The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-27
WILSON VISITED
MARINE FRONT
.Roamed Amid the Ruins OF
Chateau-Theirry and
Rheims
WAS IMPRESSED
BY DESOLATION
He Went to Belleau Wood
Where Americans Immor-
talized Themselves

Paris, Jan. &c lby the Associated
Press President Wilson to-day made
his first trip to the battle front and dew
astated regions, visiting Chateau Thierry
and Rheims. At the close of tour that
took him through dozen RACED viii
lagos, ending in the ruins of the his
toric cathedral at Rheims, he said:
"No one can put into words the i'm
preston l have received amongst such
scenes of desolation and ruin"
That was Mr. Wilson's only expression
of his feelings after a trip that every
Frenchman has been hoping he would
make before he takes part in deciding
what is to be exacted from Germany
for the devastation of northern France.
Accompanied by Mrs. Wilson, Admiral
Grayson and a very small party, Mr..
Wilson left the Murat residence early
to-day and motored to Chateau Thierry,
where lunch was eaten. The party then
proceeded by motor to Rheims, passing
through many ruined villages and along
the old fighting lines. After visiting
Rheims, the presidential party boarded a
special train and returned to Paris. The
last part Of the motor trip was made in
snowstorm.
The first fighting ground was reached
as the party neared Belleau wood, i'm
mortalized in the history Of the war by
the gallant fighting Of American ma
rines, The motor cars turned off the
main roads and crawled perilously
through the back lanes to bring the
president close to the place where the
fighting took place. The farmers We're
blowing the shell-eratered fields as the
president stood beside the graves Of one
hundred or more American boys who
gave their lives at that point and looked
across the strategic valley TO Belleau
woods, tangled mass of tree trunks
and underbrush, but now national
monument 10 the marines after whom
the French government has named the
place.
Colonel Edward NJ. Watson, who com
manded an artillery battalion in the
fight and was later chief Of staff Of the
NTH division in the Argonne fighting
stood beside President Wilson and Briga
der General William W Harris and told
the story Of the battle.
Then Mr.. Wilson drove up the hill
over which the American troops smashed
the crack Prussian divisions mustered
there to crush the 'greenhorns' and
where the advance on Paris was checked.
This was near Chateau Thierry. Mr..
Wilson saw the ruins Of bridges over
which the Americans thrust back the enc.
III lrUA
which survived the battles.
The mayor Of Chateau ThieTy greeted
Mr.. Wilson, who responded quite infor
mally. He then drove on toward
Rheims, passing the old battle line be-
tween long lanes Of barbed wire entan-
clements now rusting away in the first
winter of peace; between long muddy
trenches reaching over the hills and
down into holIows rs far as the eye
could see, and past the wrecks Of dug
outs, ammunition dumps, aviation sheds,
hospitals, barracks and all the other lit
ter left by the defeated enemy in his
flight.
American, as we'll as French, graves
lay along the roadside. There were Ger
man graves, too. Decorated cemeteries
were found in many cases. There was a
constant panorama OF destroyed or
charred vineyards, gardens and homes.
The president was welcomed at Rheims
by the mayor and a committee TO whom
Mr.. Wilson explained that he had not
come to the devastated regions sooner
because he had been wholly engaged at
Paris with the business of making peace.
Before going to the cathedral, he passed
through the streets of a deserted city,
which was once the home Of $4,000 peo-
pie, but where less than 5000 now are
eking out an existence among the ruins.
He visited Red Cross canteens, where
hundreds of destitute persons are fed
night and day, and the hospital, where
the sick and injured are cared for.
A light blanket OF snow covered the
ground as the president drove mp to the
cathedral, and Rheims, ravished and
naked i'm all its misery and desolation,