The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-05

London.-There have been great
days in England since the outbreak OF
! hostilities, but none greater than the
one on which the newspapers an
nounced that America was in the war.
And it was palpable soon afterward
| that she was In II with both feet,
ready to assist the allies in every
way they had conceived. The speed
with which money poured into the cof-
fers of France and England from
Uncle Sans fat purse, the sending
over of destroyers and the passing OF
the cOnscriptiOn bill was amazing to
the Brltishers, and the man in the
street shouted his appreciation.
When khaki-clad troops poured into
France and England in spite of the
submarine peril the jolly fat English
man felt like shaking the hand of ev-
erybody who had ever been in Ameri-
ca. 1t was then that the Briton lost
his phlegmatism, and he hurled his
hat high in the air on the day that
more than five thousand sons of the
United States marched through Lon
don.
Never to Be Forgotten.
This again was day never to be
forgotten. There were the Stars and
Stripes floating with the British Union
Jack from the Westminster buildings.
King George, the United States am
bassador and high officers of the Brit
ish service saluted Americas brave
sons as they strobe past buckingham
palace at the end of the fine, wide thor
oughfare known as the Mall.
Here was the first contingent in
England of another contemplate lit
tie army" which is to do or die in the
battles against barbarism and so
called kultur.
You can get an idea of how inter
ested were the LOndOnerS concerning
the march of the Americans when 1t
is said that on the day before the
event conversation mostly concerned
the sons of Uncle Sam and the route
Of march. Evening newspapers pub
lished the streets where the Ameri-
cans would be seen the following day,
and Tonlmies and their officers were
very keen to be on hand to add to the
welcome.
The first Americans in uniform in
the English metropolis probably were
officers Of General Pershing's staff
when they were in London just before
continuing the journey to the front. |
Aside from these (and comparatively .
few LondOners saw them) England .
knew little of the American soldiers .
makeup beyond the Remington pic .
lures of cowboys and a stray picture .
in the papers. So when the BritOns
knew they would have chance TO
see American troops in London they
came from all over the country to see
and to cheer
Streets Lined Ten Deep.
The weather man turned out fair
Iy respectable day for the occasion and
the sun kept on coming and going,
while airplanes buzzed through the
clouds like policemen of the skies. A
half-dozen observation balloons float
ed gracefully along a mile high over
the English capital.
When the American troops reached
the Horse Guards parade one could
see English girls on chairs peering out
Of windows in their efforts to get
glimpses Of the American soldiers.
The thrOng, lined ten deep In some
places and extending all along the
route of march, naturally was a mixed
one. Here were flower girls of the
adipOse, elderly, London type, pitching
precious roses and violets in the path
Of the Americans. The foreign office
which faces the admiralty, was send
ng its crowd of workers to witness
the sight, and those who could not
eave there sought places at windows
overlooking the Horse Guards parade.
Not even in the other times of intense
excitement had London seen such
lense and interested throng.
For some time folks waited, the mu-
sic of the Guards bands being heard
Ong before the United States soldiers
actually were in front of the adml-
'nlty or foreign office. Finally came
he silence, the bands having ceased,
md then the steady tread of the men
n khaki, the warmly welcomed broth