The Irish standard., 1899-10-07
YANKEE SOLDIERS IN JAPAN.
Troops Returning From Manila are
Poorly Clad.


father in indianapolis, Ind, Mrs. NJ.
De Motto Doering, an American resi-
dent in Japan, tells OF the impression
made there by the appearance OF United
States soldiers returning home from
the Manila campaign and OF efforts
made by American women at Yoko-
hama to cheer the troops on the way.
Her letter is as follows:
"'You can't walk three steps with
out seeing all American volunteer, said
friend to me one day recently.
"'What!' | exclaimed.
eyes, the town is full The trans
port Hancock is here and the boys have
shore leave. A harder looking lot,
begging your pardon for saying so, |
never saw.
This friend is Dane. A man who
has travelled all over Europe, but has
never seen our own glorious land. The
next day, the 18th OF July, went down
town myself, and | saw. what every one
else was seeing, a fine lot OF men, but
the clothes!
You call those men sodiers?' said
one sarcastic German. l should say
they were tramps.' And we Americans
had to say meekly: Yes, they do look
hard, but there are excuses to be made
for them. They have had hard year.
But the sight OF dirty-nay, filthy
clothes; tooth brushes stuck through
hat bands, ragged coats, or more ire
uucntly none, made us blush. 1t was all
we'll Tor lis to put on a brave lace and
Try to explain to our European friends
that clothes did not make the man, and
all that sort OF thing. The fact stared
us in the face. Here were all these men
looking anything else than soldiers.
Our German friends, accustomed to
their band box soldiers who are always
on dress parade, smiled sarcastically,
Our English cousins laughed at the
'rag-a-nui1in troops and we swallowed
our wrath and smiled sick!y smile, ior
Yokohama has only little over 1000
foreigners, not including the Chinese,
and OF that number over 900 are British.
and we arc but 37S. And when the
family is small it behooycs each one to
try and keep peace.
The Hancock left and meeting OF
the American women was called by our
Consul's vile. 1t was decided to open
headquarters on the Bund, the street
facing the bay, and to give the volun-
tecrs, who were expected on the trans
ports TO follow, a place TO stay.
This was done. and when the War
rem steamed into llarbor from l0 Bund
were flying two flags, one American
and one Japanese.
The Colorado boys came up in
crowds. 1t was iorctastc OF home,
they told us, the first bright spot in
fourteen months.
They were given advice as to what
to see and how to see it, what to buy
and where. A luncheon OF sandwiches,
cake, and pie, washed down by lemon
adc. iced tea, and other cool drinks was
served them at noon. and they lounged
about talking to us and reading the
latest papers and magazines. But, with
a few exceptions, their appearance was
no better than the first lot a clean
decent uniform was the exception, not
the rule
Then our German. English, and
other friends said: Though we must
say that we have never seen harder,
rouGher looking men, at the same time
VIC have never seen better behavior
And the Japanese police said, with as
tonishncnt: Never have we known
such thing Among all these men not
one arrest Tor drunkenness or disorderly
conduct!
And we began to feel better.
Before they lett the officers came in
ard thanked us personally for all that
was being done.
Next came the Sherman, and Our
experience was much the same. But
last Friday, Aug. II, the Grant steamed
into our harbor and throu2hthe cour .esy
OF the Japanese officials was permitted
to go along the pier instead OF lying off
rom shore, as the others had done.
The first to land were the officers.
They had heard OF 16 Bund, and they
came direct to us to express in advance
their delight and thanks.
AT about hali-past 10 here came the
boys in blue, about 900 strong, with the
band at the head, marching up the
Bund to the headquarters. The officers,
drawn up in line in front, reviewed
them, while we women, with our friends,
looked on, our hearts swelling with
pride and qualification to see one lot OF
our boys respectfully dressed in blue,
their clothes whole and clean
Il asked Colonel Treumann how it
was, and lie said: 1 know how Euro.
pcans fcel about such things. and was
determined that Uncle Sans boys
should make as eood showing as
possible in the two ports. Nagasaki and
Yokohama, til it we touched So | is
sued an order that all going ashore
should wear the blue coat and trousers