Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1918-12-01
BERNE TURNS OUT
TOWELCOME FIRST
RELEASED PRISONERS

BERNE, Switzerland, Friday, Nov.
29.-(By the Associated Press) One
hundred and fifty-six American off,
GERS and commissioned officers,
the first prisoners of war in Germany
to be released through Switzerland,
were repatriated today. The majority
had been captured about five months
ago, although some had been only fly e
weeks in German prison camps. \
large number of the men were avi-
ators.
The men rode on a special tran,
three cars of which were filled with
French and British former prisoners.
Interest, however, centered in the
Americans, since they were the first
group to be released
The repatriated men left Bavaria
this morning and crossed Lake Con-
tsance. They were met at Zurich b.
enthusiastic crowds of Swiss and
Americans, some of whom sat up all
night 10 be sure of places from which
they could see the former prisoner s
of war
Welcome Surpasses Belief
The welcome at Berne surpassed al
most anything of this kind seen IN
Switzerland since before the wal
began.
Pleasant a. Stovall, the American
minister. and Mrs. Stovall, the entire
American legation, members of the
Red Cross. the diplomatic corps, other
allied nationals here and high Swiss
military and civil authorities lIsed III
at the railway station as the train
pulled in nearly two hours laie. y
Swiss military band furnished a n1usi-
cal welcome, while on all sides were
Swiss and American flags entwined
| The crowd jamming the platform and
every available inch of the station
| broke into tremendous cheering, which
was replied to by the American Off
! GERS 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 haC
! been unable TO obtain during their i'm
| prisonment. Though the men were
| supposed to remain aboard the train
the rules were relaxed sufficiently t.
| allow them to descend to greet those
| gathered to welcome them. Minister
Stovall held an impromptu reception
| shaking hands with many of the men
| The minister frankly broke down whel
| some of his native Georgians ap-
| peared.
Glad to See Home Folks
| The women Of the American colonj
were on hand in full force, decorated
uniformly with American flags fast
ened to a white background, bearing
| the names of their home states. They
distributed every. conceivable luxury
and necessity, such as overcoats, bag!
containing q full toilet kit, writing
| paper. pencils and other things, which
the men lacked.
The quiet of the Berne, station
where ordinarily one hears nothin,
more exciting than q locomotive
| whistle resounded for an hour witt
shouts and cheers, the Americans i'm
provising college yells, especially foi
the Swiss Red Cross, which all agreef
had done wonderful work until th'
| American Red Cross took over th'
task of sending food packages. Th'
| Y. NJ. c. A. likewise came in for tire
| mendous enthusiasm, while the sleep,
little city was stirred by recurren
shouts of whats the matter with tn
United States It's all right"
The Americans were overjUyed, par
ticularly at seeing their country WON
en- again. Some of them seemed OF
| the verge of a breakdown while talk
| ing to these women, gathered on tn
| platform. The officers responded t
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