Evening Star Newspaper, December 17, 1918, Page 1

WEATHER. Partly overcast tonight and-tomor row; not much change in temperatura, tee ba Temperature for twenty-four hours ending 2 p.m. today: Highest, 48, at 2 p.m. today; lowest, 37, at 7 a.m. today. Full report on page 22. Closing New York Stocks, Page 22. Yesterday's Net Circulation, 101,669 No. 27,264. INQURY BEGUN NTO COMNANDEERING FOR WAR HOUSING 141 Properties in All Req- uisitioned, Is Report to Committee. PROGRAM HALTS WHEN ARMISTICE IS SIGNED Home Comforts Bureau Provided Caused Many Workers to Stay in D. C. Inquiry into the commandeering of houses in the District of Columbia to house war workers was begun today by the Senate public buildings and grounds subcommittee which has been investigating the operations of the housing bureau. William E. Shannon, head of the real estate and commandeering section of the bureau, was on the stand. He pre- sented a report on house commandeer- ing in Washington. In this report it was shown: What Report Shows. “Altogether 141 properties have been Tequisitioned. Of these properties thir- teen were released, prior to the armis- tice, as unsuitable or found to be occu- pied, and sixty-four were released to the owner or lessee upon agreement that all vacant bedrooms, not needed for actual use by himself and members of his family, should be used for housing war workers with or without their fam- flies. After the ‘signing of the armistice nineteen more properties were released to their owners owing to the anticipated decrease in the number of war workers in the city. “Twenty-one properties have been re- tained and have been leased to persons 2ppointed by the bureau for the purpose of housing war wo-kers Twenty-two houses have been put in charge of sala- ried matrons to onerate the houses as boarding houses for woman war work- era. Houses Put in Repair. “The houses and those put hav leased by the bureau in charge of matrons been put in good repair by the jor to occupancy or during The houses in charge of matrons have been supplied with furni- ture by the government and are operat- ed in a manner similar to that planned in the residence halls site. approximately 643. per- 1 in released houses on 1d on December 14. there is in the leased houses houses operated by ma- total number of persons houses which had been by this bureau is ap- properties which he time of the sign- tice and which are « have provided for 3 bre persons, and the made arrangements for taking over the Hotel Gordon in Feb- ruary, which would have housed 600 more persons. Range of Rates. “In the houses operated as boarding houses for girls the rates range from $32.50 to $40 per month with board, with the exception of a few houses for higher paid workers, in which the rates are from $45 to $50. In three a red to executives the higher. The rates in the ed are about the same, but ts are not obliged to furnish Ss were leased to per- i to take war workers t was satisfactory in but the poli cause it would give more opportunity or supervision and the power to meet the needs which seemed great- est. Therefore, matrons are now em- r: to manage the houses which ave not been leased, and an experi- enced hotel man advises and assists them in securing servants and in ob- taining food at the most reasonable prices, “There are woman inspectors who keep in touch with the houses and see that they are kept full and that the girls are receiving proper atten- tion, and there are men to care for the running repairs, the collection of rents and the keeping of accounts. In the cases of these operated houses the matrons are bonded and small amounts of money are advanced to »ver the necessary initial expenses. he rates of board charged vary in ‘he different houses. Armistice Halts Taking Over. “The armistice was signed about ten weeks after the commandeering pro- ceedings were berun and ended_ the emergency, so that further proceedings were stopped. Eighteen houses which had been recently taken or on which we had not started repairs were released. We kept twenty-two houses which we had leased to war workers and twenty- two which were cither being operated or for which full plans had been made. All of these are now occupied and the re- pairs on all but one are practically com- pleted. The one exception has proved to require more repairs than were at first anticipated and latent defects are now appearing in the other houses, which are keeping our repair men busy. One house that we had leased to a war worker has recently been released to the owner, who accepted our tenant. ‘. Comforts Hold Workers. “The houses, without exception, are giving comfort to the occupants and rooms in them are still in demand. Girls who had become discouraged when living under uncomfortable eonditions and were ready to leave | @! Washington were induced to remain ind their increased comfort has joubtless been reflected in their in- treased efficiency., “In general. the government depart- ment to which a house has been as- signed chooses the employes who are to board in it. As these departments decrease their number of employes the houses will be assigned to war workers generally, preferably to women, but will bé released to the owners as soon as we are satisfied that the workers can be comforta- bly housed elsewhere. “The commandeering nouses has, in t! of months’ time, re~ Y_of oper- | was later approved be- | these | CABLES PLAY PRANKS AND AROUSE MIRTH AT PRESIDENT’S EXPENSE NEW YORK, December 17.— A laugh at the expense of Presi- dent Wilson was started yester-~ day by faulty rendition in some “newspapers of a dispatch quot- ing the eulogistic utterances of Adrien Mithouard, president of the Paris municipal council, at the reception to President Wil- son and Mrs. Wilson at the Hotel de Ville (city hall). The speaker said the day would be marked in the annals of the Hotel de ville, “on which it was permit‘ed to receive the eminent statesman of the Union, the citizen ‘of the world—dare we say, the great European?” The dispatch as wired spelled out the mma, the dash and the intersogation, and so the inexperienced foreign editors made M. Mithouard ask if he might dare to refer to Presi- dent Wilson as “the great Euro- pean interrogation.” POLAND'S “DOL” + SEEKS ALLIES AD Jewish Question Difficult of Adjustment, Says Gen. Pilsudski. PRILUCKI DEFENDS RACE By the Associated Press. WARSAW, Sunday, December 15.— Gen. Joseph Pilsudski, the military head of the Polish government and the popular idol of Poland, spoke freely today of the situation in this country. “The Jewish question is most dif- cult for Poland,” he said, “and it will neeg great effort and sacrifice on the part of both Poles and Jews to reach a solution. One of the best proofs of, our tolerance toward the Jews may be found in the fact that they were per- mitted to participate in the recent election. 4 “A special commission is investi- gating the alleged pogroms-at Lem- berg. It has been established that the first act of the Ukranians after occupying that city was to release prisoners from the jails. These pris- oners began to pillage the cfty,. and disorders naturally arose. Gi Met by. Het Water. “When Polish patrols entered the Lemberg Ghetto they were fired upon from windows and hot water ‘was poured upon them. : “At the beginning of the trouble the forces of Polish regular troops in |Lemberg were unable to cope with |the situation, but when reinforced, | restored order and placed in jail fif- |teen hundred persons, many of whom were ‘Ukrainian soldiers.” “The government of Poland should be recognized by all the allied: pow- ers in order to deal properly with the situation in Poland,” Gen. Pilsud- ski added. “I am a strong admirer of America. It was my good for- tune to visit there in 1905, although it was. only for a few days during a jump across the continent.” Was Sent to Siberia: Gen. Pilsudski is opposed by some groups on the ground that he is a socialist, but he says he is a demo- crat. When only nineteen years old he ws arrested at Vilna, in Lithuania, his biMgplace, and sent to Siberia, and his persecution by the Russian government has endeared him to |many Poles. His ancestors belonged to the nobility, but his long associa- tion with those who opposed Russia has caused some prominent Poles to declare that he is unsafe to conduct the government. Gen. Pilsudski, while he is the mili- tary head of the government, signs | all government decrees and is con- | sidered the civil head, also. He con- ducts the business of the Polish gov- ernment in a suite of magnificently furnished rooms occupied, until a month ago, by the German governor general, von Beseler. One month after he returned from solitary con- finement in a German prison he was able to expel the German governor general. = Prilucki Outlines Situation. Noah Prilucki, a leader’of the Jew- ish nationalist party, said to the cor- respondent: “The trouble between the Poles and the Jews is the outgrowth of the in- disposition of the Poles to meet our demands in the light of President son's declaration. - : ‘Jewish nationalistic aspirations took form nine years ago, being stimulated by the Russian revolu- tion. After the present war. broke out the Jews hoped to gain political freedom, but friction between the Poles and Jews began again. When German occupation came the Poles accused the Jews of co-operating with the Germans, owing to Geman ‘promises. The Germans permitted Jewish newspapers, which had been suspended at Warsaw, to reappear; allowed us to open eur schools, and gave certain liberties to both Poles and Jews. It was then that Warsaw elected its first municipal council. ~~ ~Nationalist Party’s Aims. “In this. council began the forma- tion of parties which new exist. Our nationalist party seeks autonomy for the Jews, recognition by the Polish state, with home rule; the right to have our own schools and libraries and the privilege of using Yiddish in the schools, but to study Polish history and the Polish langnage. “We have no objection to the Polish flag, but we wish to have the right to regulate matters affecting Jews. We have no desire to interfere in foreign iplomatic matters and we wish te vote with the Poles on all public mat- nace ‘inelt * parliamentary elec- tions. 4 “Regarding the accusation that we made money during the war by food speculation I may say that this is no truer than other charges against us. Those who did make money were lthe rich Jews, not the poor people. Our newspapers have. always opposed speculation. Our poor suffered: hun- ger the same as Christians. Opposed to Bolshevism. “The Jews here are largely: social- ists, but are opposed to bolshevism. sulted directly in housing 1,300 work-|Also, unlike German socialists, we ers and indirectly in making bette housing conditions in Washin: ane ally. It has stop} results expecte have are not. internationalists. Jt is not etter | are. net, true that Jews acted as spies for the Defore the | Germass. It might be remarked that WASHINGTON, D. ©, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1918—TWENTY-SIX PAGES. BERLIN ASSEMBLY “SCENE OF TUMULT Soldiers and Workers’ Coun- cil Refuses to Invite Lieb- knecht as Adviser. ADVERSE VOTE DECISIVE BERLIN, Monday, December 16 (by the Associated Press)—The central congress of delegates from soldiers and workmen’s councils: from many parts of Germany opened today in Prussian diet. There were three women among the 450 delegates. During the organization of the independent socialists and the Sparta- cus group were greatly outnumbered. A significant development was that none of the important posts in the congress was given to delegates from Berlin. The Spartacus group made a futile attempt to intimidate the congress. Early in the session a resolution was submitted that Dr. Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, leaders of the Spartacus group, be invited to attend the congress as guests with advisory powers. Less than 15 per cent of the delegates voted for the resolution. Resolution Causes Uproar. Presentation of the resolution the hall. The followers of Dr. Lieb- knecht and spectators in the gallery joined in the-uproar, which lasted twenty minutes and’ threatened to result in various fist fights. ‘A contest is expected when the question of summoning a national assembly comes up for discussion. Later, while Herr Mueller, chairman of -the workmen’s section of the executive committee, was speaking, the chairman of the congress inter- rupted to say: “There is 2 comrade present who wishes to submit a com- munication.” The newcomer reported that he rep- resented 250,000. workmen who then were assembled outside the diet building.. He read a list of demands identica} with the Spartacus program, the soldiers and workmen's councils, no national assembly and the forma- tion of a red guard. This aroused a storm of protest and in the general uproar the intruder left the chamber. Crowd Numbers Only 7,000. The 250,000 workmen, who, he said, were outside the building, proved to be about 7,000 from five factories, whom the Liebknecht agents’ had in- duced to go on strike temporarily. In the meantime, Dr. Liebknecht suc- ceeded in éntering the bufiding and wiGb"A: Bpeedhto the crowd. from a window. . ‘The elections to a national assembly in the former duchy of Anhalt, which is the first German federal state to vote for a-constituent body, resulted today in a marked victory for the ma- jority socialists. ‘The socialists polled 92,329 votes against a total of 66,951 for the combined bourgeoise groups. In the reichstag election in 1912 the, socialists had 31,465 against 36,649 for’ the bourgeoise parties. ‘The increase in the number of votes was: due to’ the lowering of the age limit and the votes of women. Anhalt Assembly Membership. The Anhalt national assembly will be composed of twenty-two majority socialists. twelve German democrats and two ‘conservatives. The inde- pendent socialists failed to get a suf- ficient number of signatures neces- sary to nominate a ticket. The “mid- dlestand” ‘group, composed of subor- dinate government officials, including school feachers, failed to poll enough tative in the assembly. Socialists for Assembly. COPENHAGEN, December 17.—A general meeting of the independent socialist party has decided that the party shall vote in favor of a national assembly. The Berlin correspondent of the Berlingske Tidende of Copen- hagen says this is a great defeat for the Spartacus group. ‘The elections to the national assem- 'ply in the former grand duchy of j Mecklenburg were announced to the congress of soldiers and workmen’s councils in Berlin as follows: Social- ists, two, liberals, sixteen; “handi- craftmen,” three, and peasant party, one. ADMIRAL CANTO HEADS PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC Leaders of Two Political Groups Arrested in Connection With Death of Dr. Paes. ~ LISBON, Portugal, December 17 (Havas).—Admiral Canto y Castro has been elected President of Portugal in succession to Dr Sidonio Paes, who was assassinated late Saturday night. LISBON, Portugal, December 16.— Dr. Brito Camacho, leader of the union- list group in the Portuguese chamber jof deputies, and Magalhaes Ltma ,lead- ler of the republican party, have been farrested. Magalhaes Lima was taken into,.cus- tody becausé, it is alleged, a letter ad- dressed to him was found on the per- son of the assassin of President Paes. BACK TO WAYS OF PEACE. Transport Leviathan to Entertain 1,000 Orphans Christmas Day. NEW YORK, December 17—Back from her tenth round trip across the Atlantic as a war vessel, the Ameri- can transport Leviathan will turn to the ways of peace on. Christmas day with her first public reception since the ante-bellum days, when, as the erland, she was the pride of Ge: Merets nger fleet. Her guests will be 1,000 New York orphans. The entertainment, suggested by members of the enlisted Navy per- gqnnel manning the ship, who have contributed $1,300 to finance it, will in- clude @ visit from Santa Claus, a dinner —the children will share the -sailors’ mess—end an inspection of’ the great liner. No U. 8. Squadron at Pola. ‘LONDON, Monday, December 16— ‘The Italian embassy here states that the report from Laibach to the effect that an.American squedron had ar- rived at Pola was unfounded. — the building formerly used by the, congress it became evident that the | caused a great tumult throughout! including retention of all power by! votes necessary to have a represen- | “GOVERNORS THEME ‘Education, Labor, - Public Land and Agriculture Dis- cussed at Conference. ‘CABINET HEADS SPEAK | | | By the Associated Press. ANNAPOLIS, Md., December 17.— State governors at their conference to- day discussed state educational, labor, |publie Jand and agricultural policies !connected with reconstruction. Gov. | Brumbaugh: of Pennsylvania, led . the discussion on state educational policies |and Gox. Boyle of Nevada and Gov.- jelect Campbell of Arizona ...discnesed jlabor policies. | Gov. Lister of Washington was to \speak on state land policiesiand agricul- tural development was to. be discussed by Govs. Harding of Iowa and Pleasant |of Louisiana and Govs.-elect Robertson of Oklahoma and McElvie of Nebraska. not attend. He was to have madé an address on the subject of state work- men’s compensation. Tonight the governors plan to Baltimore as guests of the Balti Press Club. At-the closing sessions tomorrow to jore Those in attendance are Govs. Hunt of Arizona; Townsend, Delaware; Dorsey, Georgia; Alexander, Idaho; Goodrich, Indiana; Harding, Iowa; Capper, Kansas; Pleasant, Louisiana; Millinken, Maine; Harrington, Mary- land; Sleeper, Michigan; Burnquist, Minnesota; Gardner, Missouri; Stew- art, Montana; Boyle, Nevada; Edge, New Jerse: Lindsey, New Mexico; Bickett, North Carolina; Frazier, j North Dakota; Williams, Oklahoma; Brumbaugh, Pennsylvania; Beeck- man, Rhode Island; Manning, South Carolina; Bamburger, Utah; Davis, Virginia; Lister, Washington; Corn- well, West Virginia, and Houx, Wyo- ming, and Govs.-elect Campbell, Ari- zona; Davis, Idaho; Allen, Kansas; Coolidge, Massachusetts; ' McElvie, Nebraska; Larrazolo, New Mexico; Robertson, Oklahoma; Cooper, South Carolina; Clement, "Vermont, and Thomas Riggs, jr., Alaska. Gov. Bamburger will invite the confer- ence to meet next year at Salt Lake City. Cabinet Officers Speak. Strong, loyal and virlle state gov-. ernments ‘are absolutely necessary in jtimes of peace and in times of war, Secretary Baker of the War Depart- ment said at the conférence last night. The Secretary incidentally said that local and district draft boards would be dissolved at the end of the present month. Informal organizations, how- ever, will be maintained to assist em- {ployment bureaus in their efforts to |find work for returning soldiers, the jhead of the War Department said. | Seeretary Houston of the Depart- ment of Agriculture urged the gov- jernors to ascertain the probable num- jber of men that agriculture in thei: respective states can absorb. But Mr. |Houston suggested that it would be a mistake to throw the men. indis- criminately into agricultural pursuits. Some experience, he said, is essential, and it would be as well to eee that men who-are sent to farms are qual- ified to do farm work. ¢ States’ War Aid Appreciated. Secretary Baker sald (his principal purpose. in ‘addressing. the. state executives was to express thanks for the remarkable manner in which state and local - authorities, through "de- fense councils, draft boards and other officials had led out the federat government's wishes throughout the war and had initiated measures of their own. For Physical Education. ‘The War Secretary emphasized that one of the principal functions of states hereafter must be “to rescue young men from the situation shown during the recent mobilization, when one-third of the drafted men were found to be physically undeveloped r defective.” : Considering the uncertainty of the future of the world’s food production, Secretary Houston said: Whtat Price Uncertain. “Congréss should make available a revolving fund of not less than. $600,- 000,000 to effectuate the .government guarantee of $2.20'a bushel for wheat, for -we cannot tell at this time what pe veel market new, It $2.20, and it may cents legs than thé” ay. bé-as much as) -ag_ much as 50 | | Gov. Cox of Ohio sent word he could; RECONSTRUCTION IS GERMAN “WHITE BOOK” 14 OPPORTUNITIES’ - GOES TO PRINTER SOON’ ppINPINE RESPONSE Official Documents Bearing on Origin of War Reported to Be in Volumes. PARIS, December 17 (Havas).—Ger- many’s “white book,” which will con- tain official documents bearing on the origin of the war,will be ready for the printer in about three weeks, ac- cording to advices received here. It will be printed in three or four vol- umes. Carl Kautsky, an independent socialist leader, is preparing the data, having unusual facilities for doing the work, being an under secretary in the foreign ministry. It is said that many_ dispatches which were sup- ito, ‘have. heen.,deatroyed - have been discovered. It 1s reported that the notes exchanged béfdrs. the “uittmatam st July,’ 2914, was. sent to Serbia by Austria will be printed in the first volume. ong: the more important documents to be published will be the dispatches of Count Tschirsky Bogendorff, German ambassador to Austria at ‘the time the war began. COPENHAGEN, December 17.—Herr Mueller, in presenting the report of the executive committee to the con: gress of soldiers and workmen's councils, according to a report from Berlin, announced that Carl Kautsky \d examined the documents in the German foreign office and had been unable to find that any had been de- stroyed. —_—_-___—_. the governors will hear addresses by 1 Secretaries Daniels and Lane. j Governors in Attendance. GRATTUDE TOS Tribute to President Also Triumph for Him and His Ideals. ADDS TO PARLEY POWER nation they would bé price will be a. year| Tite the United Btat BY DAVID LAWRENCE. ‘Special Cablegram to The Evening Star. PARIS, December 16.—Kings have come and gone and emperors, dukes and princes have often been given a chivalrous welcome here, as symbols of royalty or of heredity might, but to the President of the United States and the representative of a sister republic France has tendered a tribute so spon- taneous that it can be interpreted only as an expression. of the everlasting affection: of. this. people for the Amer- ican people. ‘President Wilson and his ideas have [Reade @ lasting impression, but the strests of Paris have been lined with heering millions, not merely to ap- plaud the exalted principles of a great statesman, but. to emphasize the grat- itude that France ‘feels for the com— pliment paid by America in sending President Wilson 3,000 miles to pay this unprecedented visit. Land of Courtesy. i ; This is a land of courtesy and po- liteness, and America gave a fitting ‘climax to the achievement of her troops by sending the commander-in- chief.of her Army and Navy, the spokesman of a democratic people, to ride side by side with the President of France triumphantly through the main thoroughfares of the city. No treaty of alliance, no convention, can ever bind closer in the bonds of friendship .and kinship than has the present occasion. Could Washington and Lafayette have seen it they would have ‘thrilled with pride for the ful- fillment of the ideas they struggled to implant. Could Napoleon or Kaiser William }have watched the joyous faces of the multitude they would have recognized that as much honor can come to a man who seeks that democratic ideas shall conquer the world for the benefit of all the people as to one who aims at the imposition through military might for the benefit of the few. Could the whole American people have gazed upon the countenance of this happy Decupted and of its tradi Total of Seventy-Five Per- sons in List Compiled by Associated Charities. 59 CHILDREN INCLUDED Contributions to the fourteen oppor- tunities, the regular Christmas good fellowship list compiled by the Asso- ciated Charities, have begun to come in, although this year’s list was print- ed for the first time last night. Accustemed ..aa Washington: people have become in the last year or two to reading of sums reaching into the bil- ons, the total: Sareea’ suis $8,788, is very smail, and every hope is enter- tained that the sum will be in hand in ample time te make Christmas this year a happy time-for the recipients of this tangible evidence of the good will of their neighbors. Fifty-Nine Children in List. This year’s Ust includes fifty-nine children, only five of whom are over fourteen years old. Adults and children included in the éntire list total seventy- five, making the average sum needed only about $2.25 a week’ per individual. Contributions may be sent in care-of The Star, which will forward them promptly, or to the Associated Charities, John Joy Edson, treasurer, Social Serv- ice House, 923 H street., Fourteen Opportunities. The fourteen opportunities follow: Opportunity No. 1—Holding the Home Lines, Here is a neighbor of yours whose job it is to warm, feed, wash, amuse and help educate six prospective young citizens ranging from baby- hood to ten years of age. And she is doing it. But it doesn’t give her time for much else, and since her husband died she has had to ask others to help. A carefully planned family expense account reveals the fact that, with the most scrupulous economy over and above any assist- ance church or relatives can give, that mother and her six kiddies have to have $19.60 a week, or $1,014 for the coming year. Opportunity No. 1—M. L. R, $10. Opportunity No. 2—Every Penn: eee Counts. ss The family begins with Johnnie, aged three. Johnnie is beginning to get around to dangerous places, so his mother, who is a widow, takes him with her when she goes out to work. She plans her day so as to be home when Susie and Jane arrive from school. Jane has already developed a sense of thrift. She is at present) saving every penny which she earns running errands, to buy a machine to help with the sewing. It is a hard puil every minute of the time to keep the home, one of tfe happiest in Washington, intact. You can keep it going for a whole week for, $13.50, or $750 for the year. Opportunity No. 2—F. B. B., $1. Opportanity No. 3—Sacrificing Inde- ‘pendence for Her Children’s Sake. She could have worked out her problem independently of outside as- sistance had it not been for the dis- covery that she was losing hold | on her two boys who love hér dearly, but who cannot be controlled by others. So she had to arrange things so as to @o what work she could at home, where she can bring up her children to be the fine men she would: have them. Her husband, by deserting her some years ago, left the whole bur- den upon her not too broad shoulders. Until the boys are old enough to help, the income must ‘be supplemented by $7.50 per week, or $390 a year. f; Opportunity No. 3—Cash, $1. Opportunity Ne. 4—Stiteh, stit. Stiteh! ae Do you remember Mrs. Camp? She is now a widow, sewing every mo- ment she ‘can spare from the care of her three children, but, even 80, she is not able to-make enough:to feed and clothe them with- out assistance. Two of the little girls have learned to sew,and now help to make their own clothes, and the older one wants to ie @ stenographer, 80 that she can help support her lit- tle brother and sister, but it will be some years yet before she will be ready for a job. Meantime $10 a week, or $520 for a year, is. needed. Opportunity No. 4—J. A. P., $2. Opportunity Ne, S—Couragecus O14 Age. a Everybody will want to help these under thirteen, | Mr. IS CALLED from Pope—Economic By the Associated Press. 4 Paris came to a close last night. been careful to give his view tha TWO CENTS. - PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION A TRIBUTE TO A SISTER REPUBLIC Not Mere Formal Functions Given in Honor of Distinguished Visitors, Says Paris Edition of London Mail. OFFICIAL VISIT TO FRENCH CAPITAL ENDS WITH CITY HALL CEREMONIES Mgr. Cerretti, on Way to United States, Brings Letter to Mr. Wilson Questions Loom Up as Peace Conference Factors. PARIS, December 17.—President Wilson’s official visit to The Paris edition of the London Daily Mail, in discussing the President’s reception, says: “He has had one of the most remarkable receptions ever ac- corded a gitest of the French nation, althoug the President has tt in him Paris has seen the repre- sentative of the American nation. “Yesterday the ceremony in tion given in honor of a distingui to a sister republic whose aid, the victory of the allied arms.” Brings Letter From Pope. Mer. Cerretti, papal under secretary of state, who is in Paris on his way to the United States to participate in the jubilee celebration of Cardinal Gibbons, will call on Col. E. M. House today to make arrangements to be re-; ceived by President Wilson. He will present the President with an autograph letter from Pope Bene- dict and will discuss arrangements for the visit of the President to the Pope during the President’s stay in Rome. Economic Questions Arise. Economic questions are coming prominently to the front in the dis- cussions now going on behind the ortse prea foe see Une -interalli lerence and the peace peg bes robert point hinges on the appointment of Her- bert C. Hoover, the American food ad- Bedhistraton, tor general of 5 fet for ail: ailtes and the United 3. tater An amendment to this has now been suggested from allied quarters, by which an interallied commission would control for the period of one year the distribution of raw materi- als to various countries. The American plan for relief was presented in writing to the recent meeting of the supreme war council the city hall was no formal func- shed visitor, but a grateful tribute arriving so opportunely, assured j in London, but action on it was post- Poned. The arrival of Premier Lloyd George and Premier Orlando in Paris next Thursday will again bring these premiers together, this time . with President Wilson, and the deferred relief project again will come up for discussion and decision. An amendment concerning raw ma- terials which been "proposed Promises to be the main subject of discussion. A number of other ques- tions also are involved in the ap- pointment of @ director general of re- lief, particularly the use of merchant shipping now in German ports for the distribution of relief and also the rompt movement of Americ: back to the United States." "°°PS Going to Battlefront. PARIS, December 16 vas).— President Wilson will leave Pane, in an automobile tomorrow to visit the ee See avon the old fighting nt, not @ battle fir ee eld on the Geneva Celebrates. GENEVA, Monday, December 16— The frontier of French Savoy border- ing on Switzerland was illuminated with great bonfires last night in honor of the arrival in France of President Wilson. 3 At resorts like Evian-les-Bains there was dancing on a large scale for the first time since the beginning of the war. PRESIDENT TO EAT CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH THE U. S. TROOPS By the Associated Press. PARIS, December 16.—President ‘Wilson will leave Paris Christmas eve and go to American general head- quarters. From headquarters he will proceed to the American front. He will have Christmas dinner with the American troops, and not with the American commander-in-chief or oth- er officers. ‘The President will be back in Paris in the early days of January, when the ‘preliminaries are likely to be so far advanced as to permit of the opening of the peace congress about January 6. The exact time, however, is, of course, subject to the pleasure of the interallied conference when it assembles to complete the details of the program. _To Meet Europe’s Statesmen. ‘The arrival of the various officials to meet President Wilson has now been arranged for. The Italian pre- mier, Vittorio Orlando, and Foreign Minister Sonnino will reach here Thursday. The British prime minis- ter, David Lloyd George, and Foreign Secretary A. J. Balfour will probably reach Paris next Saturday or Sunday. With Premier Clemenceau, the pres- ence of these peace delegates will per- mit of discussions between the four' leading powers, Great Britain, France, the United States and Italy. ‘The interallied conference probably will assemble next Monday, but the sessions will be brief, not exceeding v days. “Phe initial meeting of the interallied conference probably will be held in the French war office, and will give President Wilson his first opportunity to meet the delegates around the con- ference table. After two days the va- rious leaders will separate for the Christmas holidays. Visits War Ministry. President Wilson, accompanied by Col. E. M. House, but otherwise unattended, visited the French ministry of war at 4:40 o'clock this afternoon. Georges Clemenceau, president of the council and minister of war, came with out- stretched hands to the top of the wide stairs and greeted the President warmly. premier took Mr. Wilson’s hand in both of his and shook it vigorously in jgorous manner the old the soPtias When displaying pleasure. “ow do you do, Mr. President?” ask- premier. “*.Quite well, Mr. President.” answered “You are not tired?” asked M. Clem- reo, quite fit,” declared the President. ‘Mr. ‘Wilson was then ushered by Pre- mier Clemenceau into his private ice, CoL\House remaining in the ante-cham- ber chatting with Gen. Mordacq. Presi- dent Wilson left the ministry at 5 o'clock. Inner Bouvelards Blocked. ceptance of the hospitality of forel; ambassadors are not strictly in accord. ance with custom, but President Wilson felt that the opportunities thus afforded | of getting into personal contact justified him in disregarding the traditions. Receives Premier Venizelos. Premier Venizelos of Greece met Pres- j ident Wilson today in a conference, at which the Greek aspirations and view- point were doubtless placed before the President, The meeting with the Greek premier, like that with Premier Clemenceau, was outside of the formal program for today, and constituted a part of the inttmate personal exchange by which the Presi Gent is obtaining the views of the ropean statesmen and they are obtain- ing his views. f @ meeting betweer! M. Venizelos President Wilson took place after Pres, dent Wilson's return from the ministry of war. The intervi hones lew lasted half an . Gifts for Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. | President Wilson, at the conclusion of his address at the City Hall in reply to the greetings of Adrien Mithouard, the president of the mu- nicipal council of Paris, was pre- sented with the great gold medal of the city of Paris. To Mrs. Wilson was Presented a diamond brooch adorned with an enamel dove. The reception at the City Hall, while not attended by crowds which welcomed President Wilson on Saturday, was impressive. The President was received by the municipal council at the main *en- trance and walked through the spa- cious corridors, which were tastefully decorated. More than 5,000 People were within the building, for the most part women; the male element was in great minority. ‘Women’s Cheers Bring Smiles. The women cheered the President in a manner which, while not as lustily as the President had been accus- tomed to hear on the college campus, must have sounded sweet in his ears, as he smiled and bowed re- peatedly. Adrien Mithouard, president of the municipal council, read the address, the President replying in loud, clear tones, in which there was a tinge of emotion. After the official ceremonies tne President inspected the various de-, partments in the City Hall, ending finally in a small room where a buffet had been installed and refeshments were served. Seyeral officials were presented, and many others showed eagerness to shake his hand. Shortly the President left, returning to the Murat residence. Attends to Much Business. During -the intervals between of- ficial calls and visits the President ‘The President’s journey to the war; was engaged in affairs of state much ministry was made by way of the outer Doulevards throagh Montmartre, the Seine being crossed by Alexander III bridge. So great were the crowds that three old folks, an aged couple and their sister, all over seventy-five, who live together in an “old-fashioned home. The old ladies do all ‘their fee- bie strength pernite A small amount of sewing has me led to (Continued on | Page.) access to the inner boulevards: was im- possible. At the ministry war the Old ‘Territorials, class of 1895, on the eve of being demobilized, formed the guard of ohithe hank of 9 Soreien: 20 ministry of war and ac: ee Pothe visit tion to the after the manner of his procedure in the White House offices. He did considerable business over the tele- phone, just as at home. President Wilson has heen inaigt- that the American peace missio! canes its machinery so that the people in the United-States can begin to know what is hap g while the mission is.