Wilson Greeted with Cheers
Title
Wilson Greeted with Cheers
Creator
CC Brainerd
Identifier
WWP16402
Date
1921 November 11
Description
An article on Woodrow Wilson's appearance at an Armistice Day ceremony.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Eagle Bureau,
901 Colorado Building.
Washington.
—Woodrow Wilson received an impressive ovation in Washington this morning, as a striking and wholly unexpected feature of the funeral parade for the Unknown Soldier whose body was buried at Arlington. Mr. Wilson, riding in a carriage with his wife, was applauded and cheered by tens of thousands of people, from one end of the line of march to the other. He was the only figure in the parade to be accorded this distinction and he acknowledged the greetings with frequent bows and smiles.
It was Mr. Wilson’s first appearance at a public function since the inauguration of his successor at the Capitol on March 4. He looked very well as he sat back in his open carriage, with Mrs. Wilson sitting at his left. This was the only carriage in the parade.
The shouts of greeting with which he was received came as a somewhat startling break in the silence with which the remainder of the parade passed. There was a distinct element of surprise in the appearence of the former President. He was not in the place that had been assigned to him in the line of march and the crowd, closely following the official order of precedence, had apparently given up the idea that he would appear.
The caisson bearing the Nnknown Soldier had passed by, followed by President Harding, Gen. Pershing, the Vice President and several high military and naval officers. Then came Chief Justice Taft. Mr. Wilson’s carriage had been assigned to a place immediately following the Chief Justice. But it did not appear. Instead, came the members of the Supreme Court, the Governors of States, then the Senate and the House of Representatives.
As the flag-draped caisson went by, followed by President Harding, there had been a solemn silence on the part of the great throng of spectators. People stood with bared heads as a tribute of respect. This silence had characterized the entire parade. The crowd, having evidently abandoned any hope of seeing the former President, settled itself to watch the veterans go by, with the gold star mothers and other civic marchers.
Suddenly there was a burst of applause, then cheers, as a carriage drawn by a pair of black horses was seen. In among the veteran organizations, unaccompanied by any escort whatever, was Mr. Wilson, paying his tribute to the dead soldier whose commander-in-chief he had been in the days of the war and whose body was being solemnly borne along a quarter of a mile in advance of him.
Mr. Wilson’s appearance was a signal for the only demonstration of the parade. The crowd apparently wlecomed the chance to express not only its warmth of feeling for the ex-President but to find a relief from the burdensome silence that had held its emotions in check. The greetings were obviously highly gratifying to Mr. Wilson and his wife. Being warmly cheered and applauded, with hats and handkerchiefs waving, there was but one thing for Mr. Wilson to do, and that was to make his acknowledgments. From one end of Pennsylvania ave. to the other he was kept busy, bowing right and left.
It has been frequently remarked in Washington since March 4 that greetings to Mr. Wilson have shown more sincerity and warmth than they did in the latter years of his Presidency A regular partron of the theater until his illness confined him to the White House, Mr. Wilson was usually received with brief and perfunctory applause, particularly after his apparances in playhouses become a common thing. But since he has been out of office his visits to the theater have become occasions for small ovations. He always sits in the last row of the orchestra, a position which involves a minimum of walking, and always the crowd greets him heartily at the end of the play, when it discovers that he has been a member of the audience.
Today’s greeting in the parade, however, far exceeded any reception that Mr. Wilson has received since he left office. There was something unmistakably spontaneous and sincere in the demonstration.Mr. Wilson and his wife were invited to attend the opening session of the arms Conference tomrorrow, but have declined the invitation, which was extended through the State Department. They were to have been assigned to seats in a box.
901 Colorado Building.
Washington.
—Woodrow Wilson received an impressive ovation in Washington this morning, as a striking and wholly unexpected feature of the funeral parade for the Unknown Soldier whose body was buried at Arlington. Mr. Wilson, riding in a carriage with his wife, was applauded and cheered by tens of thousands of people, from one end of the line of march to the other. He was the only figure in the parade to be accorded this distinction and he acknowledged the greetings with frequent bows and smiles.
It was Mr. Wilson’s first appearance at a public function since the inauguration of his successor at the Capitol on March 4. He looked very well as he sat back in his open carriage, with Mrs. Wilson sitting at his left. This was the only carriage in the parade.
The shouts of greeting with which he was received came as a somewhat startling break in the silence with which the remainder of the parade passed. There was a distinct element of surprise in the appearence of the former President. He was not in the place that had been assigned to him in the line of march and the crowd, closely following the official order of precedence, had apparently given up the idea that he would appear.
The caisson bearing the Nnknown Soldier had passed by, followed by President Harding, Gen. Pershing, the Vice President and several high military and naval officers. Then came Chief Justice Taft. Mr. Wilson’s carriage had been assigned to a place immediately following the Chief Justice. But it did not appear. Instead, came the members of the Supreme Court, the Governors of States, then the Senate and the House of Representatives.
As the flag-draped caisson went by, followed by President Harding, there had been a solemn silence on the part of the great throng of spectators. People stood with bared heads as a tribute of respect. This silence had characterized the entire parade. The crowd, having evidently abandoned any hope of seeing the former President, settled itself to watch the veterans go by, with the gold star mothers and other civic marchers.
Suddenly there was a burst of applause, then cheers, as a carriage drawn by a pair of black horses was seen. In among the veteran organizations, unaccompanied by any escort whatever, was Mr. Wilson, paying his tribute to the dead soldier whose commander-in-chief he had been in the days of the war and whose body was being solemnly borne along a quarter of a mile in advance of him.
Mr. Wilson’s appearance was a signal for the only demonstration of the parade. The crowd apparently wlecomed the chance to express not only its warmth of feeling for the ex-President but to find a relief from the burdensome silence that had held its emotions in check. The greetings were obviously highly gratifying to Mr. Wilson and his wife. Being warmly cheered and applauded, with hats and handkerchiefs waving, there was but one thing for Mr. Wilson to do, and that was to make his acknowledgments. From one end of Pennsylvania ave. to the other he was kept busy, bowing right and left.
It has been frequently remarked in Washington since March 4 that greetings to Mr. Wilson have shown more sincerity and warmth than they did in the latter years of his Presidency A regular partron of the theater until his illness confined him to the White House, Mr. Wilson was usually received with brief and perfunctory applause, particularly after his apparances in playhouses become a common thing. But since he has been out of office his visits to the theater have become occasions for small ovations. He always sits in the last row of the orchestra, a position which involves a minimum of walking, and always the crowd greets him heartily at the end of the play, when it discovers that he has been a member of the audience.
Today’s greeting in the parade, however, far exceeded any reception that Mr. Wilson has received since he left office. There was something unmistakably spontaneous and sincere in the demonstration.Mr. Wilson and his wife were invited to attend the opening session of the arms Conference tomrorrow, but have declined the invitation, which was extended through the State Department. They were to have been assigned to seats in a box.
Files
Collection
Citation
CC Brainerd, “Wilson Greeted with Cheers,” 1921 November 11, WWP16402, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.