Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-12-25
FIRST U. S. men
CROSS The RHINE
yanks JostIed at CobIenz and
Greeted With Sneers and
Laughter.
Big FORTRESS IS ENTERED
Americans Take Over Ehrenbreitstein;
People Expect Easier Time Than
With the British
or French.

COblenz, Dec. 16.-Sentries of the
American and German armies face
each other across the Rhine. From
Andernach. below Coblenz, Nc -thward
to the British line. American forces
hold the west bank of the stream.
South of COblenz advanced elements of
thG american army have reached the
river.
The First and Third divisions have
been designated to occupy the nd
vanced positions along the 30-kilome-
ter arc east of Coblenz, constituting
the bridgehead stipulated in the arm
istice. The Thirty-secOnd, Ninetieth.
Fourth and Forty-second will occupy
positions in support of the advanced
lines.
The First. Third and Fourth divi-
s'ons are of the regular army.
The Thirty-secOnd is made up of
National Guard regiments from Michi-
gan and Wisconsin; Texas and Okla
homa National army men make up the
Ninetieth, while the Forty-second is
the Rainbow division. composed of
National Guard regiments from Lou
isiana. Pennsylvania. Wisconsin, New
York, Georgia. Ohio. Alabama, Iowa.
Illinois, Indiana. Minnesota. Maryland.
South Carolina, California. Missouri.
Virginia, North Carolina, Kansas.
Texas, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennes-
see, Oklahoma, District of Columbia,
Nebraska, Colorado and Oregon.
The Thirty-second. and perhaps the
Nineteen. will cross at CoblenZ. and
the others will use the bridges north
and south of the city. Arrangements
have been made to use tugs If neces-
sary 10 expedite the crossing.
Across the river from COblenZ, In
the fortress of Ehrenbreitsteln, there
has been small force of Germans,
but 1t has been withdrawn and an
American force entered the fortress
during the day. following request to
that effect from the German authori-
ties.
A bottle thrown from a window by
woman at an American soldier has
been the only overt act of hostility re-
ported since the Americans have en-
tered CoblenZ. The incident was re-
garded as being so trivial that 1t was
left to the local police TO deal with
the woman. There has developed.
however. within the last "a hours an
unmlstakable air of independence on
the part of the people, rejecting their
conviction that the Americans are GO
ing TO deal with them much more deli
cately than have the French or Brit
ish with the people north and south
of the city.
The position of the Americans is
slightly peculiar. Coblenz was infor-
mally occupied by a battalion which
arrived on Sunday. and which served
only as guard. which probably would
have been inadequate In event of Sc
rious trouble. German officers are
here treating with the American au-
thorities and discharged soldiers, still
wearing their uniforms, are still nu-
merous in the streets, which seems to
offer to the civilians who have not yet
felt the strength of an invaders hand
reason to believe that the Americans
are not OF reSeHlIui hdluTe.
Instead of cringing. or even showing
deep regret, the population adopted an
attitude that found expression in jost-
ling American soldiers on the streets
md in sneers and laughs, which were
only vaguely concealed.
1t is estimated that there are suffi-
cient foodstuffs in this district to last
till February, after which assistance
will be imperative.