New-York tribune., 1918-12-17

not attended by the huge crowds which
welcoped President Wilson on Satur-
day, was impressive. The President
was received by the Municipal Council
at the main entrance and walked
through the spacious corridors, which
were tastefully decorated. More than
5000 people were within toe building,
for the most part women.
Women Cheer President
The women cheered the President in
a manner, which while not as Justify
as the President had been accustomed
to hear on the college campus, must
have sounded we'll in his ears, as he
smiled and bowed repeatedly.
Adren Mithouard, president of the
Municipal Council, read the address
the President replying in loud, clear
tones, in which there was tinge of
emotion.
The speechmaking took place in the
great inner courtyard of the City Hall,
which had been covered over for the
occasion and decorated with flags and
bunting.
The President said:
"Your greeting has raised many
emotions within me.
"lt is with no ordinary sympathy
that the people Of the United States,
for whom | have the privilege Of
speaking, have viewed the sutferinss
of the people of France. Many of
our own people have been themselves
witnesses of those sufferings. We
were the more deeply moved by the
wrongs of the war because we knew
the manner in which they were per-
petrated.
q beg that you will not suppose
that because wide ocean separated
US in space we were not in effect
eyewitnesses of the shameful ruin
that was wrought and the cruel and
unnecessary suferings that were
brought upon you. These sutferings
have filed our hearts with indigna-
ton. We know what they were not
only, but we know what they signi-
fed, and our hearts were touched to
the quick by them, our imaginations
filed with the whole picture of what
France and Belgium, in particular,
had experienced.
Reasons for Entering War
when the United States entered
Al
not only because they were moved
by u conviction that the purposes
of the Central Empires were wrong
and must be resisted by men every
where who loved liberty and the
right, but also because the illicit
ambitions which they were enter
tanning and attempting to realize
had led to the practices which
shocked our hearts as much as they
offended our principles.
"Our resolution was formed be-
cause we knew how profoundly great
principles of right were affected, but
our hearts moved also with our
resolution.
"You have been exceedingly gen.
erous in what you have been gra-
cious enough to say about me, gen
erous far beyond my personal de-
serts, but you have interpreted with
real insight the motives and resolu-
ton of the people of the United
States. Whatever influence I exer-
else, whatever authority I speak
with, derive from them. know
what they have thought, I know
what they have desired, and when I
have spoken what | know was in
their minds it has been delightful to
see how the consciences and pur-
poses Of free men everywhere re-
sponded
Feels at Home in France
eve have merely established our
right to the full fellowship of those
peoples here and throughout the
world who reverence the right of
genuine liberty and justice.
"You have made me feel very much
at home here, not merely by the de-
lightful warmth Of your welcome,
but also by the manner in which
you have made me realize to the
utmost the intimate community Of