Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-04
President Plans to
Crush PruSSia'S
MiLtariSm
PRECEDENT IS
SET BY TRIP
First Time Nations
Chief Executive
Left Shores

New York, Dec. 4. - Wood
row Wilson, President OF the
United States, sailed to-day for
Europe to participate as one OF
five representatives of the
United States to the peace con-
ference to be held in France.
The transport George Wash
ington got under way at lO:lo
a. IN.
AS the George Washington
swung out into the North River
on voyage unprecedented in
American history, President and
Mrs. Wilson stood on the flying
bridge, the highest point to
which passengers could climb.
An army band on the shore play
ed "Over There"
VANS "Strong" Peace
Prior tc' President Wilson's de-
parture to-day for Europe to attend
the peace conference it became
known that he goes determined
against militarism in any form. The
crushing OF Prussian militarism was
a part of his plan for the future
peace of the whole world. the PreSi-
dent feels, according to persons who
conferred wI'h him on the trans
port George Washington before it
sailed.
The Presidents Salute
With the President waving his hat
10 cheering throngs aboard river
craft which crowded nearby waters,
the George Washington turned her
head toward the sea shortly after
1890 O'Clock. AS the big liner
Strengthened her course the Presi-
Dental salute of twenty-one guns
Murdered from the transports guns
which during more than year of
war had ser"ed to defend thousands
of American soldiers from German
submarine attacks.
The big ship backed more than
half way across the river before she
turned and when two destroyers and
naval tug took her in escort for
The trip down the bay the maneu-
|Ver was witnessed by multitude of
persons crowding roofs and upper
windows of New York skyscrapers
and piers on both sides of the
Hudson.
Path Is Cleared
The tug took a position directly
ahead of the George Washington.
stopping all cross s-stream traffic and
clearing a path toward Quarantine,
while the destrOyers ranged along
either side. AS the fleet started down
IA hs.NF 1r4sNe. rs a ,If,,,
ecuted series of daring loops
above the Presidents ship.
The liner and its convoy steamed
toward the sea with the George
Washington's band playing martial
airs and with harbor craft of all
types, including many allied mer-
chant ships, dipping flags and toot-
ing whistles. off Staten Island the
George Washington met its ocean
convoy-the dreadnaught Pennsyl-
Nania and a quintet of destroyers,
trim in new coats of battleship gray.
GunboatS Fire Salvos
AS the squadron passed through
the gate in the submarine net which
within 500 feet of the Staten Island
shore, a group of several hundred
schoolchildren was transformed into
a sea of waving flags.
The Presidential fleet passed Quar-
antine at IL o'clock, the Pennsylva-
mia leading and the destroyers de-
ployed on either side and in the
wake of the transport. Gunboats in
the lower bay fired salvos in salute.
Headed by Seaplanc
As the squadron steamed out to
sea a single airplane, travelling only
fifty feet above the water, could be
seen leading the way toward the
eastern horizon.
Across the waters of the Hudson
just as the George Washington was
Continued OH Page 2