The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-12-04
GREAT MOMENT
IN OUR HISTORY
(Continned -roIn 2ags ID

-
moved slowly toward the stairway
leading to the upper deck OF the
pier.
An unidentified young Sir Walter
Raleigh suddenly darted from a group
of dock laborers and placed a wei
come mat at the foot Of the stair
way A suppressed giggie rippled
through the crowd.
When the party was stiIl some dis
lance from The stairway the Thir-
teenth infantry band struck up the
4 @Star Spangled Banner"
Mrs. Wilson, who appeared ner
vous. continued on her way. as her
reached forward and placed a detain-
ing hand on her shoulder, saying:
Wait a minute; wait minute"
] The president and other civilians
stood with hats dotted and the sol
diers and sailors ar the salute, until
the national anthem was finished.
Then they climbed the stairway and
entered the pier
Closely following the presidents
immediate party were Secretary Of
State Lansing, French Ambassador
Jusserand and their wives. The re-
mainder OF the party. including Rus
sian Ambassador Bakhmetief, Italian
Ambas sador Ceiiere.. their wives, Sec
rotary of War Baker and John w.
Davis. American ambassador 70 Great
Britain, traiied onto the pier singiy
and in groups.
/ Hundreds of American flags and
those OF our associate nations formed
long archway down which the presi-
dent and his party walked to the
gang plank and boarded the steamer.
A full battalion Of the Thirteenth in
fantry. together with detachment OF
/ the First division guard and fire
corps, was drawn UP in double line
along this archway. A company OF
q. NJ c. girls and some Red Cross
nurses completed the military pic
ture
At the gang plank the army's re
! sponsibility ended and the navy's be-
gan. Two marines in dress uniform
acted as the Intermediates between
/, those two branches Of the service.
! After the presidential party was
; safely aboard, Secretary OF War Baker
and Secretary Tumulty came ashore.
| 1t was then learned that the president
! f. suffering from slight cold. Rear
Admiral Grayson announced however
that IL is nothing serious The presi-
dent, it was said. retired about mid
night and slept until 7:15.
Another interninable wait, ana
then the steamers lines We're cast of,
one at a time A little fleet OF tugs
began to pull and shove al the big
hulk. The George Washington's siren
doomed out, to be echoed from scores
or river craft and the great steamer
was slowly backed into the stream.
The crew OF the transport Orizaba,
moored alongside, leaped to their posts
or lined the rails. Two airplanes which
had been circling slowly overhead,
began to dip and twist in eccentric
curves. Long, wicked looking destroy
ers slipped silently down the current
like ghosts in the fog.
A gust of wind caught the presiden-
ltial ensign at the forpeak of the liner
and Strengthened it out in the breeze.
One of the George Washington six
inch guns doomed. A four inch rifle
on destroyer replied. This continued
slowly and methodically until the null
twenty-one guns of the presidential sa-
| lutte had been fired
With hat in hand the president
stood on the bridge beside Captain
MnCauley. bowling and occasionally
waving his hand in response to the
! acciamations of the crowds. He
remained there, conspicuous and
militant figure, until the liner reached
mid-stream and he was lost to sight
/ in the semi-gloom of the mists.