New-York tribune., 1918-12-16

parks gave just touch Of Washington.
Doubtless the President felt at home.
But all the members of the American
mission doubtless felt the deeper sig
nificance of the day.
Henry White, former American AM
bassador here and now a member of
the American peace mission, who has
known Paris through long residence
here, said that seldom had king, en-
peror or foreign dignitary received
such welcome as that extended to Pres
ident Wilson. The special significance
felt by the members of the American
mission was that the French people
seemed to be wholly in sympathy with
the Presidents purposes.
Premier Clemenceau arrived at the
Nurate residence at 6 o'clock this even
ing and was received Immediately by
President Wilson. The French leader
went by autom mobile to the Presidents
house half-hour after Colonel E. NJ
House. of the American Mission, had
called upon him.
Hoover Reports to Wilson
After conferring with the Premier,
President Wilson had long talk with
Herbert c. Hoover, the American Food
information on food conditions in Ger
many.
Tomorrow, before the public recep-
tion at the City Hall, the President
will receive Thomas Nelson Page, the
American Ambassador to Italy, who is
expected to convey to him some kind of
an informal invitation from the people
to visit the Vatican
Thousands of names already have
been inscribed on the great visitors
book in the entrance of the Murat man.
sion, President Wilson's temporary res
idence. Not only have all the prom-
nent men of the official world called
and signed the book, but also the lead
ers of society.
The name of scarcely any prince,
duke or marquis is absent. Side by
side with the names of eminent men of
science and art are the names of hum
bier persons. Among the names are
those of Cardinal Annette, the Arch
bishop of Paris, and the Japanese Am
bassador, Keishiro Matsui.
Mission Getting Settled
The members of the American mis-
sion now are devoting their time to get
ting themselves settled and to organiz-
ing for their work 1t is held to be
fortunate that the next two weeks will
be taken up by informal conferences,
because the way things are now it
would be virtually impossible to do any
business. There are Offices to be ar
ranged, personal affairs Strengthened
out, meeting places fixed, and the gen
r$c
fair of this kind must be perfected.
One of the most important arrange
ments to be perfected is not yet under
way. 1t concerns organized means for
making public the news of the prelimi-
nary arrangements, as we'll as of the
meetings of the mission when they get
under way. Colonel House and George
Creel, chairman of the Committee on
Public Information, conferred on the
subject with the President to-day.
"Red Tape" Hampers Reporters
Meanwhile a small army of reporters
is here trying to get the news home in
the usual American way, which is
strange in Paris, to say the least.
Some American army officials who are
attached to the mission seem to have
acquired the foreign style of dealing
with newspaper correspondents, which
in the United States is usually de-
scribed as "red tape" Nevertheless,
the correspondents are spending their
efforts in organizing channels which
will take typically American newspaper
stories home to America in the Ameri-
can way.
The city probably was more brill
liantly illuminate last night than ever
before. Electrical devices erected in
honor of President Wilson blazed in
all parts of the capital. The words
give Wilson," outlined in electric
light, were displayed at many vantage
points, while the coat of arms of the
United States frequently was seen out
lined in red, white and blue.
"Vive Wilson, Is Slogan
The exterior of the Chamber of Dep
uties was outlined in lights. The head
quarters Of the American peace dele
cation was lighted with a huge cleo
tric sign bearing the motto, "E Pluribus
Unum." The building occupied by the
American Red Cross was ablaze with
lights and huge Illuminated sign
stretching across the Rue Royale from
the French Naval Building to the
peace mission headquarters bore the
slogan "Vive Wilson,"
The immense searchlight on the
Eiffel Tower, heretofore used in search
ing the sky for raiding aircraft, radi-
ated over the city, carrying a message
of peace.
All public buildings and monuments
were lighted brilliantly.