Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-16
PRESIDENT WILSON
SKATERS CUSTOMS
OF ANCIENT TINES
Personally Lays Floral De-
sign at Resting Place of
Americas Friend.
ATTENDS CHURCH SERVICES
AND HOLDS CONFERENCES
Listens to Sermon on Political
and Civil Life and ~
Idealism.
IMMENSE CROWD IN STREETS
Present Week Will Be Filled With
Activities, With Numerous Wis
its Of Noted Officials.
ATTENDS CHURCH SERVICES
AND HOLDS CONFERENCES
IMMENSE CROWD IN STREETS
Present Week Will BE Filled With
Activities, With Numerous Wis
its of Noted Officials.

PARIS. December 15.-President VIII. n
son spent his first Sunday in Paris by
going twice to churCh. laying u wreath
on the tomb of Lafayette and having y
brief conference with Premier Glenn
enceau and another with Colonel Z, M. y
House. In the evening he rested in
preparation for the coming strenuous
week Of preliminary conferences.
During the afternoon the President
made short call on President and \
Madame Poincare at the Palace Of the 3
Elysee.
In the morning the President. accomis
panied by Mrs. Wilson and Admiral
Grayson and by Secret Service meg,
went to the American Presby.erIan
Church in the Rue de Berri. His com -@
ing was known to only few of the i
AMERICAN colony who had guessed that
the President. heng consistent
churchgoer. would choose a church Of
his own denomination.
The Rev. Chauncey w. Goodrich, th6 6a
verse of the ninth chapter of Isaiah. He
dwtlt on the necessity of impregnating
and showed how the evolution Of huts
manity was reaching the last stage In
the constitution Of a society OF nations:
no IS SPECIAL service fh The Pa Presaens tSa as
Il !He e - Central isnta, Presbyterian Church in
In. tho afternoon President Wilson
went to church Of Mrs; Wilson'S de-
ington when he goes twice on Sunday.
The church selected was the American
Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity
the Bishop of South Carolina officiat-8
The President visited the tomb OF
nnfayette la in the Picpus cemetery In
church service. No ceremony had been
ident went accompanied only by Brig
adier-General Harts, n Secret Ser
vice operative and n French officer as
President. removing his hat, enteretl
tho tomb carving large floral wreatfi.#
ANCIENT CUSTOMS siiATTERED -
IN BUYING OF WREATH
When, President Wilson. went. to tha
tomb of Lafayette to-day he insistea
en- taking his own wreath contrary to-
the custom here by wh;cn the 1orist /
card. The President sent Admtrsis
Grayson d,o,,t, to buy the wreath; and after
fcrist. who could not understand why
the traditional custom was being BROKE
On his personal card President VIVIAN
son. wrote this inscriptions: Va
In memory OF the great Lafayette.
drove TO the old Picpus Cemetery.
where the amazed gatekeeper was al
most too flustered to unlock the gates
when he learned who his caller was
The news of the Presidents visit
and as he left he passed through lines
OF aged nuns. who came out to paS
their respects to the American chief
AS the President placed the wreath
on the tomb, he bowed his head and
stood silent before the resting placa
a, America In aohsr her fight for liberty He
returned ned to the Murat residence.
Paris apparently. had turned out in.
the hope of getting a glimpse. of tie
Wilson luck was continuing. for the the
sun broke through the murky clouds
TOR the first time In days and began
lit up the city in all its tiuttering banrs
ners and flags. .f
IMMENSE THRONG OUT
BEFORE AMERICAN MISSION
To foreign observer, it appeared
that every one in Paris was on the
eoulevards, There was no space on
the, the sideWaiks Id wa Ks, 4 great crowd Eath.
the Headquarters of the American mis-
sion. The crowd jammed about the,
doors and took keen interest in every
American passing in or out. sT
American army automobiles were
surrounded and cheered whenever they
stopped All one needed, apparently to
be taken into the hearts of the crowd
was to just look like an American
Every sort OF conveyance was out onss
the bouievards or in the parks. eacliaH
carrying individual cheering groups.s
Taxicabs carried crowds of American
soldiers, and even the old one horse
chaise was again on duty.
Henry White, former ambassador
here and now a member OF the Amerj-
can peace mission, who has known
Paris through long residence heresSl
said that seldom had King. Emperor
or foreign dignitary ever received SUCH
welcome as that extended Preside,t
Wilson. The special Significance felt
by the members of the American mis-
sion was that the French people
seemed to be wholly in sympathy with
the Presidents purpose. sesSs3
The members of the American mis5s
sion now are devot!ng their time to-
getting themselves settled and to sog-Ses
sanizina for their work. 1t Is believed
fortunate that TIE next two wecEs .ytfsssas
he taken up by informal confer.
ences because the way things are now *
1t would be virtually impossible t0tsS
do any business. There are Offices 10 q
be arranged. personaI affairs stsafKht-.9g
ened out. meeting places fxed and thss y:
general arrangements attendant or aiEsy
affair OF this Kind must be perfected "a I
One OF the most important arraracsf
ments to be pcrtcctedsis not yos suEdoss Ss