New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-31

things for which the heart of man
kind has longed."
"he first item in the days pro-
gramme was drive to the famous
docks which have made Manchester an
inland port. Here the shipping ex-
tended befagged and vociferous
greeting to the President, while the
workmen from all the big warehouses
and factories around hung from the
windows and stood on the roofs.
Part Of the drive was through the
poorer districts, where few of the
children were too poor even to have
bought American flags to wave.
Crowds Rush to See Visitor
Only the weather was unfriendly to-
day. 1t was gray and thick, with in
tervals of rain, but that is typical Of
the season in the midlands and it kept
nobody indoors. Merchants, workmen
farmers, soldiers, with countless thou
sands of women and children stood in
the streets and rushed from point to
point for q glimpse of the President
from another angle.
Shaking hands with the Lord Mayor
and the Chief Constable on parting, the
President said
Gentlemen, | congratulate you both.
In all my travels l have not known ar
engagements to go on so smoothly. You
have given me happy time. My only
regret is that it was not longer"
The last Manchester saw of the Pres
ident, he stood on the platform of the
Royal train, hat in hand with his mill
tary aide holding the dark blue Presi-
dental flag, which had been presented
by the people Of France The band
! played "The StarSpangled Banner"
! The red-robed Lord Mayor and the
blue and silver-bedecked Chief Con-
stable were in the foreground, with an
American guard of honor in the back
ground, ard there came final tribute
OF cheers, stirring the flags which hung
from the arches of the station.
Throngs Watch for Train
The President was the recipient of
ovations for many miles along the
railway from Manchester. The people
had gathered along the line near the
city and near the suburbs and at vari-
Gus local cities on the route and
checred vigorously as the train passed.
In telegram regretting his inabil-
| ity to visit southampton and receive
the freedom of the city, the President
expressed his cordial thanks for the
honor and said: at would have been
great pleasure. but it is absolutely
necessary for me to return to France
on Tuesday,"
The whole tone Of the Presidents
address at the Free Trade Hall to-day
was interpreted in American quarters
as an additional indication that his
conferences of last week with Premier
Lloyd George and Foreign Secretary
Balfour had revealed the United States
and Great Britain on quite common
ground from which the peace negotia-
tions could proceed with the two ma
toms standing together on the funda-
mentals.
The speech was also taken as an in
dicatlon that much Of the important
details Of the peace conference had
been arranged.
Like Political Convention
To american eyes the scene in the
Free Trade Hall was comparable to
that of a session of a political ma
tlonal convention. The Introductory
speeches were received much as are
the nominating speeches for the favor
lite candidate at such a convention,
and when President Wilson rose to
speak the scene rescmbled that Of 2
convention about to nominate a can
didate by acclamation.
Hours before the time set for the
Presidents departure for the hall this
morning crowds began to assemble in
the square in front of the building, ell
though the day was foggy in the early
hours. The President was the first
from the building, wearing long, yell
low fur coat. AS soon as the crowd
saw him it started with shouts of
"Wilson!" and "Hurrah for Wilson,"
People Defy Weather
The President, with the LORD Mayor,
entered an open landau. The remainder
of the party were in similar vehicles,
Mrs. Wilson in the second one. She
wore q purple hat which was the one
dash of color in the whole process on.
The square and the statues in the CEN
tire of it were covered with people and
the windows surrounding were black
with them. 1t seemed as if all Man
chester was taking the morning off to
see the President
The Presidential carriage proceeded
10 the end of the square, the other We
hicles following closely. The crowd.
firing Of cheering. contentcd itself
with futtering handkerchiefs as the
carriages halted momentarily, and
about the same time the American and
British flags strung across the front
Of the Town Hall and from the poles
along the curbing began to stand out
in the freshening breeze.
When, after the brief halt. the
Presidents carriage started again the
crowds once more began cheering and
shouting, the cheers continuing as the
Presidential carriage, with mounted
police before and behind it, passed
along.
The President looked refreshed after
his nights rest. Mrs. Wilson was
radiant with thanks when several per
sons threw big bouquets of flowers in
to her carriage, in which she was rid
ing with the Lady Mayoress. She
picked up the floral tributes and smil
ingly bowed her acknowledgements.
Wilson Made "Freeman'
In presenting the freedom of the CITY
10 President Wilson the Lord MavoI
said it afforded the city Of Manchester
supreme satisfaction 70 have on its roll
the chief citizen of The American Re
public "fOremOst of all An,ericaps V.bo