The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-24
Battery A Boys Will DemObilize
in Kansas Camp.
Will Not Go to Camp Pike, the
Dispatch Announces.
HAD A GREAT time WEDNESDAY
Landing of 13Oth Artillery Was
Real Welcome Event.
Kansas Troops at Camp Upton
in New York Today.

The United Press announced Off
eialIy from Washington this afternoon
that units of the 13Oth field artillery
will be demObiliZed at Camp Funston.
This statement sets at rest rumers to
the effect that Kansas men with the
organization will be taken to Camp
Pike, Little Rock, Ark.
Under the announcement today the
field artillery-incIuding Battery A,
the Headquarters and supply companies
of TOpeka-will go to the Kansas camp
for rehabilitation. 1t Is probable that
the men in these organizations will
spend at least a few hours in Topeka
next week their way to Funston.
The field artillery will leave Camp
Upton, New York, in four or five days.
New York, April 24.-It seemed
that Battery A of Topeka and the
boys of the 130th field artillery never
would get ashore. Three times the
big transport Mobile tried for the pier.
Each time it missed connections. Two
hours were lost-two hours in which
reception committees yelled from a
tug, bands played, an army of Red
Cross nurses waved handkerchiefs-
and the men from Kansas lined up
and swore. Maybe it wasn't real.
honest-to-goodness profanity. Even
so, feller has some privileges when
friends and Broadway are near-oh,
so near-and you can't quite land.
1T seemed that we spent a week
gelllnS ashore, said MAJ James r.
Going. And a buck private-fresh
from the fields of battle and blood
shed and glory-amplified and cleo
trifled the sentiment in an undertone
Jaw, HI, I thought we were bobbin
| around in the river tryin' to win a
bet"
Home Near, Yet Hard to Reach.
Home was near-ever and ever so
near-for the men who came into
HOhnkan a he RI1f fn1-
two hours the pilots and pier masters
argued and wrang1ed and swore. Re-
ception committees, relatives and
friends waited for opportunities to
give the men a homecoming that
was not branded with New York
trademarks, but was truly Kansas in
spirit.
Once the Mobile reached the pier,
there was another disappointment. It
seemed that the day of triumphal ar
l1VaI in New York town was destined
to be celebrated under a cloud. On
the pier the army regulations kept
'eiatives and friends from the war
riors. Many of these relatives had
started from their Kansas homes last
week. They had barely slept during
, the last two nights of anticipation.
And then the boys marched out with
out handShake, a hug or a kiss,
Army rules-made by horribly prac-
| t1cal and cruelty unfeeling army Off
cers-forbid love greetings on the pier.
\ So the crowd at the docks choked
back a little sob or dried a tear and
| Joined the New York throng that was
waiting to give the Kansas and Mis-
souri, boys a welcome with a Broad
way fringe.
Kansas Officers There.
Out in, the bay the old command
| of 13Oth units met the men and
| cheered them as the transport steamed
| into port. Then they met the Man
churia and gave a Kansas welcome to
boys of the 18th Infantry-a truly
| Kansas fighting force.
| Generals Charles I. Martin. Wilder
5. Metcalf, P. M. Hoisington and Col.
| Hugh Means were with Senator Cap
| per and Governor Allen when the
| Kansas committee welcomed the men
| from overseas. The men recognized
first by the men on the transports
/ were not the officeholders whose
names are in the daily papers and
! pictures on the billboards. Instead
| the cheers that came first from the
throats of the artillery and infantry
men were for their former chieftains
The four army officers who Joined in
/ the reception for the returning troops
had been relieved of their commands
I-General Martin shortly before the
Argonne battle. But the Kansas well
come for the returning soldiers was
scarce less noisy than the soldier well
come for the men who had organized
drilled and finished the former ma
tional guard organization.
Taken to Camp Upton.
AS soon as arrangements were made
| for the movement of the troops. they
were entrained for Camp Upton, siXt.
miles from New York City. They viii
remain in camp here until sent to de.
mobilization camp.
Wednesday night many officers o.
the 130th field artillery and 18th in
fantry attended reception at tht
Waldorf-Astoria. Nearly 500 Kansan!
and former Kansans were present
Among officers attending the dinner
! were Maj. James F. Going, Col. FREQ
r. Fitzpatrick, Capt. Arthur NJ Mill
and Capt. W. P. MacLean.
Many Topeka boys were seen as th'
, both troops left their boat to com
ashore. Among them was A B. Brown
a color sergeant. Brown. loaded will
souvenirs, was one of those who hat
an opportunity to talk to newspape
men. Asked about his trophies am
how he got them. he said:
r "Well. you see the home folks ex
pect us to have little romance con
| nected with our souvenirs. W,
Con'inuad IT I'Age rwn.I