The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-12-23
WILSON SHAKES
HANDS WITH 200
WOUNDED YANKS
Visits Neuilly Hospital, Leaving
Words of Cheer
LONDON WELL BEDECKED
Stars and Stripes viii Be Predomi-
nant Features-oceasion is Presi-
dent Wilson's Visit.

Paris, Dec. %. President Wilson's
conferences today and tomorrow will
virtually complete the preliminaries
he is expected to dispose Of before
going to England. They will probab-
ly lay the principal part OF the ground
work for the actual peace conference.
The President considers the most
pressing of all problems before the
entente nations. the question Of sup
plying food to the starving peoples of
the liberated territories-is in fair
way OF being solved Although. far
away from the White House, the
President and Mrs Wilson will enjoy
something OF the spirit Of Christmas.
Recently the President stepped away
from the Murat residence and went on
foot through che shopping district.
making purchases and looking about
without being recognized.
Mrs Wilson also has been shopping
alone at odd times, and when Christ
mas morning comes It is fairly certain
that Santa Claus will have visited
the Presidents special train enr0ute
TO Chaumont
Paris. December president vii.
son today visited the Red Cross hospi
tai al Neullly. where he shook hands
Individually and talked with 1900 bad
ly wounded Americans. for the most
part survivors OF the Chateau Thierry
action He spent more than four
hours in the hospital. visiting every
ward and stopping at every bedside.
Later he visited the French hospital.
Val de Grace.
Speaking OF his experiences at the
American hospital. the president said :
~ went through the American hos
pital at Neuilly with the greatest in
terest and the greatest qualification.
] found the men admirably taken care
OF and almost without exception In
excellent spirits.
Only a very few OF them looked
really III. aud ! think that their
mothers and their friends would have
been entirely pleased by their sur.
roundings and by the alert look in
their eyes and the keen interest they
took In everything about them.
81 am sure they will 90 back 10
their loved ones at home with a new
feeling Of joy alike in their recovery
and In the fne service they have been
able to render"
Going TO the American hospital with
the expectation OF remaining an hour
the President found four hours all
too short. as he felt that he could
not leave without speaking with
every man, and he expressed regret
only of his inability to clasp the hand
OF every American soldier in France
Paris, Dec. 22.-"Versailles." Presi
dent Wilson said. must be meeting
place of the servants of the people.
represented by delegates" and he ad
ded, there is no master mind who
can settle the problems OF todat. u
there Is anyone who thinks he knows
what is in the mind of all peoples
that man Is q fool We have all go
to put our heads together and poo
everything we have got for the bene
fit of the ideals which are common {,
all
London, Dec, 23-The first organic
ed scheme OF street decoration her,
since the wars beginning is being ar
ranged for President Wilson's visit
The entire route from the station {,
Buckingham Palace will be elaborate
ly and systematically decked viii
standards linked by streamers. TIL
stars and stripes viii be the predomI
b nant features.