Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-12-07

I to review the troops as they marched
by, and saw all that happened.
The leading regiment of infantry
swung into the square and the bands
played them by the snluting base AS
the colors approached, files of soldiers
| moved swiftly along the pavements
en- either side of the street and lit
tie in advance of the colors and they
shouted, Hats off"
Those who hesitated had their hats
promptly flung into the mud. Perhaps
twenty different specimens of head
gear were lying in the street when the
flag passed. Men who We're thus un-
covered looked sheepish. Some young
er ones simply laughed
When the following regiment APP
EDeared anxious. eyes watched for ..bn
stailuaan Belgian soldiers goiAe Inn
imediately before II glared right ANA
| left but saw no offenders Every hat
lcame off in good time / must CON
fess that the incident gave a tingle OF
satisfaction to some of us who were
afraid there might be covert attempts
to express hostility
Prisoners Arc Met,
While Belgian troops were march
ing through the square | heard Brit
ish cheers ahead and strange sound
was in the air. The silent crowd
swung back a little more and tcol-
Iumn of marching men hove in sight
Coming against the stream of Belgian
bayonets were unkept, unshaven men
in ruins of faded blue and more fad
ed Khaki. carrying odd bundles.
They were released prisoners just
tarived from Cologne and British sol
diers from another prison camp who
We're looking on their countrymen for
the first time in four years. A little
group of them gathered around me.
They We're worn and emaciated after
long suffering in one OF the worst pri-
son camps in Prussia, but they were
fun of eagerness to hear the news
from home, They told me they were
the first to leave the camp where
they We're held and that 1000 British
prisoners still remain there, held by
lack OF transportation. according to
the revolutionary guards now in
charge of the camp.
The seventy men whom met broke
away from the camp and started for
England on their own chance of find
ing assistance on the way As they
told me their story, some Germans
passed us and took off their hats.
One of these returned prisoners, n
man captured at Mons and who was
one of the "old contemptibles'' said
grimly, that "they weren't doing that
four years ago" 81 am glad, sir,
have lived to see it and this day"
More hats were lifted as we strolIed
to the Rhelnish railway station. |
passed an elderly business man, well
groomed and outwardly prosperous.
who jerked off his silk hat with OBJ
yious reluctance, young men ayerted
their faces and compressed their lips
and DOTTED their hats with hate in
their hearts Dilapidated looking
working men, old and shrunken,
seemed painfully anxious to show sub
mission
Children had been told to obey and
not one of the ragged nrchins neglect
ed taking off his cap In the rain, Ono
grew weary of the incessant move
ment of hats.
There seemed to be kind of a
grim determination by beaten peo-
Pile to give us surfeit of salutes
1t was Impossible to look at any Of
the fine buildings in AK with any de-
gree OF comfort Ono could not think
of the city for the constant and wholly
mechanical gestures, which weafied
the eve and gave no sense of warmth
or friendlness. and one could not fg-
more them. every moment someone
seemed to say, Here we are, you are
masters, What will YOU have us do2"
Mixing with this air of sullen sur
render there was a certain amount OF
apprehension. Hotel porters and wait
ers were nervously anxious TO please,
talking English little rustily, but
none the less volubly after four years
disuse and asking eagerly whether the
English would come to AK, mean
while they promised to do what they
could to make the officers comforts
able