Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-08
NJ MES
SINGING or aEERICLA
ON BANKS or RHINE
Thsnsaaas or AneFaeRas Sing Natteaal
Anthems German AceempanIes
ghem On a Pfpe OrsMM

!
With the American Army Of Occu
patton. Coblens, February The sign
OF the Red Triangle il over the door
way of the largest festhall III coblenz
and has been there since the very day
thai soldiers 81 the FIRST division 81
the American Army of Occupation en-
tered the town And on that night.
under \. N q Al auspices. there Was
a concert that will 80 down In history
ais the most enthusiastic entertain
ment of its kind ever given Thou
sands 81 soldiers Allied the hall and
America was sung for the iirst time
on the banks OF the Rhine by Amer
lean soldiers
In order that the national anthem
might be feature Of the program,
Secretary Charles " Baker. Of the.
y. M. G. a and Indiana polls, Ind,
was forced 10 pay SO To q German
0rganist TO furnish the aceompani
ment The musician presided st
large pipe organ. said to be one Of the
finest in Germany, and as the strains
Iof the song we're heard the men stood
and with ringing voices sang My
Country It's OF Thee The scene
was one Of the most inspiring Of the
many that occurred during the history
making days Of the entry into Cob
lenz and the surrounding Rhine ter-
ritory
The German accompanies vas SO Inn
pressed by the patriotic fervor OF the.
audience that he agreed without soli-
citation to play two other numbers.
This was followed BY moving pic
ture show, the outfit having been sent
out from Paris on truck BY the 7 II.
g. Al The films were displayed TO ad
vantage ia the great building with its
excellent facilities for such purpose
Men In khaki filled every seat and
stood against the walls. voicing their
appreciation In sustained applause
The moving picture outfit reached
COblenz after strenuous trip.
Mounted on truck the r. men were
able to furnish shows ut many places
along the march through Luxembourg
and from the frontier Of that country
TO the Rhine where final halt was
made Al towns such as Sanheim,
Grendrich and Tries pictures were
shown In halls or theatres but III the
majority Of places they were held in
I the open. the men gathering around
the truck for the show
Religious services as we'll as song
tests and band concerts were held in
connection with the movies Chaplain
Beal and Chaplain Cannon of the Dr.
kyision were In charge 81 the services
and they also materially assisted the
tsY'' men with their film program by
arranging for gatherings dit each or
the regimental headquarters
The first movie show staged by the
~ in Germany was held at Senheim
and Was attended By the Second Field
Signal battalion en- masse The en-
tertainment came as distinct sur
prise at the close tof d day of heavy
marching The men were very tired
and 1t was at first feared by the Red
Triangle workers that they were too
fatigued TO even care for the pictures,
but such was not the case The big
movie truck had not been hauled into
position two minutes before crowd
collected and they were insistent In
their demand that the films be put on
Despite aching feet and dropping
shoulders they stood In d drizzling rain
to watch the performance.
The movie machine operated under
practically the same conditions at
headquarters Of the 18th infantry, 6tli
Artillery and Supply company. at
stops along the road Of the march to
the Rhine The weather on the en-
tire march was gloomy and homesick-
ness tugged at the hearts or the boys
who we're daily getting farther and
farther away from communication
with America. That the pictures and
entertainments afforded BY the u Mi.
G. A. were responsible for keeping up
the spirits Of the men was the con-
census of opinion among the officers
and the association leaders were urg-
ed 70 provide every possible means Of
amusement for the troops forming the
Army Of Occupation
Personal liberty consists III the pow
/ er Of doing that which IS permitted
Il 4 y