Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-26
AT NEW YORK

day celebrated its greatest Christmas
since war clouds envelopcd the
world. In every church was poured
forth praise that peace had come
again to mankind while homes with
out number offered prayers of
Thanksgiving for loved ones spared in
the ficrcest conflict Of all time.
The spirit of unselishness was
abroad as never before. The trials
which the nation had endured in the
anxious months before Germany was
beaten TO her knees apparently had
purged the city's millions of petty
desires and had taught them the true
JOY of giving. From the Bowery to
Fifth Avenue. New Workers joined in
common celebration.
Soldiers and sailors were feted at
every hand. and While the celcbra-
ton centered on the military. the
metropolitan poor were not neglected.
Welfare organizations entertained
thousands from dawn until far into
the night, and countless men and
women without formal alliance took
sOSS III miami anu plht ihto tilNii
| homes to share their own Yuletide
cheer The spirit OF giving reached
even to the Waterfront where on the
giant Leviathan and other ships,
thousands of orphaned children were
made to feel that Santa Claus was
indeed u very real person. In the
Hudson, where the home fleet lay at
rna,Ot n unlpnrna
the warships returning from over
seas approximately 10000 sailors ate
their Christmas dinner at noon in
mess rooms gaily decorated with
holly and wreaths. The meal ended
the blue Jackets joined in singing
carols and later cleared the hall for
stag" dances. made possible by
Jazz" bands organized among the
crews The men were given shore
liberty but many. strangers in this
port preferred to remain aboard for
dinner.
Later. however. cutters darted from
warships to landing stage and by dusk
only skeleton crews remained aboard.
Tonight greet Christmas trees, ablaze
with electric light bulbs. were scattered
through the city's squares from the
Battery to the Bronx, and grouped
about each tree were thousands who. in
giving or receiving. found there the real
spirit of Christmas The ked Cross dis
tributed presents to and provided enter
tainment for 1900 soldiers and sailors
in hospitals and camps. Ten thousand
: families opened their hotncs to one Jr
, more service men who We're provided
, holiday dinners. At war camp commu-
1 nifty huts throughout the city 1850 sol
diers were beneficiaries Of gifts, amuse-
ment and food. At many Broadway
theatres the men found attendance
free. The v NJ c. A.. :. W. c. A,
Salvation Army and other war wor.i
organizations contributed similarly to
make this day a joyous one for dough-
boy and tar In every hospital where
these men die sick or wounded bundles
of presents were placed at the bedsides.
At the Battery and in Madison Square
yuletide celebrations were held tonight,
! men in uniform and civilians joining
! in festivities around tall Christmas trees
ablaze with colored lights. Children of
| the allied nations were the guests OF
army and navy men at these ceremo-
| MES, and the service mel were trans
| ported from all parts Of the city in ON
! nibuses Communicated by Welfare war
workers
Men of the allied merchant marines
who have survived C-boat attacks
! found their welcome at the searmen'
church institute, where Christmas din
ners were served and useful presents
distributed. The Salvation Army ahan-
, doned its customary program of dinners
| for down and outs but instead pro-
| vided 5000 meals for needy families ana
presented safety raZors 10 army ana
navy men who visited the organization
headquarters. For men who could cot
come because Of their wounds Christ
mas trees and entertainments were pro-
vided in some Of the hospitals. San a
Claus visited many o: The police sta
tons and ministered TO the children OF
the poor wi1I candy, clothing, fruit and
toys. To the wives and children Of hun
dreds of men who are in prisons the
, Volunteers Of America" gent packages
containing clothing and other useful ar
ticles. Within the Tombs and other Pc
ma. institutions men and women were
provided with dinners, gifts and enter
tainment to make their Christmas day
a happier one TO bear
: Orphaned children of New York
Cityand Hoboken, little folks at
whose homes financial circumstances
made Christmas slim affair. and
"Newsies' from the Hoboken streets
and New Jersey terminals number
ing in all more than 100, were the
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