Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-01-27

SEES WHERE
HEROES FELL
Visit Chateau Thierry, BeIIeau
Wood and Rheims and Honor
Fallen Heroes
Bu Associated Press.

a
PARIS, Jan. 26-President Wilson |
front and devastated region, visiting |
Chateau Thierry and Rheimes. At
the close of the trip that took him |
through dozen razed villages, the
President entered IN the ruins OF the
historic cathedral at Rheimes and
made this comment:
mo one can put into words the I'M
pressions l have received amongst
such scenes of desolation mad ruin"
That was Mr.. Wilson's only express
sion of his feeling after trip that
every member has been offered he
would make before he takes part IN
dciding what is to be exacted from
Germany for the devastation of north
ern France.
Accompanied by Mrs. Wilson, Ad-
miral Grayson and a small party, he
left the Nurad residence early this
morning. The party motored straight
to Chateau Thierry, where lunch was
taken on board "a waiting train. The
party then proceeded by motor TO
Rheimes, passing through ruined VIII
lagos and along the old fighting lines.
where evidences of combat are still to
be plainly seen. After visiting
Rheimes the President and his party
abandoned their motor car and,
boarding a special train, returned to
Paris. The last part of the motor
trip was made in a swirling snow
storm, the first snow Mr.. Wilson had
seen this last winter.
The first fighting grounds were
reached as the party neared Belleau
| Wood, GENERALIZATION In the history
of the war by the gallant nghting of
American marines.
The farmers were ploughing the
shell Grated fields as the President
stood beside the graves of one hum
dred 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
Il national monument to the marines,
after whom the French government
lhave named the place.
| Col. Edward NJ. Watson. OF Mar
ltinsVille, Va, who commanded an
lartillery battalion in the fighting ana
was later chief of staff of the Seven
lty-seventh division in the Argonne
lighting, stood beside President Will
son and Brigadier General William IL.
Harps. and told the story of the bat
tie In detail.
Then Mr. Wilson drove up the hill
over which the American troops
smashed the crack Prusslan division.
Mr.. Wilson saw the ruins of bridges
over which the Americans rushed at
the enemy line at this nearest point
to Paris and the still marked houses
(which survived the battle of those
memorable days.
| on entering Chateau Thierry, the
mayor preceded Mr.. Wilson, who re-
sponded quite informally. lie then
drove on through Rheims. passlnl
along the old battle lines between
long lanes Of barb wire entanslements
1 n
OF peace.
The president was welcofed al
Rheims by the mayor and it's commit
tee. Before going TO the cathedral
he passed through the street OF de-
serted city which was once the home
OF $4,000 people. but now less thai
5000, who are now eking out an ex
istence among the ruins He visited
| Red Cross canteens where hundred'
of destitute persons are fed night ano
tay and the hospital where the slcF
| and wounded are taken care or Inc
| champagne cellars near the city con
tafning some 7O000.000 bottles o
wine. were not visited.
| A lot of erow covered the ground
as the president drove up TO the cath
=. | edraI at Rheims, in all its misery anf
desolation locking like "A graveyard
in the moonlight. There were more
crows in the air. circling over the ril'
7 ined town than there We're human De'
ings below in the Uttered streets.
Cardinal LucOn. archbishop o
Rheims. who stood steadfastly by ms
side for four years. during which time
scarcely day passed without a Ger
man shell hurting death into the city
mot the president at the fence o
rough board which now excludes cur
iosity speaking. and enclosed the rub
bish into which this historic edihc'
has been reduced. The cardinal con
ducted Mr.. Wilson 10 the haze OF th'
cathedral. whore in 1914 the Germans
during their short evacuation or In
CITY. placed their wounded. and then
being forced 10 evH@uate. turned ths'
men 10 death bv shells that fired m
roof. but did not damage the wall
Ruins OF statues lie about the sid'
: door. and the great rose window sal,
! 10 he the most beautiful in the world
Is shattered by shell fire. Mr. Milso'
followed the cardinal 10 the ruins
I the chapel where old time king
Q watched through the night az IN
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