Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-29
By PHILIP GIBBS
Continued from, Page one

| Confined from, Page Inc
n warm. moist wind from which tlut-
tered down patches of bright gold from
yellow trees. There seemed to be a
song in the ar--a song Of peace after
these years Of war rising from the
hearts of the people who were glad af-
ter their long suffering For them the
worst of the war was at an end. and
here they gathered to give praise to the
| men who had released them from its
she'll
British Generals In Stands
Stands had been built and draped
with the British colors In the Grand
Place. They were crowded with Brit
ish generals and staffs from the Fifth
army and ether armies. divisions and
corps. and with thousands of citizens
of Lille.
l stood on the steps of an old build
ing looking down upon the Joyous as
Semblage The scene looked as though
I had been arranged by some master
"f historical pageantry with sense Ct
drama. on one side were the ruins of
the old town hall of Lille. burned out by
the Germans by accident. I think. two
years. ago. the gaunt skeleton of the
building reminding one of all the ruins
through which we struggled to this
city ON the other side was the old
! Bourse with high brown steps and tall
fantastic chimney pots and dormer win
dows filed with women and children
Behind that rose the tower of the new
Bourse and part of big white building
richly sculptured which was the new
theatre of Lille, never played in by
French actors. opened by the enemy
with some Wagner pieces
The Grand Place of Lille is surrounded
by handsome buildings. some of them
built century or more before the
revolution, some of them modern with
nigh roofs and low roofs irregular on the
Skyline. The sunshine of this autumn
DAY splashed across the house fronts
ana IT'S light was on the golden letters
or one place called the Cafe de La Paix.
Some British airp!anes came as patrols
above the square. showing their diaphan-
Gus wings In the sunlight swooped low.
turned somersaults above the telegraph
wires and did other boyish stunts over
the heads of the people. who waved
handkerchiefs and flags and cheered to
them and laughed up TO them.
The bishop Of Lille came into the
square and the tall old prefect and
many dignitaries Of the town. strange to
see In their black coats and tall hats
They grouped themselves around the
nag of Lille. which they were to give to
the Fifth Army In exchange for an army
flag.
Women Cheer General Birdwood
There was long wait. and then
around the corner of the Rue Rationale
came number OF horsemen with PEN
mons huttering They were spaced as
In some pageant, and at the head Of
them rode General B,rdwood--"Birde"
of the Dardanelles and the Australian
Corps the new comma nder of the Fifth
Army Behind him was General Aiken
of the Eleventh Corps and other gen.
erals and staff officers.
Cheers rose from every window and
balcony of the Grand Place and from
the crowds around the square and thou
sands of flags fiuttcred. They were
shrill cheers like silver horns blowing
for in Lille there are more women now
than men. The British generals and
their officers carried great bouquets of
flowers and they saIuted the crowds
looking up to the high balconies with
smiling eyes Ten orderlies ran out to
their horses heads and they dismounted
and General Birdwood advanced on to
the Mayor of Lille and his councillors
and gave them the flag of the Fifth
Army. speaking in French and express
ing the gladness of the British army
at the liberation of Lille and the ad-
miration Of that army for the courage
Of It's citizens. There was an exchange
Of flags. and the silver cheers rang ont
again. and all the Grand Place vas
twinkling with little flags.
troops and that was what went most
to the hearts of the crowds In Lille. for
| these were the men who had fought
| for them through four years of the war
in many battles. in dark days, through