candy. jumping Jacks. candy sticks.
drums. dolls and other playthings and
a plentiful sprnkling of apples and
oranges. Piled high al the base of the
tree there were many boxes contairll,,.,
toy soldiers. guns. uniforms. tons sew
ing sets, heavy WOODEN mittens, mrf-
f1ers, warm coats, dresses and shoes
Then the real. live Santa Claus, who
in reality was the French interpreter
at headquarters. stepped out His
springing activity called forth anoth-
err appreciative chorus from the young
sters and the host of khaki-clad SOL
dies standing in the rear.
CONTINUED on Page +Col. s.