The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-27
Chateau Thierry and Rheims
Are Seen on Journey.
/ THE TRIP LONG PUT OFF
Sees Where American Troops
Did Their Great Work.
DeSOIatiOn and Ruin Found of
Once Fertile Fields.
tBz the Associated Press.l

Paris, Jan. 2I.-PreSldent wilson
made his first trip to the battle front
and devastated regions. visiting Cha
tcau Thierry and Rheims. At the
close of a tour that took him thru a
dozen razed villages ending in che
ruins Of the historic cathedral at
Rheims, he made this comment: mo
one can put into words the impressions
have received amongst such scenes
of desolation and ruin
That was Mr.. Wilson's only express
sion of his feelings after trip that
every F'renchman has been hoping he
would take before he takes part in
deciding what Is to be eXacted from
Germany for the devastation of north
ern France. Accompanied by Mrs.
Wilson, Admiral Grayson and a very
small party. the party motored first
to Chateau Thierry, where lunch was
taken on board a waiting train. The
party then proceeded by motor to
Rheims, passing thru many ruined
villages and along the old fighting
lines where evidences of combat are
still to be plainly seen. After visiting
r. eims the president and his party
abandoned motor cars and, boarding
special train, returned to Paris. The
last part of the motor trip was made
ir a swirlin7 snow storm, the first
snow Mr.. Wilson has seen since last
winter.
At Bcllcau Wood First.
The first fighting ground was
reached as the party neared Belleau
wood. immortalized in the history of
the war by the gallant fighting of
American marines. The motor cars
turned off the main roads and crawled
perilously thru back lanes to bring the
president close to the place where the
fighting took place.
The country folk in that neighbor-
hood were striving to reclaim their
country from wars desolation. The
farmers were blowing the she'll
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 10 Belleau Wood, "a
mangled mass of tree trunks and un-
derbrush, but now a national monu-
ment to the marines, after whom the
French government has named the
place. Col. Edward M. Watson, of
Martinsville, Va, who commanded an
artillery battalion in the fight and was
later chief of staff of the Seventy
seventh division in the Argonne forest
fighting, stood beside President Wilson
and Briga dier General VIM. w. HartS
and told the story of the battle in de-
tail. Then Mr.. Wilson drove up the
hill over which the American troops
mustered there to crush the Green
horns and where the advance on
Paris was checked. This was near
Chateau Thierry and the spot promises
to be a mecca for Americans for many
years to come. Mr.. Wilson saw the
ruins of bridges over which the Amer
leans thrust back the enemy line at
this nearest point to Paris and the
shell marked houses which survived
the battles of those memorable days.
At Chateau Thicrry
On entering Chateau Thierry, the
mayor greeted Mr. Wilson who re-
sponded quite informally He then
drove on toward Rheims passing along
the battle line between long lanes of
ing away in the first winter of peace,
between long muddy trenches reach
ing over the hills and down into hol-
lows as far as the eye could see and
passed the wreck Of dugouts, ammunl-
Mon dumps. aviation sheds, hospitals.
barracks and all the other litter left
behind by the defeated enemy in his
flight 1t seemed as if the fields had
been sowed by Mars. with the wastage
of war in the hope that it would root
and blossom.
American as. we'll as French graves
lay along the roadside. There were
German graves to be seen, too. Desc
Grated cemeteries were found in mary
cases. At every turn of the roads was
a farm deserted and N ruins, Its fields
dotted with shell holes filed with
water and crusted ice. There was
constant panorama of destroyed or
charred vineyards, gardens and homes.
The president was welcomed at
Rheims by the mayor and a commit
tee to whom Mr.. Wilson explained
that he had not come to the devas-
tated regions sooner because he had
been wholly engaged at Paris with
the business of making peace. Be-
fore going to the cathedral. he passo d
thru the streets of a deserted city
which was once the home of 11J 0Ge
people, but where less than 5000 al e
continued on Page TwOJ
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