Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-12-04
WILSON'S DEPARTURE

S Last Day in Washington Marked b
= Continuation of Debate in Cor
gress ON Propriety and Wisdom Q
His Going.
New York, Dec. with Presiden
and Mrs. Wilson standing on tn
bridge, the steamer George Washing
ton, carrying the President to tn
peace conference, moved away from
her dock at 1922 today.
The harbor boats by the hundred:
gave him great ovation with thei
whistles.
President Wilson's last day i,
Washington prior to his departure or
tie peace mission to Europe was
marked by continuation of the fierce
debate in Congress on the propriety
and he Wlsdoln of his going.
The constitutional interpretations
against mis- leaving the country were
repeated with heat and vigor. A reso-
luton to declare his office vacant was
thrown irto the turmoil, though con-
fessedly rot with the hope that i:
might stay his departure. Another
esolution to restrict the peace COM
nlssioners to discuss nothing beyond
The removal of the German menace
was put III, and Ill the precedents and
unwritten laws which seem to bind
he occupant of the presidential office
TO remain within the confines of the
country were dug up and commented
::.non in. the Senate and by members o
.he House.
TIE debate and the oratory brough
u; response from the White House.
The most significant development
he day was the issuance of formal
.'a!cmeu. by James r. Mann, the Re
pub. lean leader in the House, in which
le yebukeG the members of his part,
'or their attacks upon the President
IN ceunseled them to cease fndin!
;ault with his trip to the peace con
ference. ltis evident from the tone O.
%r. MaG:i's statement that he is o
he opinion that the fortunes of the
Republican party will not be aided b
such attacks as those which have been
'c.veled at the President during thc
,ast few days.
1t may mean that the Republicans
Or at least the saner minds anon
chem, will refrain from making an.
'urther commend upon what the Presi
lent has t,one until it can be seen hoi
we'll he has performed the task
which he has bent himself as the lead
II o. Americas peace delegation.
There may be difference of opin
n on Capitol Hill regarding tt
Presidential trip, but in the crowd il
Union S;t,tion !sst night there wa"
orly one thought-the President wa:
going away, and every individual
m@mDer of the throng wished hin
III +Lo;, baa,fc
On the observation platform of tbs
''Ideap grinning colored porte:
waited to take Mrs. Wilson's flower:
and the bags Of the crowd. A hun
dred or so newspaper men, detective;
md few scattered spectators wis
aad slipped through the lines watched
The President mount the car steps
:arefully assisted by an attentive
,ondu>tor, and lifting his hat to the
.rowd vanish through the rear doc
Of the Cdr. On the "Ideal" were tn
President and Mrs. Wilson Mis-:
Edith Benham, Mrs. Wilson's secre
cary; DR.. Grayson, and Mr.. Close, tn
Presidents stenographer. Other mem
5ers of the party rode in the sec
.ions in the front reserved for then;
In the party besides those on tn
'ldeal" were. SECRETARY and Mrs. Lar
sing, Henry White, the American Am
5assadoi to Great Britain, and Mr.:
Davidson; the French Ambassador anf
Nine. Jusserand, the italian Ambas,
sador ana the Countess de Cellert, tbt
Belgian Minister and a large party
secretaries and aids. Secretary Tum-
ulty went to New York on the Presi-
Genital train, buS will return tomor-
row. The train left at 1890.
The party are expected to board the
George Washing on early today, but. /
1 is understood that the exact hour o.