Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
PRE-WAR SPIRIT EVIDENT IN
 CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS

Washington, Dec. 24.-With peace a | de facto if not de jure condition. the | American people tonight began the celebration of Christmas in pre-war spirit.
 Evidences of the nationwide return | to the spirit that dominated the Amer | ican Chris stmas prior to 1914, when the war although confined to Europe cast reflection across the Atlnatic, has been noted in unprecedented buying of gifts, according to reports to the l headquarters of mercantile assocla- tions. Christmas mails-one of the most exact indications of national participation in, the spirit of the hol- i iday-have been the heaviest on rec | ord, it was said tonight by postoffice department officials.
 | President Wilson, owing to his ill., ness, will spend tomorrow quietly; al- l though his Christmas eve was mark 1 ed by announcement of his decision I with regard to return of the railroads | to private ownership, Because of MT. | Wilson's illness, the grandchildren of | the family will not be at the White | House tomorrow and for the first time | in the Wilson administration < there Wi1ixbe no Christmas tree. The inter- for of the White House tonight how ever; was. decorated throughout in Christmas style. Mrs. Wilson during | the day having supervised the plac- ing of evergreens >. holly and 5other | Christmas decorations. Restrictions on the presidents diet have been removed by his physician, Rear Admiral Grayson, and he will eat l his Christmas dinner in his room. Un- less the weather should prove dis | agreeable, he will follow his newly prescribed custom of spending a part 1 of the afternoon in a wheel chair ori i the White House portico.
 Members of the presidents official | family will spend tomorrow at their homes, many family gatherings having been arranged. Vice President and Mrs. Marshall went to Indianapolis early in the week for the holidays. Secretary and Mrs. Lansing left today for Watertown, N. T., to spend several days with members of the secretary's family, and Secretary and Mrs. Glass are to spend the day at their home at Lynchburg. Va Other cabinet mem bers will be in Washington.
 All departments of the government by executive order closed at noon to- day until Friday morning to permit officials and employees to enjoy the holiday.
 Officers and men of the army, whether they be in camps in this country, in Europe in Siberia or in the island possessions, had received to- night the wishes for a merry Christi mas sent out by Secretary Baker. A Christmas dinner, more varied in it's nature than that of year ago because of the leSsened war restrictions, will be served in all camps and canton ments.
 Special preparations have been made for Christmas in the navy, the navy department today predicting that it's men whether in home waters or in re- mote parts of the world, would have the merriest Christmas in the navy's history. Ship supply officers it was said, began earlier than usual this year to prepare for the occasion Sd that every man is insured of a turkey dinner Entertainments have been arranged, many of them for tonight.
 For the men of the army navy and marine corps, convalescing in hospi- tals from war wounds, most elaborate preparations have been made both by the military authorities and by grate- ful citizens of t5e communities in which the institutions are located.
 Secretary Lansing tonight issued tht following statement, addressed to the American people:
 ''ChriStendOm on the 18th day o1 December celebrates the anniversarJ of the birth of an era which gave te mankind Divine message of peace and those principles which have beer the foundation stones of modern prog ress and civilization.
 To-day it is heralded abroad that we have entered upon new era oi peace and of higher standards of in- ternational and national life. It is not 8 new, era but the old era, which was ushered in by the birth of Jesus, per, fected by His teachings and conse.
 crated by His death, the old era. tt
 which we return after a time of mad
 ness, of agony and of evil. Clothed in the ancient peace proclaimed oVe
 nineteen centuries ago on the hills O
 ethlehem the world, with conscienc,
 awakened by the fiery ordeal through
 which it has passed, should find re newed hope that Christian principles
 will triumph and become the dominan
 force in the affairs of men and of na
 tiohs."