Newton D. Baker to Woodrow Wilson

Information only.

In New York on Tuesday I had the pleasure of seeing at one of the piers formerly owned by the Hamburg-American Line 300,000 wooden boxes containing Christmas gifts from the families and friends of soldiers in France. Each box was being opened, its contents examined, matches and perishables taken out; a thousand soldiers were busy at the time. It was really an impressive exhibition. Many interesting things were in evidence, kid gloves and finery were common among the presents. One box contained dressed birds; many of them contained fruit, bananas, peaches, and pears; and veritable stacks of boxes of matches, not deemed safe for transportation, were being taken out. Many packages were in frail boxes, and for these new and stronger boxes were being made. It was certainly Christmas on a larger scale than I had ever seen it.

The President.

D