The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-06
DRY NEWS SAD NEWS
TO INCOMING TROOPS
Prospect Of Arid L. s. Causes
Strong Protests From Re-
turning Heroes.
ORCA BRINGS 1923 HOME
Soldiers Get Noisy Welcome
and Pay Tribute to Eng
lish Hospitality.

item Is herewith recorded that prohi-
bition makes no hit with the return
ing troops The American Army does
not seem to give a whoop in Germany
for the water wagon.
1t seemed worth while yesterday,
when the British transport Orca came
into port with 1929 officers and men. n
further contingent from the American
forces that had been training in Eng
land to ask as many Of the home
corners as could be reached what they
thought of n future looming aridly.
1t is quite impossible to quote literally
the young men being rather down.
right in their comments--but the up
shot Of the symposium was that the
rold water movement isn't going to
get much support from the soldiers.
Out Of fifty men to whom the sub
Ject was put, only seven declared
themselves in favor OF prohibition;
and the others referred with some
harshness of metaphor to Creator
condemned fools that (as they see IT,
are trying to deprive the citizen Of his
natural rights. All this appeared in
teresting because of the question FREE
quently asked as TO what will be the
attitude of the more than 100000
voters that will he back home within
a year or1so when 1t comes to voting
on prohibition measures.
Prohibition Il Condemned.
The returning troops have an idea
that the French. with their light
wines, the Italians. also wine
drinkers, and the British with
their beer, have not exactly proved to
he degenerate nations, and while most
of the soldiers are strongly for tenn
perance, they appear to be hostile to
the bone dry idea.
While 1t may not agree with the
idea Of a good many people, the fact
remains. as unsentimental as 1t may
be, that about the first desire OF most
OF the lads when they salute the Lib
erty Lady is for a good big drink, and
from every transport that has come
in. the Orca being the fourth within
the week, questions have popped:
I'VE hope New York hasn't gone
dry yet" and open up the town! -
with North Atlantic gales and her
passengers We're shaken to their shoe
soles before she found herself in the
tranquil waters of the harbor. They
were mighty glad to get home, those
boys, most of whom. like the soldier
passengers Of the Mauretania. lap
land and Minnekahda, were denied the
opportunity of fighting against the
Germans. They were Just on the point
Of being sent to France when the war
ended.
The transport was met at Quaran-
tine by the police yacht Patrol, which
carried the Mayors secretary, Acting
Police Commissioner John \. Leach,
Special Deputy Commissioner Rodman
Wanamaker and Police Inspector
Dwyer. AS the yacht nudged up against
the tall transport the police band
played very jazzily. "Oh. Where Do
We Go From Here, Boys?" and "Oh,
I Hate TO Get Up in the Morning
and a rawboned buck private whooped
from the top deck:
Hot stun, kids. Give us all you've
got of that stuff"
Mayors Committee Received.
The Mayors committee went aboard
the transport and were received by
Capt. Albert Blum, commanding the
returning contingent. Capt. Blum was
delighted with the reception. He said
II want to tell you gentlemen that
every man aboard the ship appreciates
this welcome. They will never forget
the pleasant surprise you have given
them"
Officers of the ship said that she was
accompanied by British destroyers and
mine sweepers to the north OF ireland
no chances being taken with German
good faith. Three days ago the ships
wireless snatched an . \ call from I,
steamship which was crying fire. but
since no latitude was reported the Orcs
kept on her way. Later information
touched the aerials that help was on
the way to the troubled vessel.
Coming up the bay and the North
River the Orca was hailed and saluted
by din of whistling such as welcomed
her predecessors. The fireboats Nc
Clellan and Willett arched tremendous
streams Of water over her The Jersc y
ana Manhattan watersides were
crowded and there was q lively spec
tarle all the way up the river 10 West
Fifteenth street, where the transport
was locked.
Brig. Gen. George II. McManus was
at the pier To meet the troops and to
see to it that poorly Informed junior
officers honored the press passes
which bore his signature by authority
Of the Secretary Of War Gen. Nc
Manus said he regretted the officious-
ness OF some officers on the previous
day had made difficulties and exasper-
alton for newspaper men and promised
that there would be no repetition of
the offence.
English People Praised.
When the Orca's passengers were
marched out into the pier shed and
lined up they were served with coffee.
sandwiches, chocolates and cigarettes
ny the Red Cross women and a band
made powerful music for them while
they doomed their songs. The men
were glad enough to talk about almost
anything within their experience, and
they were utterly unanimous in prais-
ing the hospitality and kindly spirit
displayed by the English people
toward American troops training in
the tight little isle. But they were
sore at British fog and British NUT
ton. They complained that they
hadn't seen n sunshiny day for three
months and that they were "ali damp
inside" from steadily absorbing Brit