Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-11-12
ALL IS PEACE
ANDQUIET ON
BATTLE LINE
Armistice Halts Fighting
-Yanks Take Town
Just Before Truce.

With the British Army in Bel
GUM, Monday, Nov. 1l-(By the
Associated Press Peace descend
ed like a mantle over the battle
front at II O'Clock this morning.
The last big gun crashed its chal-
lenge and a great, OverpOwering
quiet replaced turmoil, death and
destruction.
Almost coincident with the sign
ing of the armistice by the desper-
ate enemy, the city of Mons capitu-
lated. On this hallowed ground
the troops now are resting on their
arms.
Soldiers Are Cheered.
The population of Mons today
paraded the treets, cheering madIy
their deliverers.
Early in the morning a crisp
graphic order to cease lire at II
o'clock was distributed to all units,
with a further order to maintain
defensive precautions and to have
no intercourse with the enemy. The
advance continued, the gunners
racing forward seeking the honor
of firing the final shot
Punctually at IL O'Clock the fir
ing stopped. Fleets of British air
planes dropped showers Of signal
lights which descended with the
momentous message to those be-
low.
Mons Wild With Joy.
There was joy in plenty among
the British troops at the first blush
of peace but there was little in the
nature of demonstrations Tommy
Atkins was unable to realize that
the announcement was true This
afternoon the celebrations and re-
jOicing were making The old town
of Mons vibrate. Bands and pipeIs
led marching thousands about the
city.
Yanks Take Stenay.
With the American forces on the
Meuse and MoseHe, Monday, Nov.
11-(By the Associated Press >
The last French town to fall into
American hands. before the armis-
tice went into effect, was Stenay.
Patrols reported they had found il
empty not more than d quarter Of
an hour before Il O'Clock Ameri-
can troops rushed through the
town and in few minutes allied
flags were beginning to appear
from the windows AS the church
bell solemnIy to1led the hour of IL,
troops from the Ninetieth division
were pouring into the town.
Only a line OF glowing camp
fires marks the front to night. EX-
cept for the rumble of thousands
of trucks and other noises incident
to the stirring of enormous armies
there is not a sound to indicate
that two great forces are still fac
ing each other. No violation Of the
armistice has been reported. there
not being even an incidental burst
of machine gun fire.
People Dazed by News.
The greater part of the 500 odd
persons remaining in Stenay we're
still in their cellars, fearfully
awaiting the bOmbardment which
they believed would surely come,
as the Americans entered Stenay-
Many had yielded to German per
suasion or force and had reueated
with the enemy. Those few who
dared first TO venture into the
streets greeted the Americans with
tears and fairly deluged them with
questions. The majority seemed
too dazed to be able to understand
that fighting had stopped With
trembling hands. they offered cOf-
fee and bread TO their deliverers.
Reclaim Their Belongings.
The town is not badly damaged
by shell fire, but according to the
remaining inhabitants, had been
plundered Of nearly everything Of
value. The streets were barrlcad-
ed with huge heaps of furniture,
indicating the intention of the Ger
mans to hold desperately if attack
ed before the armistice was efiec-
tive. At the last moment, however,
they withdrew without a struggle.
A few of the residents had the sat
isfaction OF recIaiming some oT
their belongings from these lmpro-
yised defenses. Others have lost
nearly everything.