Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-19
BRITISH WELCOME
GIVEN ARMY CHIEFS
Dover Declares Holiday for
Field Marshal Haig and
Other Generals.
KING is HOST in LONDON
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, December 19.-London
hung out it's flags and the old seaport
of Dover flung it's gates wide open to-
day to greet Field Marshal Haig and
the commanders of the five British
armies which fought in Belgium and
France-Gens. Plumer, Rawlinson,
Birdwood, Byng and Horne.
1t was merely an informal welcome
on the part of London, but Dover
made of it a great celebration. The
news that the field marshal was COM
ing home to spend Christmas with his
family at Kingston became public, and
his fellow countrymen would not be
denied chance to see and cheer the
leader of their armies. The real cele-
bration in London comes later-late
in January or early in February.
Peerage for Field Marshal.
The field marshal. then, according to
time-honored precedents. will be
| raised to a high rank in the peerage-
how high. is a point of speculation
and given a money grant by parlia-
ment for his services to the nation
This is the procedure which has been
followed from the days of WELLINGTON
and Nelson down to Kitchener and
Roberts, and the occasion will be
celebrated with civic and military
formalltles such as no other nation,
except possibly France. can carry out
as impressively as Great Britain.
The welcome given the home
coming generals today was similar to
that given Marshal Foch and Premier
Clemenceau of France. and Premier
Orlando of Italy a little over a week
| ago. but there was less display
Premier Lloyd George, the Duke of
Connaught, members of the cabinet
generals and lesser functionaries
from the war Office made up the re-
ceiving party at Charing Cross sta
tion. After first greetings, the civil
ian officials disappeared from the
scene and the small procession pro-
| ceeded through the principal streets
to Buckingham Palace. where the
king entertained Field Marshal Haig
at luncheon.
A small escort of the Life Guard
| in steel cuirasses, preceded the car
| riages in which the army command
ers rode. Field Marshal Haig was in
| the first carriage; Gems. Plumer and
Rawlinson in the second, Gems. Bird.
wood and Byng in the third, and Gen
| Horne in the fourth. The mothers OF
! the officers and members of the re-
! ception committee filled the remain
| der of the seats.
Airplanes Escort Ship.
Airplanes lowering overhead, es.
corted Field Marshal Haig's shi.
across the channel, and followed hi:
train to London.
| All business places at Dover. wer.
closed and holiday was declared
| Admiral Keyes, commander of tn,
| port; all the naval and military Off
GERS of the city, the mayor, the mem
bers of the Dover city council ant
Lord Beauchamp, warden of tn,
| Cinque ports, received the returning
| commanders in the marine station
which was swathed in bunting ant
decorated with notices The arm
! of Dover and those of Field Marsha
Haig were everywhere displayed
| Sentiments such as "Welcom,
Home" I'VE are all Scots in ou
welcome to thee" and Memo, impun,
lacessit" were seen on transparencies
| while the largest bore the words
welcome from the Dover patrol.
This contingent guarded the channe
throughout the war After Fielt
Marshal Haig had been presented al
| illuminated address by the mayor thu
generals proceeded to the station be
meath rows of triumphal arches.