The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-13
Sentries of Armies Face Each
Other Across Stream.
Hold West Bank From Ander.
mach to English Line.
RAINBOW DIVISION THERE
First and Third Divisions Hold
the Advanced Places.
Kansas Men Are Included In
Those at Lead.

Washington, Dec. 1S.-'Ihe Amerl.
can sector" said General Pershing's
communique dated December IL, has
been shortened and now extends along
the west bank of the Rhine from Ro-
landseck to Brey."
The December II communiQue
noted occupation of Coblenz and said
the troops at night were along the
west bank of the Rhine from Roland
seek, Bonn, to Trecht, in Shauzen.
(By the Associated Press.)
Coblenz. Dec. 13 (by courier to
Nancy) .-Sentries of the American
and German armies face each other
, across the Rhine tonight. From
AndeEnach. below Coblenz, northward
to the British lines, American forces
hold the west bank of the stream.
South of Coblenz, advanced elements
of the American army have reached
| the river.
1t is expected the movement across
| the Rhine will be well under way
soon. The First and Third divisions
| have been designated to occupy the
| advanced positions along the thirty
! kilometer arc east of Coblenz, con-
stituting the bridgehead stipulated in
the armistice. The Thirty-second.
will occupy positions in support of the
| advanced lines.
Kansas Men in Line.
The First. Third and Fourth divi-
| sions are of the regular army. The
Thirty-second is made up of National
guard regiments from Michigan. and
| Wisconsin. Texas and Oklahoma Ma
tional army men make up the
Ninetieth, while the Forty-second is
the "Rainbow" division, composed of
National guard regiments from
4 Louisiana, Pennsylvania. Wisconsin.
I III.
Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Maryland,
South Carolina, California, Missouri.
Virginia, North Carolina, Kansas.
Texas. Michigan, New Jersey. Ten
nessee, Oklahoma, District of Column
! bia, Nebraska, Colorado and oregon.
The Thirty-second and perhaps the
| Ninetieth. will cross at Coblenz, and
= the others will use the bridges north
and south of the city. Arrangements
have been made to use tugs if neces-
sary to expedite the crossing.
} Engineer regiments have inspected
all bridges and roads beyond the river.
, while commission made up of Ger
man army officers and civilians. has
given every facility for the Americans
: to collect information as to the terri
tory that is to be occupied east of the
l Rhine.
' Enter the Fortress.
: Across the river from Coblenz, in
/, the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein, there
| has Dccl Il Sf1ldll force OF OermanS
Y but it has been withdrawn and an
American force entered the fortress
1 today, following request to that ef-
feet from the German authorities. The
German commandant of the place in
formed the Americans that by to-
morrow the entire German amy, with
! the exception of small detachments OF
guards, would be nine miles from the
Rhine.
D She Threw a Bottle.
A bottle thrown from a window by
a woman at an American soldier hax
! been the only overt act of hostility
reported since the Americans have en-
= tered Coblenz The incident was re-
garded as being SO trivial that 1T wa.
left to the local police to deal with
the woman. There has developed
however. within the past "a hour.
e an unmistakable air of independents,
n on the part Of the people, reflectin,
! their conviction that the American
e are going to deal with them mucf
= more delicately than have the French
or British with the people north ant
e south of the city.
The position OF the Americans /
n slightly peculiar. Coblenz was in
g formally occupied by battalion
n which arrived on Sunday and wl1icl
# served only as a guard, which prob
ably would have been Inadequate II
=, event of serious trouble. German of
!. ficers are here treating with the Amer
r Continued on Page TwO.I