Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-25
WILSON HAS
XMAS WITH
YANKFORCES
Eats Dinner With Soldiers,
Reviews 10000 and
Visits Wide Area.

Chaumont. Dec. 25.-CBy the As
sociated Press President Wilson
. reached here from Paris early this
morning for his Christmas day
visit to the American troops. His
train was held outside the town for
a time to accord with the program
of the local officials. At o'clock
he entered Chaumont as had been
arranged.
The president played in luck
again on the weather, for while it
seemed to the visiting party to be
cold and bleak and rain was appar-
emily threatening, the American
troops at headquarters declared the
day was really fine one for this
region at this season.
A guard of French and Ameri-
can troops received the president
at the station. General Pershing
greeted him as he arrived in the
city, as did the mayor and prefect.
There was a reception at the city
hall.
Troops Everywhere to See Chief.
The presidents first contact with
the American army in the field
quarters was when he found a SOL
dier on guard outside his car The
strapping fellow who had been as
signed for this duty saluted the
president. who wished him a merry
Christmas and made him the proud
est soldier in France. All along the
latter part of the route into Chau-
mont, which was traversed by day
light, the troops were clustered on
locomotives in the yards. on top of
box cars, on tree tops, and on ey-
cry point of vantage, waiting to
get a glimpse of their commander
| in-chief and wish him a merry
Christmas.
A rehearsal Of the review took
place last night The troops were
brought up in motor trucks. the
same which rushed American
shock troops many hundred mile
across France for the various of
fensives.
The troops to be reviewed carry
| two days iron ratiOns" in their
haversacks. They will return to
their billets on Thursday. In the
parade the men will wear steel
helmets, carry their gas masks
haversacks and full equipment.
The review will be finished by
noon, when the president will
motor to the headquarters of the
Twenty sixth division at Montigny-
le-ROi. He will take Christmas din
ner in an unoccupied French hos
pital A hundred officers from the
Yankee" division will be present,
instead OF enlisted men. as was
originally planned
The Twenty-siXth division was
selected because it has been long
est in France. Mess Sergeant
Berthey. restaurant keeper at
Worcester, Mass, will be in charge
Of the dinner.
Wilson'S Xmas Dinner.
The menu follows:
Celery.
Roast Turkey.
Mashed oPtatocs.
Turnips
Cranberry Jelly.
Pumpkin Pie
Cakes.
Coffee.
Everything except the turkey is
included in the ratiOns. There will
be no soup, owing 10 the diners
using their mess kits. A hundred
new mess kits have been obtained
for the guests. the officers using
their own There will be no table
cloths and no napkins.
VIII Visit Wide Area
Following the dinner President
Wilson will motor through the
towns of Fricourt. Binnecourt, Ro-
court, Avricourt, Epinaint, Sarroy,
Odival, Nogent, Louvieres and Pou-
langi.
The troops billetted in these
places will be lined up and re-
viewed along the road.
Returning to Chaumont, the
president will go TO General Per
shiug's home il the De Louvre
chateau, outside Chaumont, where
Mrs. Boyd. wife of COloael Boyd
General Pershing's aid. will receive
Mrs. Wilson.
The president viii leave Amer
lean headquarters at . O'Clock to
night for Calais. and on Thursday
morning viii embark on a warship
for England. As far as is known
here there viii be no further
changes in the presidents program
in England, unless the British
government suggests them.
American officials here are deep
ly Interested in the reception which
will be accorded the president by
the British people. especially in the
Manchester industrial district. The
president himself looks forward