The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-11-21
YANKS FIRST To
enter GERMANY
ADVANCE BEGUN BY AMERICANS
WHO OCCUPY REGIONS JUST
ABANDONED BY HUNS.
Soldiers Prepared for Any Possible
Traps That May Have Been Set BY
Retiring Enemy-Troops Are Eager
to Get Into Germany.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
with the American Army in France
General Pershngs forces moved in
territory just abandoned by the Ger.
man troops ON the old line. between
Mouzon and Thiacourt, lying from the
region of Sedan to the south of Met
the troops had been stationed to await
orders for The advance, and the patrols
marched out. not in line Of battle. but
In columns along the high roads. which
are only slightly impaired. The first
steps of the American into regions 50
lately controlled by Germany were not
spectacular. The men were keyed up
and keen for the new adventure. but,
like they were on the day of the sign
ing Of the armstice. there were com
paratively few demonstrative NANTES
tationS of their enthusiasm.
Many Of the men had been newly
Uniformed and all of them were pol
iShed" as though for inspection. The
men appeared To be eager for the word
10 go forward The relatively small
units that are moving forward as adj
fore daylight The night had been
cold and the mud that still marks the
roads. Notwithstanding there have
been two or three days without rain,
was slightly frozen. The men SILVER
ed a. they rested by the roadside
When the command finally was given
for the advance the men who We're to
push forward. in some cases miles
apart on the long line between the eX-
IRENE left and right, moved off into
the mists. that appear always TO
Shroud this part Of the country, and
disappeared
For the first time since the Ameri-
cans had been ordered TO advance into
enemy held territory there was assur-
ance that they would encounter no
hostility. The Intelligence Depart
ment, which has never ceased To func-
tion, had accurately reported that the
Germans were carrying out their
agreement Of evacuation and there
was evidence of the belief. both by
officers and men, that no trap was
awaiting them. No chances We're Ia
ken. however. The engineers were the
second units to press forward, and
they carefully began their work of
looking out for mines and poisoned
water. Every obstacle was tested be
fore il was moved in order To find out
if IL masked explosives. For some
time the Germans have shown "A spirit
of cooperation in informing the Amer
leans where mines We're located and
in themselves destroying them.
II was some tlme after the engl-
neers moved forward before the heav-
Ter columns took tile roads The en-
tire army finally was moving, and
moving along the lines of peace days.
But il was in such order that it might
quickly Ne transformed into battle ar
ray.
Every brigade was covered by a
regiment of us, the heavier artillery
following close behind. The TANKS OF
the advancing column We're well pro-
tected II has been impressed on Of
fcers and men alike that this is an
operation under an armistice; that
war still exists and that the POSSIBLE
ity remains that AT any time il may
be necessary for them To play their
part with the same grimness of the
last year.
Fraternization. not only with the
German soldiers, who may be found
eIner as stragglers or voluntary pris-
Oners, but with the civilian population
has been sternly forbidden. Looting
and even souvenir hunting also have
been forbidden Ii has been plainly
impressed upon the men that property
is inyiolate and that those persons
v ith whom they come I'm contact must
b, regarded as enemies