The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-12
GOOD TO TROOPS
Germans Go Out of Way to
Make seth Comfortable.
Kansas Boys Take All That the
Huns Give.
u. P. Il. II. Press Bureau.)

New York, March 1.-THE S9th
Division is being exceptionally treated
by the German people who are going
out of their way to make the men
comfortable. The boys don't know but
what this is propaganda, but after the
rough time of the last weeks of fight
ing they are not inclined to look gift
horse in the mouth and they are TAX
ing anything they can get in the way
of comfort"
Captain John Newman of Denver
who led a company of the 3S3rd In
fantry into Germany and who left the
seth Division but three weeks ago.
thus describes the feelings of the Mid
Western men who are now occupying
German territory. Captain Newman
is one of several S9th Division officers
who were attached to earlier return
ing units, their places being exchanged
with officers who wished to remain
overseas. He arrived with the advance
party of the 9th Division to aid in
making arrangements for the home
coming celebration here.
Captain Newman. tells of the march
| of the 353rd regiment into Germany
with the rest of the division, which
| started several days after the signing
| of the armistice when the fighting
| 353rd occupied a part of the town of
| Stenay, France, together with the
| heights above it, having crossed the
/ Meuse the night before. When the
news came the men took it quietly;
| they were glad but there/was no DEM
! onstration. The rest of the division
| was around Mouzon and Ponilly at the
| time.
| Directly after the fighting stopped
we were relieved by the 18th and all
| excepting the third battalion went into
| billets for a rest. The third marched
| forward about thirty kilometers with
| the machine gun company. The divi-
| sion rested until about the goth and
| then started the hike into Germany.
| passing thru the advance battalion
which afterward made several fast
marches and caught up. The 353rd,
marching two or three days and rest
| ing one finally arrived at GorOlstein,
| Germany, where it rested a week.
! Gorolstein was past the S9th's area
| of occupation and the regiment waS
| relieved there by one of the Goth di-
visions, marching back to Prum which
is now regimenta1 headquarters. The
| other organizations had scattered be-
tween Bitburg, kylburg, Saarburg,
Schweich and other cities of our area
/ 1.-The billet of the third battalion OF
the 353rd in Prum is the best place
we struck in all of Europe. 1t was a
convent and Steam-heated, besides
having baths with real hot water. We
| were especially lucky but all of the
| S9th's billets in Germany were good
and certainly appreciated after the
| weeks and months in the cowsheds
and dugouts of the fighting zone. Rea
beds looked mighty fine to the boys
and they had earned them.
1.-The work of guarding the railroad
lines and bridges as well as duty ir
cities and similar occupations are
taken in turn by various organizations
In order to keep the rest of the rmer
occupied drills and maneuvers were
held daily. If man made high mark:
in his drills, target practice or othel
work Ire was excused in the after
moons. The men have worked at thi
until some of the outfits in the ,8t9I
are really rema rkable. Competitive
drills between the organizations will
banners for prizes are held and thu
rivalry between them is. strong.
"Of course, the men all want to ge
home, but they are most reasona BIZ
and few complaints are heard. The.
know that someone had to stay II
until some of the outfits in the 89tl
was one of the two national army di
visions selected to go into German.
| is something of an honor. At that
I however, it will be a mighty glad di
vision when the order comes to star
| ha this