committeeonpublicinformation

"President Woodrow Wilson came out to Mount Vernon on several occasions. Here is a description of one visit by Colonel Harrison Howell Dodge: “President Woodrow Wilson several times honored Mount Vernon by his presence, but quite the most spectacular event in which he took part was on the Fourth of July, 1918, when he brought as his guests, on the Mayflower, fifty or more delegates representing the thousands of foreign-born citizens of the United States, wishing, by this public commemoration of our Declaration of Independence, to testify their loyalty to America. Each delegate bore a handsome wreath distinguished by his respective national colors, the collection quite filling the Tomb. “It was estimated that nearly 20,000 persons were present on that notable day: “The Star Spangled Banner” was sung by John McCormack, who insisted on being accompanied by a Steinway Grand piano. The instrument, so inappropriate beside the Tomb of Washington, was entirely screened from view by hastily planted cedars.” www.mountvernon.org/the-estate-gardens/famous-visitors/ar...

This photo was published in the New York Sun., July 14, 1918, Section 4 Pictorial Magazine, Image 35 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030431/1918-07-14/ed-... Captioned "President Wilson reading his Fourth of July speech to the representatives of foreign nations in the shadow of Washington's tomb at Mount Vernon on July 4. Mrs. Wilson and Secretary Lansing are also in the group."

And a cropped version focused on the President and First Lady was published in the New York Times Pictorial section of July 14, 1918. lcweb2.loc.gov/service/sgp/sgpnyt/1918/191807/19180714/00...

New York Times account of proceedings: query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F05E1D9173EE4...

Description from Catalogue of Photographs and Stereopticon Slides , March 1 to June 1, 1918, p.11: "4165 The Marines Return To Camp. Our marines now training in France return to their camp after a day's hike." books.google.com/books?id=DYxDAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA25&lp... Catalogue of Photographs and Stereopticon Slides United States Committee on Public Information. Division of pictures U.S. Government Printing Office, 1918

French government archive dates picture as 3-27-18. www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/memsmn_fr?ACTION=RETRO...

Art Siegel: Thanks for linking these to their more complete descriptions. We will add the new information next time we update.

Possibly Robert Bayard Cutting who was killed in action. R.B. Cutting Dies In France. New Yorker Was a Y.M.C.A. Officer Worker in War Service. query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D05E4D81E3FE433A...

Here is a likely identification, from Catalogue of official A.E.F. photographs (1919). "7027 . Burial of Pvt. Robert R. Bayard, Company B, One hundred and first Infantry, Twenty-sixth Division. Fifty-first Brigade, in cemetery at Vailly, France. He was shot by American machine guns when he failed to answer a challenge in no man's land. Chaplains Rollins and O'Connor officiating. archive.org/stream/cu31924027944598#page/n159/mode/1up

Pvt. Bayard, of Dedham, Mass., died February 9, 1918. [col. 3] chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058396/1918-03-04/ed-...

Thanks Art Siegel. We will add more details when we update.