Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-23
REDCROSS WORKERS
HOSTSOF PRESIDENT
Who SEES WOUNDED
Wilson Spends Four Hours at
American Hospital Talking
With American Soldiers.
MANY AFFECTING CASES

talked with 200 badly wounded Amer1-
cans, for the most part Survivors of the
Chateau-Thicrrv action He spent more
than four hours in the hospital. entering
every ward and stopping at every bedside
Later he visited the French hospital
at Val de Grace.
Speaking of his experiences at tho AmerI-
can hospital. the President said,
II went through the American hospital
nj Neuilly with the greatest interest and
the greatest qualification. found the
men admirably taken care Of and almost
without cxcpetion in excellent spirits
CHEER FOR MOTHERS.
"Onlv very few Of them looked really
i'll, and | think that their mothers and
their friends would have been entirely
pleased by their surroundings and by the
alert look in their eyes and the keen in
tcrcst they took in everything about them.
II am sure they will 20 back to their
loved ones at home with new feeling oi
JOY alike IN their recovery and III the tinc
service they have been able 10 render.
Going to the American hospital with the
expectation Of remaining an hour, the
President found four hours too short, as
he felt that he could not leave without
speaking with every man and he expressed
FtE1tt tf1iN 1T his tIltblflNN ~ tAsNt' ajN
hand Of every American soldier III France.
PRESIDENT DEEPLY MOVED.
The President looked tired and worn
when the ordeal was finished; for. not
withstandinC the chcerfulness of the men
and the care which they are receiving,
there were many affecting cases IN the
wards,
When he came to one man who was
very badly wounded tho President sat on
the edge Of the cot for n moment and
asked where he came from and how he
haG pcen wounded He admired his war
crosses and other decorations Noticing
that many of his wounds were in the leg,
the President asked
"Nhv have VIC horc no men wounded
in the upper part Of the bcdy2
Men who arc wounded above the
waist arc not here: they have gone on
answered the soldier simply
One of the mon tho President camc TO
stood proudly erect. with medals on his
blouse and one arm outstretchcd in an
appliance for restoring its usefulness. lie
looked suggcstively like a traffic police
man on duty.
I'm glad to sec you looking 80 cheer
full said tho President
You have seen me many times before,
Mr. President, responded the soldier !
used 10 be traffic policeman Al the Cen
trail Station Don't you think ! look
natural
The President laughed quietly l. was
probably the only merry moment nc had
in the hospital
PROUD Or HIS NAMEsAKF,
Another strapplng fellow gave his name
rs Private Wilson.
Il am proud to know | have a name
sake like YOU, said the President.
1T Is a very honorable name | only
tried to Do II proud, responded the sol
dier
Onc soldier had lost both legs by she'll
u am thankful they didn get an arm
be SAID cheer;ullN
More than $500 wounded Americans
from the battles around Chateau Thcrrv
have passed through Ncully Hospital
The 200 remaining are the most serious
cases. whom miracles Of modern surgery
ar rebuilding to resume thelr places In
civil HE. though some viii probably never
leave the hospital
4 VISIT WITHOUT CEREMONY.
The Pre- ,bstancd from attend
ancc at churr't III order to make the visit
He was accompanied By Mrs Wilson and
Rear-Admiral Gravson, and was met at
the entrance BY the Commandant and his
staff But he made il PLAN that he wished
no ceremony.
Il just want 10 90 in and visit the boys
and have chat with them he said
Beginning with the first ward, the Prcsi-
dent went down one side Of the room and
Mrs Wilson the other, stopping to chat
here and there with the wounded and
grasp hand for moment or say a word
OF cheer and eGcolIragement. The Prcsl-
dent himself ,whsre it was possible, took the
the hand Of every man. saying: We hope
to have YOU back soon with US, or I ! wish
YOU the best Of luck and speedy re-
covcry."
So the President went from ward to
ward, always asking each mans name and
saying something intimately personal. As
he left each room nc turned for moment
and said:
Il wish you boys as merry Christmas
rs is possible under the circumstances.
There was no cheering in reply, for
some Of the men were in no condition
for cheering; there was no handclappine
for most Of the men had at least one
hand in surgical appliances; but there
were genuine smiles Of appreciation.
Some Of the wounded were introduced
to the President by the names the doctors
and nurses had gwen them There were
Texas Red, Tennessee sly" and
Sunny Sam The last named was
introduced as the suniest boy in the
hospital
MIRACLE or FACIAL SURGERY
The President saw one lad who came
10 the hospital eighteen months ago
with half his face shot away His story
was almost too terrible to rep eat, but the
President wanted to hear So the doctors
told il 10 him
The boy entered the hospital with SO
little Of his face remaining that his eyes
were all that are now shown in the plaster
cast which begins his record For a year
he took all his food through a tube.
Now, by additions of one Of his own ribs.
bit Of SHIN bone, and teeth from a
soldier less fortunate, and some scraps
Of odds and ends he has a face again
Today he sat up in bed and was chewing
gum. Al distance of 20 feet his face
looked quite normal
CI4EERED 81 THE PoILus
AT the French hospital visited BY Il
President Wilson, the President. owing
TO lack Of fluent command Of the French.
language, was prevented from such
intimate contact with the wounded men
as had been the case in the American
hospital
he,,ortbcioee ~ visited an the wards