The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-24

I'VE Strive to Please" If there is
anything within reason our readers
want, and the staff and this organl-
zation have the ability to produce II,
we must all do the best we can to
carry out the precept in the motto
In the Red Cross parade last sat
urday, which the writer witnessed as
detailed in the previous chapter, there
were more than 10000 in line instead
of 10000 as the types made it yester-
day and it took six hours to pass
The President, headed the process
sion and walked two miles with it.
At the reviewing stand at Twenty
third street and Madison Square there
was some disappointment when mrs
Wilson took her seat in front ana De-
low the large spread eagle. with the
President not in evidence
| The explanation came later:
Between Sixty-eighth and Sixty
seventh streets the head of the process
sion, which had made its way down
\ from Eightieth street, came to a sud
den stop. A big automobile surround
ed by a corps of police slipped in upon
the avenue, the President stepped out
and took his place in line.
| AS one New York paper ex-
pressed it:
The President proceeded down the
avenue to the tune of an ovation such
as New York is said never 10 nave
given him since his entrance INTO pun
lie life. hi,, .
daring figure in the foreground OF the
| 10 600 persons who followed him. Were
| cheers of such deep admiration thd'
their meaning could not be mistaken
ON every side. in the throngs OF men
and women who sazeo at mn, ,ifns.
sparkling eyes, there was the manlIest
| Conviction that she had the country
Rowing frequently to the right ano
| left. President Wilson appeared py inc
| expression of enthusiasm ana pledsure
or his face to find the experience eV-
| erv bit as thrilling as did the specta-
| tors.
For the thousands of the city and
visitors who had never seen the Pres-
| ident, this was an opportunity TOT
which their gratitude knew no BOUNDS.
IF the cares of world were on MS
shoulders. for the moment ne seemed
to shake them off to greet the people
as a man would greet his fellow men:
The erect carriage and the gieam OF
| leadership in his eyes were the only
| indications of a man of great respon-
! sibilities, but otherwise he revealed
himself as an American citizen VINO
had taken this day off for the enjoy
ment of a patriotic holiday with other
| American citizens.
From the windows OF the hlgn
buildings, where men and women were
| hA Gil ny &
where the spectators stood; from be
hind and from the front the leader of
the parade was singled out in mo-
ment as the President of the United
| States"
Boy Scouts took up the cry and ran
down the avenue with it, announcing
his approach to the crowds far below,
who could not believe that 1t could
really be true. But they saw him soon
with their own eyes, and when they
saw him they cheered with all the
strength that was in them The air
became cloud of waving flags,
streamers, hats and handkerchiefs,
thru the bewildering maze of which
walked the President of the United
States, laughing, always laughing, at
the continued outburst of enthusiasm
which his presence evoked.
| The ovation was repeated all the
way down the avenue to the grand
| stand at Twenty-third street. Here
the acclaim of the President reached a
height unprecedented at any point In
the parade. His appearance was
strangely unattended by any outburst
of music, but the cheers would have
drowned all music out. The President
was evidently greatly pleased by the
| hearty greeting of thousands of men
and women. To the right and the left
he bowed and waved his acknowledg-
ments. after which he took his place
CD ,,
Hylan at his right and Mrs. Wilson
and Governor Whitman at his left.
The Presidents interest was concen-
trated upon the procession before him
and when anything particularly strik-
ing caught his attention he invariably
pointed it out to Mrs. Wilson. Upon
him, as upon evefy one else in the
| stand, the parade of the Red Cross
made the deepest impression
After the spectators had been made
to feel what the Red Cross stood for
by the presence of such an army OF
determined women in line, who had
thrown themselves into its cause with
all the devotion that was in them, II
was hardly necessary to tell them thai
they should give"
The women who marched on Fifth
avenue revealed a certain enthusiasm
and determination, which often evoked
the awe of this spectators. Here were
women who had responded to the cal
for service with all the heroism of mer
who go forth to the fire and shell Of
the front.
Unit after unit swing past the grand
stand, with the red flare of the nurse.
cape exposed to the sun, over a blut
background. making a picture of wo
manhood born to great deeds of sacri
flee.
the field nurses about to go abroad fol
active service, or the auxiliary units O.