New-York tribune., 1918-12-02
when Do We Eat?' Re-
turning Soldiers Yell
in Greeting Mayors
Committee
Land To-day, Then
Go to Camp Mills
Parade Is Unlikely, but
Hylan Asks Permis-
sion to Give Men
Reception

Ablaze with lights and with her
decks crowded with figures in olive
drab who peered steadily ahead for the
first glimpse Of the light that shines
on Bedloe's Island, the stately Maure-
tania slipped through the Narrows last
night and came to anchor off Tomp-
kinsville, bringing back the first de-
tachment of returning American troops
$500 strong, most of whom are mem
bers of aero squadrons.
All the way up the big ship had been
shouting hilarious gossip with her
wireless in response to messages of
welcome which Mayor Hylan and other
city officials sent from the police boat
Patrol, with whiche ethey were on their
way to welcome the soldiers home.
But the soldiers were not in a mood
for serious messages.
They were thoroughly frivolous and
replied with reiterated statements of
their thirst and appetite ana queries
as to whether New York had gone dry
yet.
Won't Visit Manhattan
This morning. escorted again by city
officials and by a welcoming committee
from the Aero Club of America, the
Mauretania will move up the Hudson
to her pier. But her passengers will
not set foot on Manhattan. Ferryboats
will transfer them from the Maure-
tania to Long Island City, whence they
viii depart straightway for their de-
mobilization point, Camp Mills.
New York is proud of every one of
you ran the message which Mayor
Hylan sent by wireless to the soldiers,
"and welcomes you with its warmest
welcome"
Then as the Patrol drew closer to the
great ship and swept a searchlight
beam across the fretful black water up
the lofty fanks of the Mauretania, still
dimly camoufaged, and squarcly into
the eyes of the olive drab throng
gathered at her rails, other messages
were shouted by those on the police
boar.
"Welcome home," shouted Rodman
Wanamakel through megaphone. "a
greater welcome awaits you later on!"
New Workers welcome you; you are
the finest soldiers on earth" was the
contribution of John A. Leach, Acting
Police Commissioner
"The Mayors Committee welcomes
you home." yelled Grover Whalen, the
Mayors secretary
Want "Chow," Not Praise
And then the reply, the first message
OF returning American troops to the
folks at home, came back in stentorian
tones:
when do we eat?"
Almost coincident with the first was
the second answer of the troops. which
was shouted by dozen or more in
unison:
ooh, how dry we are,'
And often and anxiously was the
query repeated: "IIas New York cone
dry YETI"
All the while the spotlight kept zig
tagging up and down and from stem
to stern of the Mauretania, as tn,
whistle of the Patrol blew greeting
blasts and the lines of khaki clad boy.
yelled back their responses.
Admiral Mayo was taken off the
Mauretana on the Sectional Patrol 444
lie was met by Lieutenant Commander
Frost and Captain Sterling, of Admira
Dsher's staff.
There was a rousing welcome for the
admiral when he walked down the
gangplank to go aboard the smaller
boat.
Come on board" yelled some OF
the boys as the Patrol neared the ship
The demand was insistent, and mem
bers of the committee waited no longer
Through the stream of the searchlight
playing on an open port door gang
plank was pushed, and across it scram-
bled the committee, headed by Grover
"halen, the Mayors secretary; Mr.
Wanamaker and Acting Commiss sioner
Leach.
Why, hello, Bob Moran" shouted
Private John NJ Singer, bombing
squad instructor, who used to be q
mounted patrolman in the Westche
station, as the acting President of the
Board of Aldermen reached the open
doorway.
And hello, Inspector DAILY" he cried,
srasping the hand Of the chief nspect-
VI. You used to be my old INSPECTOR"
mat was the first erecting given to