The sun., 1918-12-01
150EX-CAPTIVES
REACH BERNE
Swiss Give Enthusiastic Greet
ing to Liberated, Chiefly
, AviatOrs.
BRITISH AND FRENCH TOO
Threat to Resume HOstilities
Causes a Speeding Up on
Part Of Germany.
BRITISH AND FRENCH TOO


BERNE, Nov. 20 (delayed) One hum
dred and fifty-siX American officers
and commissioned officers, the
first to be released through Switzer-
md, were repatriated to-day after
varying periods of Imprisonment in
Germany. The majority had been cap
tured about five months ago, although
some OF them had only been five weeks
in German prison camps. A large
number of the men released were avia-
tors.
The men rode on a special train,
which included two cars of French and
one OF British released prisoners. In
terest, however, centred in the Ameri-
cans, since they were the first group
to be set at liberty.
The repatriated men left Bavaria
this morning and crossed Lake Con-
stance. They were met at Zurich by
enthusiastic crowds of Swiss and
Americans, some of whom sat up all
night to be sure OF places from which
they could see the freed prisoners of
war. The welcome at Berne surpassed
almost anything of this kind seen in
Switzerland since the war began.
welcomed by Minister stovnlI.
Pleasant 4. Stovall. the American
Minister, and Mrs. Stovall, the entire
American Legation, the members OF
the Red Cross. the Diplomatic Corps
and other allied nations here and high
Swiss military and civil authorities
lined up at the railway station as the
train drew in nearly two hours late.
a Swiss military band furnished a
musical welcome, while on al sides
were Swiss and American flags en-
twined. The crowd jamming the plat
form and every available inch OF the
station broke into n tremendous vol
ume of cheering, which was replied to
by the American officers on the train
with "Vive la Suisse
The train was halted for hours. dur
ing which the Americans were show
cred with delicacies. such as they had
been unable to obtain during their i'm.
prisonment. Though the men were
supposed to remain aboard the train
because il was headed directly for
France the rules were relaxed suf-
, ficiently to allow them TO descend 80
greet those gathered to welcome them.
| Minister Stovall held an impromptu
! reception, at which his hand was
wrung until ii ached. while he frankly
broke down when some of his native
Georgians appeared.
Women Distribute Luxuries.
| The women Of the American colony
were on hand in fun force, decorated
uniformly with American flags fas-
tened To a white background bearing
| the names Of their home States. They
| distributed every conceivable luxury
and necessity, such as overCoats, bags
containing a full toilet kit. writing
! paper pencils and other things which
| the men lacked,
! The Americans related that they had
been originally confined in a variety
! of German prison camps, but gradu-
| ally had been concentrated more and
| more 10 the south SO all were in
| Bavaria when the release orders cane
! some Salu tnul lnelN hcIInan CaptOfS
! had admitted week before the arms-
| tice was signed that they wouldn't he
! prisoners much longer because Ger
! many was unable to continue the fight
| ing.
| The food of the prisoners was rea-
sonably satisfactory after the parcels
began TO arrive. but was impossible
| before that. Several of the wounded
had high praise for the German medi-
cal care. The majority OF the prison
ers were junior officers, the ranking
officer being Licut.-Col. Brown, who
was captured northwest Of Nerdun n
! few weeks ago.
LoNpoN. Nov. 3O,--American sailors
and soldiers in large numbers are on
leave, and as IA consequence. they
are taking accommodations in London
Scores OF them have been unable to
| find places to sleep.
Hundreds of soldiers are arriving
from France daily for seven day
leave, and many hundreds % sailors