The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1919-06-19
Presidents Wife Visit 'Yanks.

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President Wilson is busy at his
Peace Conference labors, Mrs. Will
son is taking an untiring interest
in the welfare and comfort of the
American soldiers now obtaining
leave in Paris at the rate OF 5000 a
day. She is devoting all her spare
time to visiting the work OF the
welfare organization in the city.
All her trips are marked by an in
|formality and lack of ceremony.
Thousands of doughboys have
had the unexpected pleasure oi
meeting the Presidents wife per.
sonally, as she insists on holding
an informal reception for the men
wherever she goes. And in the
hundreds of camps in France, there
are thousands of doughboys who, in
recounting incidents of their Paris
leave to their comrades have said:
And say, what do you think, / met
the Presidents wife, personally"
Two of her most interesting trips
recently were made to the American
Expeditionary Forces students club
in Latin Quarters and the huge
Tent City for America permission
aires on the famous Camp de Mars
ia the shadow OF Eiffel Tower. Both
are institutions established by the
American Red Cross.
AT the latter place accurred a
typical incident which makes Mrs.
Wilson's visits such treat to the
American soldiers. After an hours 8
tour, she was escorted to her auto
mobile. AS she neared it she saw
several hundred soldiers and sailors
standing respectfully at attention.
She turned inpulsively to the es-
corting Red Cross officer and said:
Il would like to meet these boys.
Please arrange it."
A scared. embarrassed look sue
ceeded in twinkle by a smile of
delight came into the faces OF the
men nearby who overheard her.
Off came their hats and they formed
in line. To the astonishment OF
many passing French civilians, Mrs.
Wilson took up a position on the
sidewalk near her automobile and
shook each man by the hand as he
filed past. The word spread through
the big canvas dormitory. Out
piled scores of doughboys, who gave
a hasty brush to their hair, a
smoothing pat to their uniforms and
joined the reception line.
1t will be some time before I'll
forget an incident that occurred
during that particular reception. A
colored doughboy was standing by
himself on the outskirts of the
crowd. AS the line formed he shift
ed from one foot to the other. He
saw two other colored men join it.
He edged over towards the line.
He hesitated. The last of the
doughboys were filing past the
Presidents wife. Suddenly he rush.
ed around the edge of the crowd.
The last doughboy had shaken
hands. 1t was too late. The
colored chap kicked the ground in
his disappointment. And his face
showed that he felt he had lost the
opportunity of lifetime.
Mrs. Wilson'S graciousness, her
simplicity and her democratic man
ner during her visits to welfare
here have made her pop
t r among all with whom she has
come in contact. Her visits are
made as unostentatiously as posi-
BILE. She travels about in closed
car, driven by an Army chauffeur,
accomplied only by her secretary,
Miss Benham.
Her call at the Red Cross Tent
City, where accommodations have
been provided, for ! 900 American
soldiers on leave, was made at IL
o'clock. She was escorted through
the dining hall where a number OF
men were at mess and into the
kitchen, redolent with savory odors
and about which half a dozen Red
Cross women were busy preparing
food.
As she stood about interested in
the methods of food preparation
and service load of fresh, warm
apple pies arrived from one of the