Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-22
ANTWERP THRILLS
AT KINGS RETURN
Joyous Outpouring of Peo-
pie as Belgian Rulers
Enter City
1914 VETERANS PARADE
>Colorful Scenes in Ancient
Seaport-Cathedral Filled
at Service of Rejoicing
1914 VETERANS PARADE
By PHILIP GIBBS
with the British Armies, Nov. 90.
Special Gable to Evening Public Ledger

Special Gable to Euening Public Ledger
Coppri1ht. 1918. By Ncto York Times CO.
. In my message from Antwerp I had
only time to give glimpse Of the
Kings entry and Of the scenes in the
streets 1t was raining then, but as
soon >as the King crossed the Scheldt by
the ferryboat, which takes over motor
sears az we'll as men, the sunshine broke
through the wet mists and brought out
the color Of all this pageantry which had
been gray before. Antwerp Is city in
(which medievalism lives with modern
ity, and where old spires and towers of
churches and houses. built 900 years
ago and more, are wedged In between
public buildings, shipping and banking
offices. hotels and shops belonging to
the growth of prosperity in the half
century before the war. But Tuesday,
with long banners and standards floating
down it's streets and hoisted upon PIN
nacles of the belfry and falling in waves
of rich color from many balconies there
was a sense of old things rather than of
new, and the ancient history of this sea
port. with its merchant princes, was
about as one walked
So 1t was with the people in the
streets. A Boy Scout perched on my
motorcar to guide the way. and the
Antwerp policemen were so like the Lon
don boobies that I wanted to ask the
time of them. just for old times sake,
and the crowds were made up of we'll
dressed men and women, such as one
might see. in Liverpool on day of pub
lic festival.
Figures Of Past Days
But among these crowds were figures
belonging to the past, as one sees 1t in
old Flemish pictures. Franciscan friars,
with their cowls turned back so that one
.1,o
selves on tiptoe of their sandaled feet
to get a glimpse of the King. From lat
tfce windows, under high gables round
about the cathedral, nuns poked their
heads out and laughed and cheered and
went n little as the Belgian soldiers
carried their colors past the ktng. Inc
bishop paced down the narrow avenue
between the people behind the guaros,
and there were nervous SOUNDS every
few minutes and shrill cries when the
mounted soldiers put the weight OF their
horses against them.
Commissares of police, in cooked hats
exhorted the people to Keep tneir INES
but they were closed in by wild rushes
when the King and Queen came In their
motor behind a cavalry escort. Ineir
cars were laden with flowers, which hao
been given to them. On the steps OF tne
Hotel de Vile the sun glinted on the
gold work on that masterpiece of the
Flemish guilds and now from scores OF
windows more flowers fell, so that they
drove through furry Of red and white
petals.
Before they went TO the saluting oase
there was a procession which made emo
tion pass down the lines of the people
like a wave It was a crowd of men
walking very slowly by the help OF
crutches and sticks. with banner above
them. Some of them were in the uni
form of the Belgian army of 1914, and
others wore armlets of the Belgian
colors. They were the men who had
been In the siege of Antwerp in October
of the first year of the waS and with
their bodies had barred the way for n
little while to the invading hordes.
Belgian Troops March Past
The march past of the Belgian troops
who had fought In the later battles at
Dixmude and at Pervyse. on the mud
banks of the User and at Merckem,
month or two-ago, was stirring thing
to see. The people had been waiting
for them to come into the city again
after four long years. Just four years
ago / used to see men like this. covered
in mud and blood. laid out in rows on
stretchers I saw many of them die.
These men who marched through Ant