The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-01-30
PRESIDENT WILSON
AMID RUINS OF WAR
VISITS CHATEAU THIERRY AND
THE WRECKS OF RHEIMS.
Says No One Can Put Into Words
the Impressions He Re-
eeived.

SON today made his first trip to the
battle front and devastated regions
visiting Chatesu-Thierry and Rheims.
At the close Of q tour that took him
through a dozen razed villages, end
ing in the ruins Of the historic ca
thedral at Rheims, he made his COM
ment.
mo one can put into words the
impressions I have received amongst
such scenes Of desolation and ruin"
That was Mr.. Wilson's only -e1-
preston of his feelings after a trip
every Frenchman has been hoping he
would take before he takes part in
deciding what is to be exacted from
Germany for the devastation OF
Northern France.
Through Ruined Villages.
Accompanied by Mrs. Wilson. Ad-
miral Grayson and very small par
ty. Mr.. Wilson left the Murat resi-
dencei early this morning, foregoing
attendance at church and the rest
which he felt he needed very much to
perform what he said he considered
to be duty. The party first motor
ed to Chateau-Thierry where lunch
was taken on board waiting train.
The party then proceeded by motor to
Rheims, passing through many ruin
ed villages and along the old fight
ing lines, where evidences of COM
bat still are to be plainly seen. After
visiting Rheims the President and
his party abandoned their motor ears
and. boarding special train. return
cd to Paris. The last part of the
motor trip was made in swirling
snow storm.
Where Marines Fought.
The first fighting ground =, was
reached as q party neared Belleau
koad. immortalized in the history OF
u war by the gallant fighting OF
herican marines. The motor cars
| turned off the main roads and crawl
ed perilously through back lanes to
bring the President close to the place
where the fighting took place. The
country folk in that neighborhoodiare
striving to reclaim their country from
wars desolation. The farmers were
blowing the shell cratered fields as
the President stood beside the graves
Of 100 or more American boys who
gave their lives at that point and
looked across the strategic valley to
Belleau wood, mangled mass OF
tree trunks and underbrush, but now
q national monument to the marine
after whom the French Government
has named the place.
, Col. Edward M. Watson, Of Mar
tinsville, Va. who cmomanded an
artillery battalion in the fight and
was later chief Of staff Of the Seven
ty-seyenth division in the Argonne
fighting, stood beside President Will
son and Brig. Gen. William w. Har-
ris, and told the story OF the battle
10 detail.
Mecca for Americans.
Then Mr.. Wilson drove up the hill
ever which the American troops
smashed the crack Prussian divisions
mustered there to crush the green
horns and where the advance or
Paris was checked. This was near
Ghateau-Thierry and the spot prom
sses to be a Mecca for Americans for
many years to come. Mr.. Wilson saw
Che ruins Of bridges over which the
AmericaDs thrust back the enemy
lines N this nearest point to Paris
and fhe shell-marked houses which
survived the battle Of those memor-
abR days.
On entering Chateau Thierry the
Rjor greeted Mr.. Wilson. who re-
Eponded quite informally. He then
drove on towards Rheims, passing
along the old battle line between long
lanes OF barbed wire entanglements
now rusting away in the first winter
of peace; between long muddy
trenches reaching over the hills and
down into hollows as iar as lhe eye
could see, and past the wrecks OF
dugouts, ammunition dumps. aviation
sheds, hospitals, barracks and all the
other little left behind, by the de-
ifeated enemy in his flight.
1t seemed as if the field had been
sowed by Mars with the wastage OF
war in the hope that it would take
root and blossom. American as well
as French graves lay along the road
side. There were German graves TO
he seen, too. Desecrated cemeteries
we're found in many cases. At a turn
in the road was found a farm de-
serted and in ruins, its fields dotted
with shell holes filed with water and
crusted ice. There was constant
panorams of destroyed or charred
-;navards gardens and homes.