Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-05-31
PRESIDENT LEADS
RED CROSSPARADE
Thrills Thousands as He Unex-
peetedIy Joins Marchers in
W.. New York City.
MORE THAN 10000 IN LINE.
Declares His Purpose to Stand by Rus
sia as Well as France-Wants No
Limit of Men-Crowd Cheers
Presidents Statement.

New York-More dramatic and
thrilling than any demonstration wit
messed in this city since the war be-
gan was the unexpected appearance Of
Woodrow Wilson, President of the
United States, at the head of the Red
Cross parade in Fifth avenue. Sched-
uled to review the procession from the
grand stand, the President, without
making his plan known beforehand.
went to the head of the parade at the
; last moment, and for distance of
two miles appeared before the eyes Of
cheering multitudes as the most con-
spicuous figure Of soul stirring spec
tacle. If he risked all the hazards in
volved in such a procedure, he gripped
the heart Of the city through the cour-
age and strength of conviction which
led him to adopt such method of pro-
claiming that the cause of the Red
Cross was his cause and the nations
cause.
The cheers that rang out to him as
he tramped down Fifth avenue, a dar-
ing figure in the foreground Of the TO-
600 persons who followed him, were
cheers of such deep admiration that
their meaning could not be mistaken.
On every side, in the throngs of men
and women who gazed at him with
sparkling eyes, there was the manifest
conviction that she had the country
with him." Bowling frequently to the
right and left, President Wilson ap-
peared by the expression Of enthusi-
asm and pleasure on his face to find
the experience every bit as thrilling as
did the spectators.
President Wilson, who in the even
ing opened the Red Cross drive at the
Metropolitan Opera House with a STIR
ring appeal for generous contributions,
said incidentally that he had tested
'peace approaches" which had been
made and that he had found them to
be "inSincere"
He said that all such peace ap-
DroacheS contained q reservation and
required "a free hand" in the east.
He was cheered when he said that
the United States intended to stand by
Russia as we'll as France.
The Presidents words on the sub
ject of the testing of peace proposals
were as follows:
"And we are not to be diverted from
the grim purpose Of winning the var
by any insncere approaches upon the
subject Of peace. l can say with
clear conscience that I have tested
those intimations and have found them
insincere. I now recognize them
for what they are, an opportunity to
have free hand, particularly in the
east, to carry out the purposes of con-
quest and exploitation. Every pro-
posal with regard to accommodation
in the west involves a reservation with
regard to the east Now, so far as l
am concerned, l intend to STAND by
Russia as we'll as by France"
OF all the passages in the Presi-
dents speech the one most applauded
was the following:
II have heard gentlemen recently
say that we must get 100000 men
ready. Why limit it to 5,0O0,0O0?"
There was some aDDauSe when the
President said little later:
IF they wish peace let them come
forward and lay their terms upon the
table. We have laid ours, and they
know what they are"
The audience was composed of dis
tin@uished men and women, most Of
whom have been leaders in the work
of the Red Cross.