The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-08

Dawn barely had broken when the
Leviathan doomed thru the mists off
\ Ambrose channel Hghtship. Steaming
slowly thru the narrow passageway.
the great steamship was greeted by
a. convoy of six destroyers while sea-
planes circled oyer head. The forts
which guard the harbor doomed a
generals salute as the ship which once
was the pride of Germany crept past
4 quarantine and nosed thru the mar
( rows into the harbor under the shadow
1 Of the Statue Of Liberty. While the
guns still echod. the whistles of mer-
chant vessels from the Seven Seas
sturdy tugs, gafly decorated ferry
boats. excursion craft of every kind,
and the sirens of factories on shore
| Joined in discordant salutation.
The shores on Staten Island. Brook
| Ign, Jersey and Manhattan were lined
with thousands whose shouts of greet
| ing came family across the waters of
the bay to the falimiar figure on the
bridge. They made up the vanguard
| of the vast army of welcomers who
had already packed Battery park and
] overlooked into the streets beyond,
waiting until General Pershing had
been greeted by Vice President Mar
shall and the secretary of war. and
was ready to cross the river to the
great city that was eager to pay him
tribute.
Every state in the Union was rep
resented in the crowds that massed
along the water front in Manhattan,
/ on Staten Island and in New Jersey.
Tens of thousands OF visitors had been
| flocking to Americas gateway for sew
eral days to greet the returning hero.
There were delegations from FL paso,
where he was stationed during tho
| Mexican border trouble; from Chey-
enne, where his late wife lived be-
fore their marriage; from Laclede, the
| little Missouri town where lie was
bora and from nearly every city, viii
! lage and hamlet identified with him or
with the great armed force he COM
manded.
Forgot His Dignity.
The great liner came up to her pier
| at 8 o'clock and, as she was being
/ warped into her berth there was a
! tremendous volley OF cheering from
| the crowd assembled there. General
Pershingr smiling in appreciation,
/ with head barred, bowed repeatedly in
] response. Once he forgot his dignity
I in his enthusiasm at returning home
and waved his cap as he saluted the
( happy throng.
/ At the pier were many dignitaries of
nation, state and city. and it was there
/ he was welcomed on behalf OF the
/ nation.
The First divisions band Of 100
pieces on board the ship. the mem
bers of which had served thruout all
/ the fighting. in which the veteran
unit had been engaged, began playing
in response to the welcoming strains
from the pier, and Hail Hall the
gled with the cheers. The Leviathan
! locked at S:43.
Welcome Messages From Air.
Messages dropped by a police hy-
I droRirplane aboard the Leviathan at
/ daybreak as she approached the har-
I Dor signalized the beginning of the
| three days reception to General
Pershing by the city OF New York.
| The messag es welcomed the general
on behalf of the city and were signed
! by Mayor Hylan and Rodman Wan
! amaker. chairman of the mayors
committee of welcome of homecoU-
ing troops. From aboard the city
steamer patrol Mayor Hylan, Governor
| Smith and other notables greeted the
returning soldiers. on behalf OF the
city and state. Vice President Mar
/ shall welcomed General Pershing
| from the deck of the destroyer Blake
| ". In the vice presidents party were
| Secretary OF War Baker, General Pey-
/ ton c. March. chief of staff, other
high officers and members Of con-
/ gress.
! From the moment when the Levia-
than arrived at her dock, IN Hoboken,
until late at night General Pershing's
|
with receptions. luncheons and con-
cluded with a theater party.
The public reception at the city hall
! was followed by a private reception of
the Waldorf. Hundreds of thousands
massed in the streets along the route
from the Battery to the City hall and
from there to the hotel.
In the evening Pershing will be the
| guest of honor at a dinner given by
| the mayors reception committee in
| the Ritz-Carlton hotel. Tomorrow
the schools will be dismissed at noon
and fifty thousand children will greet
| the general in Central park. A,recep-
/ the Elks club.
From there he will go to another
reception by the George Washington
Memorial association at Carnegie hall.
| Wednesday is "Pershing day." 1t
has been /decreed an official holiday.
Pershing will lead the famous First
division up Fifth avenue in what
probably will be the most spectacular
Of the many paradeS held on that
thorofare.
But today the nations interest CEN
ters in the simple fact of his arrival
BLACK Jack" Pershing is home.
Waldorf "Spruces Up"
/ Miss May Pershing and Mrs But
Ter, sisters of General Pershing, from
In yin 4NSD.' WITS EAouoCk' the gem
erals sister-in-law. and his nephew,
James Pershing, Jr., met the comman-
der in chief as he left the Leviathan
with his son, Warren Pershing, 10
years old, and his brother, James
Pershing. General Pershing, with his
staff. will occupy the entire third floor
of the Waldorf-Astoris hotel A force
of hotel employees has been working
for week to get the generals private
suite OF ten rooms in readiness for the
distinguished visitor and the decora-
tons and arrangements for the big
banquet of Wednesday night will sur
pass ANYTHING achIaveh h, tha t.n..n