The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-28
Thousands Now En- camped in French Sea- port = Many Drawn
 From Mexican Border
 German Prisoners View Decentralization.
U. s. Troops Will Consti-
 tute Independent Unit
 Will Be Entirely Self-Supporting- May
 Be Stationed Between French and English
 Armies.

A French Seaport, June 28-s Somewhere in France thou sands of Americas fighting men are encamped today, ready to take their places in the trenches beside the seasoned campaigners of the Allies.
 Regulars and marines fresh from service on the Mexican border or in Haiti or Santo Do-a mingo were landed here yester- day after a voyage in which the German submarines were elud- ed and all records were broken for transporting over seas of large military unit. News of the arrival of the troops sent a thrill through France as it was not generally known that any large detachment had yet left American shores.
 The forces will be a net gain to the Allies as the men will be fled, clothed, armed and equip lped by the United States gov ernment. Already. there are stored at the encampment supp plies sufficient for many months.
 1 The, American forces will be an fn-' dependent unit, cooperating with the Allies. It has been suggested that the Americans might be placed as con- meeting link between the French and British armies, but the exigencies of ! the coming campaigns will decide that question.
 1 Last night they were already in
 camp. itching to get to the front The I camp is not far from here. | As these thousands of American | fighting lads poured off the transports, 1 scores of German prisoners stood on I the pier. Teeth set, they looked half
 sideways at these strapping newcom-
 CTS. Whose who watched these pris-
 oners could discern a grudging ad- 1 rniration in their looks.
 The remarkable thing about the
 scenes attending the real entrance of the: United States into the world war. l through e-safe arrival of the expe- ditionary force, was the spontaneity. the touching warmth of their recep- ton here. Not an inkling of the ar rival had leaked out beforehand. | There had been no preparations, no 1 programs with speeches and song, no
 reception committee or the like. Not
 until the transports had safely arrived | off this pert. ready to disembark, did the mementous news become known.
 Then the people here simply Tgot wild.''
 I The first transport stuck her gray nose into the harbor in the early
 morning. The piers were swarmed l with thousands Of men there were few, of course, only aged and wound ed; the others are at the front The
 realization that these newcomers are
 shortly to fight side by side with the
 men of this port who are already in
 the thick-of theb attle drove the l women frantic with joy and gratitude. | The American troops answered the l cheers by throwing small silver coins l ashore A roaring scramble among
 the street urchins followed. They | didn't spend the coins for candy. 1 They wrapped them up carefully la l their ragged handkerchiefs, to save 1 them as sacred souvenirs. | The disembarl0ation passed off in the inost orderly manner. There was not 1 the slightest hitch Ship after ship slipped into her berth, discharging men and equipment. Confusion seemed an unknown quantity to these khaki-c1ad youths and their officers.
 #'rom the piers the American troops swung off through the streets of this port, where the whole populace had turned out to give them a tremendous ovation The crowds showered flow CTS, fruits, cigarettes and dainties on the marcherS.
 .evive rAmeriaue.'' was an intending cry And as proof that but one cenfi- dent thought was in the hearts of these cheering thousands, his shout was re- Ipeated over and over again;
 You'll chase the Germans out of our
 ceuntry!'
 I "We will!'' came the thundereus che- s rus from the Yankee boys.
 Their reception and progress through the city were one great triumphaA march The French onlookers rA- marked time and again on the youth and physique of the Americans.
 For Trance this was the pro1dest, the happiest day since the Marne. l The steamship Mongolia of the Fe- i,lo <tr- r,af1.