The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-01-30
BY Associated Press.

Paris, Jan. 28.-President Wilson to-
day made. his first trip to the battle
front and devastated regions, visiting
Chateau-Thierry and Rheims.
At the close Of a tour that took him
through two dozen razed villages end
ing In the ruins of the historic cathed-
raj at Rheims. he made this comment:
mo n a put into words the i'm
pressions l have received amongst such
scenes Of desolation and ruin"
That was Mr.. Wilson's only express
sion of his feelings after a trip that
every Frenchman has been hoping he
would make before he takes part in de-
Gliding what Is to be exacted from Ger
many for the devastation OF northern
France.
Accompanied by Mrs. Wilson, Ad-
miral Grayson and a very small party,
Mr.. Wilson left the Murat residence
early this morning. foregoing attend
ance at church. and the rest which he
felt he needed very much to perform
what he considered to be his duty. The
party motored first to Chateau-Thierry
where lunch wah taken On board a
waiting train. The party then pro-
decided by motor to Rheims, passing
through many ruined villages and
along the old fighting lines, where evil
dences of combat are still to be plainly
seen. After visiting Rheims the presi-
dent and his party abandoned their
motor cars, and boarding a special
train returned to Paris, arriving at
9:3G O'clock Sunday night. The last
part of the motor trip was made in a
swirling snow storm, the first snow Mrs
Wilson has seen since last winter.
In Belleau Wood.
The first fighting ground was
reached as the party neared Belieau
wood, m~mortalized in the history of
the var by the gallant fighting Of
American marines. The motor cars
turned off the main roads and-crawled
pe~rilously through back lanes to bring
the president close to the place where
the fighting took place.
The president stood beside the graves
of 100 or more American boys who gave
their lives at that point, and looked
across the stragetic valley to Belleau
wood, a mangled mass of tree trunk
aWi ~underbrush, but now a national
monument TO the marines, after whom
the French government have named
the place.
Col. Edward Watson. of Martinsville,
Va, commanded an artillery battalion
in the fight and was later chief Of
staff OF the 18th division in the Ar
gonne fighting. stood beside President
Wilson and Brig. Gen. William H.
Harris and told the story of the battle.
Where .Prussians Fell.
Then Mr.. Wilson drove up the hill.
over which the American troops
smashed the crack Prussian divisions
mustered there to crush the green
horns and where the advance on
Paris was checked. This was
Chateau Thicrry. and the spot prom
Uses to be a mecca for Americans for
many years to come,
On entering Chateau Thierry. the
mayor greeted Mr.. Wilson who re-
sponded quite informally. He then
drove on towards Rheims, passing
along the old battle line between long
lanes OF barbed wire entanglements
now rusting away in the first winter OF
peace between long muddy trenches
reaching over the hills and down into
hollows as far as the v could reach
and past the wrecks OF dugouts, amrnu-
milton dumps, avis ton sheds, hospitals,
harracks and all the Other litter LEFT