New-York tribune., 1918-12-17
Paris Crowds
Press to See
Wilson's Smile
Streets Lined With People
as President Goes Forth
to Gorgeous Ceremony
By hampton Hunt
Ne,U York Tribune
Special Gable .Cerr;co

Copyright, 1918. New York Tribune Inc
PARIS. Dec. 16.-"You've made me
feel really at home here. Permit me
to thank you from a very full heart"
When President Wilson said this
at the City Hall here this afternoon
there was a note of absolute sincerity
IN his voice that proved he appreciated
much more deeply than words could
express the generous welcome that had
been given him by the city through it's
municipal council
The whole function, in fact, was
regal in its opulent display of civic
hospitality to the citys, as distinct
from the nations, honored guest.
SODA after 2 o'clock this afternoon
President and Nine. Poincare drove
from the Elysee Palace in the usual
landau with two horses to the Murat
Palace for the purpose Of accompanying
Mr.. Wilson to the Hotel de Vile. A
few minutes after their arrival a long
string of state carriages, each drawn
by two horses, emerged from the great
courtyard OF the mansion,
Presidents Ride Together
In the first rode the two Presidents,
as on Saturday. Next came Mrs. Will
son with Nine. Poincare and Miss Will
son, attended by General LIE Orot,
special aid de camp attached to Mr.
Wilson. Several other carriages fol-
lowed, carrying Henry White, Secre-
tary of State Lansing, General Tasker
H. Bliss, Ambassador Sharp, General
Pershing, Ambassador Jusserand, Nine.
Jusserand and other members of the
Presidential party.
The journey to the City Hall was &C
complished at a slow trot by way of
Madeleine Place, the Avenue de POpera
and the Rue Rivoli. Every inch of the
two-mile route was lined on each side
with deep masses of people anxious to
catch glimpse of "le sourire Wilson"
("the Wilson smile") which already has
become traditional in Paris. And every
body caught il.
President Enjoyed Reception
The President was thoroughly and
obviously enjoying every fr on of
the reception he was given and his silk
hat was as often off his head as on it
all the way. 1t was Saturdays triumph
ant progress all over again.
At the City Hall the party was met
OF h,, 81
graceful writer and poet, who is the
president of the City Council and
would-be Mayor of Paris did the city
possess such an officer, which it does
not, although each of its twenty ar
rondissements does
With him were crowd of city digni-
taries, and inside, whittier the two
chiefs of state quickly passed, Foreign
Minister Pichon, the Speakers Of the
Senate and Chamber of Deputies and
several ambassadors, prominent among
them being the representative of Japan,
and members of the City Council await
ed them
The first part of the reception took
place in the beautiful hall known az
"Gloria Victis," from the fine bronze
group which stands in the centre. This
is one OF the most imposing reception
halls in Europe, and forms a noble set
ting for such scene.
Addresses Are Read
Standing erect before the fonr
thronelike chairs in. heavy gold the
two Presidents and their wives lis
tened to addresses from the presidents
of the City Council and the General
Council of the Seine, which recalled
in generous and grateful terms the
services America has rendered France
during the war. Both these we're, of
course, in French.
Mr.. Wilson read his reply in Eng
lish from q typed manuscript, bat his
words lost none of their effect from
this, as the repeated murmurs of ap-
proval showed.
Amid the strains of "The Star Snan-
gled Banner and 1.-THE Marseillaise"
from successive military bands at diff
fe1ent points, the party passed up the
Continued on neat page
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