Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-26
SOLDIERS and
SAILORS FETED
IN METROPOLIS
Thousands Entertained Day
and Night; Santa Claus
Comes to Orphans on
Ships in Harbor.

New York, Dec. 25.-New York
:oday celebrated its greatest Christ
as since war clouds enveloped the
world. In every church was pour
ed forth praise that peace had come
again to mankind, while in homes
without number were offered pray
ers of thanksgiving for loved ones
spared in the fiercest conflict of all
time.
The spirit OF unselhshness was
abroad as never before. The trials
which the nation had endured in the
anxious months before Ger
many was beaten to her knees
apparently had puged the city's
millions of petty desires and had
taught them the true JOY of giving.
From the Bowery to Fifth avenue
New Workers joined in common
celebration.
Civilians Share In Cheer.
Soldiers and sailors were feted at
every hand, and while the celebra-
ton centered on the military, the
civilian poor were not neglected.
Welfare organizations entertained
thousands from dawn until far into
the night and countless men and
women without formal alliance took
boys in khaki and blue into their
homes to share their own yuletide
cheer. The spirit of giving reached
even to the water front, where, on
the giant Leviathan and other ships,
thousands of orphaned children were
made to feel that Santa Claus was
indeed very real person.
Tars Feast Aboard Ships.
In the Hudson, where the home
fleet lay at anchor ready to well
come tomorrow the American war
ships, returning from overseas, ap-
proximately 10000 sailors ate their
| Christmas dinner at noon in mess
rooms decorated with holly and
wreaths. The meal ended, the blue
jackets joined in singing carols and
later cleared the hall for Stag"
dances, made possible by "jazz"
bands organized among the crews.
The men were given shore liberty
but many strangers in this port pre-
ferred to remain aboard for dinner.
Later, however, cutters darted from
warships to landing stage and by
dusk only skeleton crews remained
aboard.
Tonight great Christmas trees,
ablaze with electric bulbs, were scat
tered through the city's squares
from the Battery to the Bronx and
grouped around each tree were
thousands, who. in giving or re-
ceiving, found there the real spirit
of Christmas.
Celebrated as Victory Christmas.
Washington, Dec. 25.-America
today celebrated Victory Christ
mas. The soldiers and sailors, who
made such Christmas possible, had
a large part in the celebration.
Though large proportion of the
military force of the nation remain
ed overseas, THOSE WHO nave re-
turned were given welcome in
every community and had a major
part in the days celebration.
In Washington the day was cele-
brated quietly but whole heartedly.
For the first time in the nations
history Christmas was not observed
at the White House. President Will
son, in France for the peace confer
ence, spent the day with the Ameri-
can troops at the front. Members
of the cabinet and congress spent
the day with their families.
Secretary Baker attended a
Christmas celebration for the poor
children of the city, held in the TO-
tunda Of the capitol. Assisted by
500 soldiers from nearby camps, the
war secretary acted as chief Santa
Claus for the children and aided in
the distribution of gifts from large
Christmas tree brought from the
Washington estate at Mount YER