The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-09-24
It WAS some DAY. IN OLD LONDON
WHEN YANKEE TROOPS MARCHED THERE
Stoid British Warmed Up and Actually Embarrassed Our Boys With
the Ardu of Their Greeting Crowds Packed Ten Deep
Along Line of March Showered Soldiers With
Flowers and Smokes"

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 II was palpable o o afterward
that she was I'm 1t 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 CONSUMPTION bill was amazing to
the Britlshers, 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 I'm Ameri-
en-. II was then hat the Briton lost
his phlegmatism, and he hurled his
hat high In the air OF the day that
more than five thousand sons of the
United States marched through Lon
don.
Never to Be Forgotten.
This again was a 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
IONS as they strobe past Buckingham
palace at the end of the fine, wide thor
oughfme 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 Lopdoners concerning
the march of the Americans when IL
II said that on the day before the
event conversation mostly concerned
the sons of Uncle Sam and the route
Of march. Evening newspapers pub
Iished the streets where the Ameri-
cans would be seen the following day.
and Tommies 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 We're
officers of General Pershing's staff
when they were In London just before
containing 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 a 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 a fair
ly respectable day for the occasion and
the sun kept on coming and going
while ~airplanes buzzed through tn,
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 o III
Of windows In their efforts to get
glimpses OF the American soldiers.
The throng. lined ten deep In SOM
places and extending all along the
route of march, naturally was a mixed
one. Here were flower girls of thu
adipose. elderly, London type. pitching
precious roses and violets In the patti
Of the Americans. The foreign Office
which faces the admiralty, was send
Ing its crowd of workers to witness
the sight, and those who could no.
leave there sought places mt windows
overlooking the Horse Guards parade
Not even In the other times of intens'
excitement had London seen such 7,
dense and interested throng.
For some time folks waited, the mu
MIC Of the Guards bands being heart
long before the United States soldier
actually were in front OF the ADM
rally or foreign Office. Finally cam'
the silence. the bands having ceased
and then the steady tread Of the me-
In khaki, the warmly welcomed broth
ers In arms Of the British, French ant
ItalianA
Liked Americana Looks.
"America forever" shouted on
man, believing that he was giving
fairly good imitation Of the way amer
lea" u pronounced by Uncle Sam
SOM
There were loud hurrahs every no,
and again, but when there are fv
thousand men passing four deep thes
hurrahs cannot be continuous. BE
sides. the Englishman and the English
woman were thinking, and they like
the clean-cut physiognomies of the so
diers.
Cigarettes were thrown In the pat
Of the men amid cheers. Right !
front Of me stood q Scotch major
salute. Hardly a a kept his hat o
his head. Either he was waving 1t q
he was uncovered In Difference to Uni
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