New-York tribune., 1919-04-16
First Units to Sail From
Brest Thursday and All
Expect To Be at Sea by
April % at the Latest
Keen for Parade Here
New York Troops Have Big
Cheer ON Tap for That
"Old Girl" i'm the Harbor
NeW Yorjc Tribune
Spsridi Cable Cer1ice

forth one uniformed person bearing the
golden Statue of Liberty badge on his
upper left arm. The same processes
in the other big leave centres of
France would be almost as unfruitful. /
The reason is that putting engines, I
hauling long strings of French box
cars, pulled into the entranment sta
tions of the LIE Mans area before noon
to-day, and eager solders--both off
GERS and men-scrambled aboard en-
route for Brest, where they expect to
embark Thursday. New York's Metro
poitan Division, the 18th, at last is
moving toward home
Four long trains left the lie Mans
area before darkness to-day. To-mor-
row four more, filled to the brim with
Statue of Liberty men, will depart, and
on the following day the last remnants
of New York Citys very own will
pull up stakes and depart.
Division Will Sail Promptly
General Alexander and his staff have
departed by motor car and train to
prepare everything for early sailing
If present plans materialize the entire
division. will be at sea on the evening
of April %, disembarking at Hoboken
in time to see New York's earliest May
flowers. Thus far General Organs
2Tth Division holds the speed record
for passing through the Pontanezen
embarkation camp at Brest but present
plans indicate that New York's Metro
politan fighters will run their fellow
New Workers close race, if they do not
equal their record
While the last units of the 18th are
pulling into Brest the first units will
be boarding steamships or slowly crawl
ing out of Brest harbor The first ship
leaving Brest will carry General Alex
ander, his staff, members of the div-
sion headquarters and possibly the ma
jorlty of one regiment. 1t also Will
bear a giant red banner on both sides
of It's prov, whereon there will be
replica of the divisions insignia and
two stars, indicating that it is the
flagship and bears the first members of
the division to again set foot on Amer
ican soil
Troops Are Overjoyed
What vessel Will be given this honor
was not fully decided to-day, but it
viii undoubtedly be one of speed suf-
hcient to lead the entire convoy
throughout the voyage The CORE
spondent communicated by telephone
with the division from Paris to-day
and learned Of the unparalleled Joy as
the last minutes of the long stay in
France approached. This JOY was all
the more keen by virtue of the many
appointments experienced since leav-
ing the Meuse-Argonne battle-ground
and marching into the Chaumont rest
area, where rumors began to fy thick
and fast that the Metropolitan Division
would be among the first to go home.
One by one these rumors dissolved
in thin air, until finally the order
came to salvage all heavy material
and prepare for the homeward iour .
ney. But the trains only carried the
hopeful doughboys into the LIE Mans
area, where they, settled down in a
score of small French villages await
ing further orders.
Then came the climax of disap-
pointment, with the definite knowledge
that the first New York troops to leave
the shores Of France would be Cen
eral Organs 27th Division Keen
rivalry existed between these two New
York fighting bodies as regards which
would be tho first TO receive the
plaudts Of the folks back home.
Hear of Welcome TO eth
The National Guardsmen won. and
since the reports of the magnificent
reception New York gave them have
filtered into the bllcts Of the Metro
poltnns IN the lie Mans area, time has
dragged slower than ever Finally
definite orders with the true stamp Of
otiicinldom let New York City's draft
troops know that their time really had
come. IL is needless TO say that the
officers had no need to prod up the
marching columns to-day as the thou
German souvenirs still hung, quick
stepped over the country roads enroute
to the two ralnment centres.
There was disappointment in the
quarters of both officers and men few
days ago when it appeared evident that
the War Department would withhold
permission for a demonstration by the
full division in New York. That this
objection has been withdrawn is now
known and this adds to the zest of
the home going. But the moment of
supreme happiness will come un-
doubtedly when the many ships of the
great convoy approach the Statue OF
Liberty in New York harbor 1t will
be then that the young veterans will
begin to prepare to give the "Old Girl"
q stiff and solemn salute as they pass.
After the bands have played The Star
Spangled Banner while everybody
stands attention, they will let out that
rousing cheer they have been talking
about here in France for many weeks
Several French Brides Coming
Baseball, boxing. theatricals, track
meets and other divers ions have been
employed to the limit by the men of
the division to help pass the time that
dragged so slowly in France, but in
the back of everybodys mead was the
thought of this great day.
New York may expect to greet some
French brides when the ships dock at
Hoboken. Among to-day's entrain-
ments were several pretty French vii
lage girls who bear American names.
They were given special bridal com
partments," while their husbands re
manned with their comrades in the
French cars. They will finally be