Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-23
W|ESbADEN CAFES
ASFRENCH COME IN
Famous Watering Place
Found to Give No Hint
of Famine.
BY PAUL AYREs ROCKWELL.
to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1915.

BY PAUL AYRES ROCKWELL.
Cablegram to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, l9lS.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES. De-
cember Is delayed iesbaden,
Germany's greatest and most import
ant watering place, a city of fashion
able hotels and luxurious villas,
where more than 100000 visitors, in
GLIDING Kaiser Wilhelm and the i'm
perial family, formerly came every
year for the bathing, was occupied
Sunday by the French troops as part
of the thirty -fve-kilometer twenty-
one-mile) bridgehead across the Rhine
from Mayence. The entrance cere-
mony was similar to that in other
pied by division commanded by Gen.
Lecomte, who reviewed the troops in
the place before the city hall and ca
thedral, which formed a fitting back
ground for the historic event.
Inhabitants Witness Entry.
The greater part of Wiesbaden's
100, 900 Inhabitants were in the streets
to witness the arrival of the city's new
masters, evincing great curiosity, but
no hostility. After the review Gen.
Lecompte received the local authori-
ties in the city hall
The German officials made short adj
dresses welcoming the French to their
city, promising to lend every aid in
keeping order, commencing the popu-
lation to the general, and especially
asking that the economic and indus
trial conditions be bettered. Gen. Lee
compile replied that the way in which
the war was forced upon France and
the barbaric fashion in which the
Germans fought justified severe re-
priSals.
But you need fear nothing of the
kind from victorious France" said the
general. "All we demand is that you
behave yourselves and observe the
rules necessary for the safety of the
erty are entirely safe with u.s."
A Dramatic Occasion.
cial reception hall of the Stadthaus,
which was decorated with portraits
of former Kaiser Wilhelm, the
kaiserin and other German emperors
and expresses. After the reception a
French regimental band stationed in
the city hall square played yea IN. the ie
occasion.
It was the first time in more than
100 wears that the French national
air had been played by military
hand on the right bank of the Rhine.
The German officials and policemen
stood correctly ,hs hand at msrehed aWaS
toward the barracks where it was
cuartered it was followed by a crowd
~ several thousand Germans. mostly
children. giving the streets a verit-
able holiday air
Clean, Well Fed City.
wiesbaden is the cleanest. prettiest
and most prosperous appearin a,tr cry
tive well stocked shops abound. 1 was
;nfo.med that the season last sum
MAR was one of the most brilliant
the city had ever known. FOOD is
GOOD. plentiful and cheap. lunched
in the rathskeller under the stadt-
hans. having excellent Holland oys-
ters. beefsteak, cheese and cake. The
more I see of Germany the less stock
take in the stories about the dan
ger of famine, although every Ger
man assures me that hunger was the
worst enemy Germany encountered
during the war. On Sunday afternoon
the sunny streets Of Wiesbaden were
full Of we'll dressed and well fed
promenaders. For more sensitive peo-
ple it would have been a day of sor-
row and humiliation. but the Germans
seemed to take the happenings as
matter of course and came out to
look at their conquerers.
Tearooms Crowded.
The tearooms were crowded with
Cerrnans eating cake and drinking
chocolate and tea. although little
conversation was heard Whenever
French soldiers appeared the Ger
mans appeared to be embarrassed
and uneasy. Possibly they were think
tnk OF their crimes ana feared punfah-
mont Eat the French are bringing
into occupied territory regime q