On S Street

On Armistice Day, following his official speech of the night before, President Wilson received homage from a group of 5,000 pilgrims who gathered at his home on S Street. The ceremony was brief, lasting only eleven minutes. Mr. Wilson emerged from the door of his house followed by Mrs. Wilson and Ellen McAdoo, his granddaughter. A band played Over There.

Senator Carter Glass of Virginia spoke for some five minutes, expressing the " salutations of friends and fellow-citizens."

Through this speech Mr. Wilson stood alone, head bowed. At its conclusion he was visibly moved. He hesitated some moments before replying. As he spoke, his voice broke, the muscles of his face quivered. His reply was brief.

"I am proud to remember that I had the honor of being the Commander-in-Chief of the most ideal army that was ever thrown together-- pardon my emotion--though the real fighting Commander-in-Chief was my honored friend, Pershing. . . .

" Thank you, with all my heart, for your kindness."

His voice ceased; he plainly could not speak more. Applause filled the street. As they ceased, he raised his hand and said: " Just one word more, I cannot refrain from saying it:

"I am not one of those that have the least anxiety about the triumph of the principles I have stood for. I have seen fools resist Providence before and I have seen their destruction, as will come upon these again--utter destruction and contempt. That we shall prevail is as sure as that God reigns. Thank you."

He turned and with Mrs. Wilson at his arm re-entered the house.

An Armistice Day pilgrimage to Mr. Wilson's home has taken place every year since 1921. On each occasion some man high in the councils of the Democratic Party and personally close to the ex-President has acted as spokesman for the pilgrims. In 1921 the honor fell to Hamilton Holt; in 1922 to Henry Morgenthau, Ambassador to Turkey under the Wilson regime. This year Mr. Wilson's trusted Secretary of the Treasury, Carter Glass, sometimes spoken of among politicians-- more familiarly than charitably--as " pigeon face," led the rally around his old leader.