Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-17


CHARTERS overlooking the Moselle on
the borders of Germany.
First Officers Over
The part of Lieutenant DowdelIs
letter having to do with the army
of occupation follows:
S8th Inf. A. +. f,
A. p. O. 740,
% Nov. is.
Dear Dad:
am sitting in Remich i'll the
Duchy of Luxembourg looking over
the Moselle river into Germany. The
Boche have been retreating ahead of
us all week, but now their lines and
ours are in touch once more. Every
one is satisfied that the war is over
and we have had a sort of triumphal
dress parade through Lorraine ana
Luxembourg. Now we are sitting
down for a needed rest after our
sixty-odd mile hike since Sunday
morning. Our battalion was given the
honor of being first to cross our ola
line and again when we entered
Luxembourg we lead the procession.
l was we'll up towards the front ana
believe Captain Murray and L were
the first infantry officers to cross the
line.
Lorraine and Luxembourg are both
seemingly in better condition for
food than was northern France and
especially that part of France held
by the Germans where the people
were robbed of everything they had
the Boche knew about. Apparently
the Germans are demobiliZing their
army as they withdraw for every
where we go there are returning
German soldiers, some still in ruiz
uniform while others are camou-
flaged partly in civilian clothing. "A
funny sight the other day, however,
was q German soldier in full uniform
riding along our column on bicycle
carrying an American flag and
shouting Hip, Hip, Hoorah!"
When we came to this town the
Germans had just left (about two
hours before) and their rear guards
were still at their end of the bridge,
but the town was gay with red, white
and blue and they met us with
brass band. huge bouquet for the
major, much oratory and the school
kids drilled to shout, hip, hip, hoo
ray They paraded us through the
town and we lined up in close column
on the river bank with the Boche
looking on from the other side!
These Luxembourgers certainly lay
claim to disliking the Boche. They
have a lot of tin soldiers in pre-
civil war regalia running around
like true chocolate soldiers and
looking important as hell. But just
the same they have always danced
to the tune the Prussian fiddler
played.
There is no indication that famine
has stalked among the people. They
are well fed and we'll clohted. Their
h. .f..l.A
well-kept l have ever seen, their
vineyards in wonderfully profuse
condition, plenty of food displayed
in. the shops-prices have gone so
high, or rather, the value of the
mark has gone so low that they pass
around what used to be small for
tunes for the ordinary things of life.
The Major paid out 16 marks for a
dozen eggs the other day. A beef
steak costs 4 marks. and a mark
equals a quarter-dollar in its face
value. Ordinary hard candy costs
about SIS per pound while i paid $5
for a cake of real Peters milk
chocolate (.30 size), the other day.
We are so far ahead of our lines
that train wreck so miles behind
us Thursday has made us go hungry
all day to-day and the soldiers have
just literally bought the town out
of its stocks of food. And the worst
part of it for us Is that we have so
far had to exchange real money for
the deprecated marks at the cur
rent face value of before the war.
Our division quartermaster is ar
ranging to get us the marks at their
present deprecated value, but in the
meantime our high prices represent
real money.
After n few days things will be
Strengthened out again and we will
all be fed and happy.
Sunday, oath Nov.
Mess call interrupted my letter.
We had darn little to eat and per-
haps that was why mess call SEEM
ed more important than usual.
The colonel came in this morning
with rumor that we are to remain
here until December /. Rations have
commenced coming again and we
will have big time on Thanksgiv-
ing Day. The STARS and Stripes"
says the censorship is off and you all
doubtless read just where we are in
each days papers.
So far our reception along the
route has been cordial, but q major
who went over to the Boche lines to
obtain their program of withdrawal,
says the civilians across the river
are quite hostile and unpleasant to-
wards Americans.
The mail will close soon so I guess
I'd better call this off for the pres
ent.
Love to you all,
MARC.