New-York tribune., 1918-12-15
Only Militarists Show Hos
tility to Soldiers Who
Have Crossed the Border
Eager to Return Home
Y. Nj. C.. A. Will Give Each
American Soldier OH the
Rhine a Box OH Christmas
By Wilbur Forrest
Ncw York Tribune
.SnrrtuJ CubI, C,r,,;.,


Special Cable Scruico
Copyright. 1918, New York Tribune Inc)
COBLENZ, Dec. IL (By Courier to
Nancy, Dec. 12).-There is considerable
good-natured dissatis faction among
members of the Canadian I'd Division
now reaching the Rhine on the left of
our sector toward Cologne. A report
has spread around that American
troops are being sent home, and they
will tell you that if anybody of the
North American contingent ought to
go back the first should be Canadians,
mot the Yanks," as one explained it
to-day, adding: "Weve been over since
February, 1916. They ought to have a
heart"
| motored along the Rhine to day a
distance of forty kilometres, until ran
into this first Canadian patriot, after
passing units of our marines and the
32d Division, who have now billeted
themselves numerously on the banks of
the Rhine, to remain until Friday, when
they will begin to cross.
"How are the Germans treating you
here ?" | asked a Canadian corporal at
Rollsneck, a few kilometres south of
the famous German university city of
Bonn.
"Highbrows" Hate Victors
"Fine," he responded. "Its only the
highbrows, the vons and the richer
% hot Ii N n
classes and poorer people welcome us
and give us the best they have got.
We haven't put any restrictions on
them yet except to make them give
Us a fair rate of exchange for our
francs140 marks for 100 francs"
AS the corporal spoke, a Canadian
private came up the street with at
least twenty-five German children
hanging to his hands and coat tails.
From all the evidence the Canadians
and Americans are getting about the
same reception in the occupied zone,
and there is no tendency in the popu-
aristocratic militarists, to be in the
least disagreeable.
Rolling along the Rhine tod day, I
saw long string of German locomo-
tives en- route to France as a part of
the 5000 engines demanded under the
armistice. Elsewhere | saw hundreds
OF German army motor trucks lined up
along the roadway, all mum mbered and
ready to be taken over by the Ameri-
cans. With few exceptions, every wheel
lacked rubber tire.
Resorts Are Deserted
The Rhine Valley with it's towering
hills, with both ancient and modern
castles sitting on their crests, while
below the sloping vineyards extend
almost to the river banks, gives a
sombrc brown winter effect, as if
draped in mourning for Germany's
downfall. The great hotels and bath
resorts appear painfully deserted, es-
pecially in the town of Oberwinter,
where the strets are filled mainly
with our marines and with children.
The broad river itself is dotted with
boat traffic and some steamers were
towing as many as six huge barges
either IN the direction of Rotterdam
or up-river points. The Dutch flag flies
over many of these barges.
Plans for an American Christmas on
the Rhine will not be very extensive
so far as the army is concerned. The
Y. M. c. A., however, has planned to
give every soldier of the occupationaI
army a Christmas box and special Red
Cross plans also are under way.