The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-06
8 UNDETERMINED
As TO RECEPTION
Fsstss, trry fnscr> Germany '"a
Meets With Varied Emotions
from Natives.

ii. london. Dec. S.--tVia British WIRE
#1ena 1---sSh@ver1 heads were uncovered
$$a-efactantiy and little children. TOO
q ynunr to hate. waved their hands ana
A1housesa with delight when the van
EEnasnrd OF the British army swung
eeuar i the border into Germany
XsSerifes a British war correspondent
I'm describing the great event ne
#NriteS:
ssfns British Lancers and Dragons
went streaming through the high
&Atreets OF Malmedy; bres drfwn ana
f1S7Nncus stiff In the winter wind'
A0fees and guns gathering past me
4 T0ArRet place, led N. a great mon
M14rk. heavy wagons and cyclists ana
rtafr cars passing through silent.
s,srurious crowd: shaNen heads hareH
*rrluc,an;iv 10 the vanguard CT the
British army many scowls, partially
eoUn.ered by a few smiles OF con-
ciliation. stern faces peering through
half drawn blinds giecful children,
aehfded by appreheuSiye women, ana
saallen men giowerinE al troopers
from their doorway - my I'M
precision OF our eutrE into the nFSt
Prussian town within the BRUSH zone
of occupation.
we crossed The frontier at
o'clock a. the church bells were cali
5ng the people 10 mass and came into
Manned. without ceremony, three
auariers az an hour later The peo~
pie paused on their way TO church 10
stare a the first two troopers rldihg.
with drawn sshres. al each SIDE oil
the vaiies Road. and some OF them
waited until the first foreign squadron
had passed before going their WAY
THE life OF Malme3v began Us usual
and went on without pause While
columns 81 khaki flowed through the
sow0.
One could not help thinking Of the
.onfrast ~ TN the other advance more
thar four years ago when occupation
III a hostile town meant the seizure
? of hostages ruthless oppression OF
defenseless citizens and perhaps
naSSa ere in the market place.
4 saw the memorial of such
tragedy on the road from Spa to NAL
naeds in little roadside orchard,
hardly Ave miles from the frontier
where | crossed IL this morning, had
lteen erected a rough wooden sign
Here l4es seventeen hostages, shot
By the Prussians
Il wonder If the people Of Malmedy
remembered the fate Of Their Belgian
neiehbors as they watched the British
cavalry ride into their town
"Onr men treated them with
herupnious courtesy and even had
= ttffd4f SIik4R lbi iflf7 'IRlftiFt HfAO,
Too young Ia hate. khaki uniform,
waved their hands and shouted with
,delight.
"squadrons moved with care
Through the crowded streets, They
faced their liUerest enemies with
calm, steady eyes. EE 10 o'clock the
main body was passing steadily
.shrough the town.
s THE crowd grew as the people
came from the first mass. until the
townspeople were standing six and
sight deep on either side of the main
street It dwindled ugatn when the
BELLS began anew and the church re-
filled, In the crowd were a number
~ discharged German soldiers.
III Malmedy is undoubtedly less
fruss ian In character than any other
II The plussian frontier towns visited
today. Some Of the inhabitants were
anxious 10 assure Us that they meant
70 obey tho army of occupation
placards Were posted three days
ago by the buFgomaster, warning the
Inhabitants that they faast lie evil
and correct In their intercourse with
tile troops Of the allied armies. The
people generally show Il disposition
10 comply with this order.
Eunenga, grimner picture Of a
real German town II is a smaller
comnunity than Malmedy and is the
" first town OF ~ary importanc" after
erossing The frontier east of Nreveres.
The general atmosphere VAS one OF
marked hostility. Trans, in charge
nf bitisa fr8cts- and h&ass but
gFtonest drivers tfoAe Tho silence of
s the align sstfFet ne istCerY:rs7 Thp
children. as usual, ignored nationality
and were full OF curiosity and i'm
personal ffiendiiness
Small boys wearing naval or mill
stary caps ciambcrod on my car with
srhearful smiles There was q SUBJ
marine commander, a merchant
sailor and three others with the names
of German wnrships on their hat
ribbons, trying 20 ask question of us,
aSDHr mum LARS We're perceived by a
woman III a house opposite who threw
open window and with angry words
summoned her Two sons from the
assem- bfage."
The correspondent contrasts these
sscenes with the growing nthusiasm
af the. people on The Belgian side Of
the border.