The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-11-28
noise sounded, clear and strong. ''vive

Troops in England First Home.
LOndon.-The first American troops
to depart homeward as a result Of the
signing Of the armistice will be $4,000
men stationed in England. The Amer
lean army expects to start the first
shipload of these soldiers homeward
within few days, and to have all the
men on their way back to the United
States ten days later.
The plans for clearing England OF
American troops are incomplete, but 1t
IS desired to remove these men imme-
diately, as some shipping is available
for this purpose Most of the $4,000
men are helping the British air force
The American hospital units win be
left in England until policy for car
ing for future cases of illness among
the Americans has been decided upon.
The belief is expressed at army
headquarters that very few Americans
will be left long in England. as it is
thought that the hospitals In France
can care for future needs.
German Navy Surrendered
LOndon.-T There has just been seen
the greatest naval surrender which the
world has ever witnessed.
A great fleet of German battleships,
battle cruisers, and light cruisers and
destrOyers left port for an unknown
destination. They were met by the
British fleet accompanied by Ameri-
can and French representatives, and
conducted to their destination.
A Berlin telegram received in Am
sterdam gives this list of the vessels
comprising the best of the German
navy that were to be handed over:
Battleships-Kaiser, Kaiserin. Ko-
mig Albrecht. Kronprinz Wilhelm,
Prinz Regent Luitpold, Markgraf,
Grosser Kurfurst, Bayern, KONG
Friedrich der Crosse.
Battle cruisers Derf-
finger, SeidIitz, Moltke, Won der Tam.
Light cruisers-Bremen, Drummer,
Frankfurt, Kolin, Dresden, Emden.
Germany has been stripped OF at
least half of the fleet of dreadnaughts
which it had in commission or building
| when war began, and of practically all
| of its battle cruisers.
Yanks In TriumphaI March.
With the American Army of Occupa-
ttOn.-The American army of occupa-
ton, which is moving forward steadily
over the territory evacuated by the
retiring Germans, is being received
with wild demonstrations of joy by the
residents of the towns which are now
being liberated after more than four
| years of German rule.
| When the American troops entered
Briey, the heart of the Lothringian
iron fields, they passed under trium-
phal arches that had been hurriedly
erected by the people of the town, and
the streets through which they passed
were bedecked with flags. On one
arch through which the Americans
passed was a homemade American
flag four feet in length, f1anked by the
French colors. The flag, which had
been made by three French girls, had
eleven stars and seven red and white
stripes. At st. Leger, as the advance
units of the Americans entered the
town, the church bells were rung and
the mayor and his wife stood in front
of their home to welcome the officers
and correspondents, who were invited
to become the mayors guests. Wom-
en-, children and aged men crowded
about the soldiers, embracing them
and presenting them with flowers.
Similar scenes were enacted as the
Americans reached Virton, Longwy,
Audun, La Roman and other towns
evacuated by the Germans
Everything moves smoothly as the
American forces proceed toward the
Rhine. Some 100000 men, with their
supplies, guns and ammunition, must
be moved along three main roads
from railroads that get farther behind
each day. The job is one that would
tax the abilities of the quartermasters
of any army.
Flags Flutter over British.
With the British Armies-Innumer-
able flags fluttered over the heads of
the British troops as they moved for
ward and started on their march to
the Rhine. The cavalrymen had their
own guidons and some of them rode
with French and Belgian flags sticking
out of their boots and fastened to their
brides. The gunners had flags on
their limbers and the axles of their
wagons; their steel traces were pol
ished brightly, as though for a mill
tary tournament, and their steel he'll
NETS were shining. They had spent
many hours in ''spit and polish since
the day of the armistice, so they should
: look well on the road to the Rhine
The advancing troops met thousands
of civilians who were coming home
after years of exile. As the soldiers
went forward the Homecoming civil
ians halted to wave flags at them
astounded. it seemed, by the smart
) ness of the men who, after four years
J of war. rode out. spick and span from
i. helmet to spur. on fine horses, vel
fed and groOmed, In sharp contrast
> to the sorry-lOoking German horse
flesh.
\ iYnprAssione