The sun., 1919-08-09
THOUSANDS GIVE
GRAND OVATION
TO I'd DIVISION
$4,000 Soldiers, First to
Fight and Last to Re-
turn" Welcomed.
BIG BARRAGE OF FLOWERS
No Seats for Many Crippled
Heroes and Mothers of
Veterans.
BIG BARRAGE OF W

Neither strikes nor high prices nor
other horrors Of peace were able to
spoil the welcome which New York
owed and gave yesterday to the val
liant Second Division.
Even though New York has seen
many parades since the signing Of the
brmistice. and has had many things to
divert its mind from the glories and
sacrifices OF the war, there were hum
6reds Of thousands Of It's citizens who
laid their troubles aside for two hours
at least to cheer the sea OF bayonets
and olive drabs which flowed in Fifth
avenue from washington Arch to
10th street.
& Despite the fact that the parade was
held In the busiest part of the after
noon and that there had been no gen.
efal disposition to call a holiday for
the event. ms on the occasion of other
parades. the crowds damned the side
walks more than an hour before the
procession was due to start. and the off,
cial grand stands in front of the Pub
shc Library were crowded to capacity
at . o'clock, despite the fact that the
Column was not expected to reach that
point until after $3.50.
Although the police regulations were
generally effective in keeping the avenue
clear and regulating tPaffic at the cross
fngs, there were ms n complaints at
the stands, which extended from For
tieth to Forty-second streets, because of
the insuficiency of arrangements.
Women Relatives Minus seats.
Here scores Of women related to the
rnarchers appeared with tickets only
to find that the seats were taken. Am
balances and touring cars arrived from
h various military hospitals bringing
hundreds Of wounded. some of whom
had lost their legs in battle, and there
was no place to seat these heroes.
y Other men In the stands did their
best to help out by giving up their seats
to the crippled veterans and seating
themselves on the wooden rail at the
top of the stands. which threatened con-
ttnually to break under their weight.
Several hundred wounded were ranged
on benches before the steps of the
library. and a number whose hurts were
not serious succeeded In mounting the
placid stone lions.
W All Ndlnly ABOUT looking
Tor vantage points. and While this was
Soing on Rete. one of the groundkeepers
o.. the library, "ba wled out" a Colonel
cOartillery for walking on the young
grass.
Many persons in business establish
nfents on the opposite side of the street
On seeing the plight Of the fighters came
10 their assistance by placing their win
COWS at their disposal. Large number
OF the disabled soldiers therefore wit
rcssed the parade from neighborinr
stores and Offices. Among them were
many members of the division who had
been separated from 1t because of the
severe wounds which they had sustained
when the outfit turned the tide of war
at Chateau-Thierry and earned the IT,
tie "Saviors of Paris
Cheers for Civil War Veterans.
While preparations for the welcome
were being made the crowd showed its
appreciation for the veterans of other
wars had not dimmed. Several aged
members Of the Grand Army OF the RE-
public in their blue and gold regalia ar
rived at the stands to take seats that
were being held for them. At the sight
OF these fine locking old warriors the
crowd stood up and gave a vociferous
shout.
Some unexpected humor was provided
by a platoon of police reserves which at
tempted to execute a squads left move
ment in front of the grandstand and
brought a loud guffaw from the soldier
spectators. The men got beautifully and
thoroughly shuffied In this man9uvre.
and one marine in the stand advised in
kud tones 60 on down the line and
Try that in front of the Governor" mean
Ing Mayor Hylan. who a Just arrived.
The Police Department Band brought
groans from the crowds with the strains
of How Dry l Am"
The procession got under way prompt
~ at 3:15. Maiden. John A Lejeune,
division commander, leading with his
staff, composed of Capt. Robert L. Mel
son, u. s. NJ. c.; Capt. Addison II.
Douglass. F. A; B.. Meyers, G. S.
Iieut-Col. Hugh Mathews. U. 8. NJ. c.
In addition there rode with Gen.
Lejeune several officers who had served
with his through some of Its
hercest encounters, but who had been
transferred later ito other OUTFITS.
Lejeune's Former Aids. I'm Parade
Among these officers were Brig.-Gen.
Paul b. Malone, formerly Of the 23d
Infantry; Brig. Gen. II. c.. Ely, who
Commanded the Third Brigade at the
Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel and other
oIenSlVes COL Leroy .. UPTON, VINO
commanded the Ninth Infantry al
Chateau Thierry; Brig.-Gen. Logan
Phelan, u. s. NJ. c., and Lieut.-Col
Walter Miller. Medical Corps and SAM.
tary Train.
AS the men stepped forth the barrage
Of flowers and confetti that vas to greet
them along virtually the entire line OF
march began to descend. They moved
through 1t In massed formation, wear.
ing their blouses. ~shrapnel proof mel.
NETS. combat packs and fighting equip,
Incnt The marines and infantry carried
their bayonets ixed. While the dt.
vision commander and his stan ant
Brigade and Regimental commando,
were mounted and wore the San
Browne belts. others officers marched OF
foot and wore combat belts.
At the outset the marchers were seI
upon by a force OF knights of Columbus
workers. who forced smokes and choco.
lates into their hands.
Fifth avenue greeted the division with
a great display of iags. From the an.
ipearance OF the stores, hotels, clubs
office buildings and the mansions farther
uptown every strip OF bunting which
hailed the first returning heroes earl,
this year must have been resurrectet
and flung to the breeze again. Ono,
more the Stars and Stripes Wed witt
The Union lack of Britain in WELDON.
ing the victorious marchers on tn,
avenue.
Windows Packed with People.
windows in the FlatIron. metropolitan