Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-12
PRESIDENT TELLS
NATION Of VICTORY:
DRAMATIC SCENE
Capitol Crowded as Wilson Impress
lively Announces War Has
Come to an End.
SPEECH THRILLS THRONGS

Washington. Nov II The war
thus comes to an end
With just touch of dramatic fervor,
slight lifting of the voice, President
Wilson pronounced these words before
the Senate and House OF Representa-
tives yesterday after hC had read to
the assembled Congress the drastic
terms which Germany has been forced
to accept to obtain peace.
For moment his audience hcsitatCd.
The President hesitatcd also. Then he
started to resume the reading ct the
address in which the armstlcc terms
were embodied But his auditors would
have none of II
Al first a faint handclapping. then
a. cheer or two then more cheers, and
those on the floor and in the gallery
were on their feet cheering and applaud
ing like mad in the knowledge that
America aud the Allies had won the
war for freedom, right, and justice.
II was a dramatic moment tn Only
ono occasion when the President pre-
viotlsly addressed Congrcsa had ne APP
preached IN spectacular interest
what occurred yesterday That was on
the night of April >, 1917, when Presl-
dent Wilson spoke the word that every
one knew meant war
under conditions that had = touch q
solemnitv Patriotic fcrvor was II is
height yct the knowledge If the bloody
carnage that was Ia come Wa> IN the
minds OF al the President auditors
on that still sprlng evening nineteen
nsongths ago.
ELEcrRErlrp NJ vuroHY.
y est tcrday II was different The Joy
Of victory was IN the air lew IA hat
great ;,sScmblagc had known ~ advance
OF the full meaning OF Germany 5 ca
pitulaton.
some were troubled and doubtful
y they heard the Preside NJ read IN
measured tones condition after con-
dition. each seemingly more drastic
than ihst which preceded il, and realized
with the conclusion nf every rafaCrart
how complete The virtCrr Nas htir
grew until he climax nf patriotic pric
and clatIon came With the President
pronounccmrnt
The war thus comes tn an end
In the small hours 0I Yesterday morn
ing the wopi had reached thr S.atc
Department that he armiSficC terms
had been signed af Marshal Foch'
headquarters President Wilson was no
tilted Immediately by telephone. In
spite ol his broken sleep he was up early.
and BY his direction arrangements had
soon been made for the joint session
o the Senate and the House
GALLERIEs CROWDED.
Galleries at ioint SeSs on were crowded
with men and women. Ryfar the greater
proportion OF the spectators were wives.
daughters and other women relatives
or friends Of Senators, Representatives.
and high government officials
In the Presidents pew. the front
row Of the gallery 70 the left Of the pre-
siding officers rostrum, sat Mrs VIII
son and the Presidents daughter, Mrs.
William G. McAdoo. wife of the >ecrc-
tary Of the Treasury. Occupying chairs
on the floor were members Of the cab
met. General March, the armys chief
OF staff, men engaged prominently III
government war activities. and MANY
former Senators and Representatives
One member Of the present House, IL
Guardia OF New York, was there in the
uniform OF an army aviator.
sUPKEME COURT JUSTICES APPLAUD.
The very center Of the stage, as Il
were. was occupied by the nine JUS
tiees of the Federal Supreme Court
They sat in chairs placed in the area
directly in front Of the rostum If. III
All the enthusiasm that punctuafed
the President address, anyone may
be credited with having led the aI,-
plausc the palm should go to the dis
tInguished chief justice of the ntcd
States, Edward Douglass " hitc Tn
s par with his enthusiasm was that Of
q former member OF the highest Judicial
tribunal, Charles T. Hughes, the man
who had lost the presidency to Wood
row Wilson, whose triumph he now ap-
plauded.
Owing to the fact that many Sena-
tors and Representatives had not re-
turned TO Washington from their homes
where they had been participating ia
the political campaigns hardly half
the membership OF Congress was present
and there were scores of vacant benches
On the floor.
A. usual, President Wilson reached
the Capitol well before the time set for
his appearance AZ the joint session