The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-08
GENERAL PERSHING
HOME TODAY
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concentrated their strategic plans on
the front between Metz and Verdun'
where the final decision was eVenlu-
ally worked out, but not until aitet
Americans had been thrown IN at
practically every point along the line
from Alsace to Belgium, foiioWins
General Pershing's famous olfer 10
General Foch Of anything ana every
thing America possessed to Dam Lu,
dendorff's waves in the drive III
Paris in the spring OF 1918.
General Pershing's FIRST Ylc.ory
was the wiping out OF the 81. Mihiei
salient, and was quickly foiloWeu ny
herculean offensive near Nefuun
American divisions rolled into the
months long battle until IL seeheu
as IL General Pershing in the rear
had unlimited resources 10 tap, 50
smoothly did the organization WORK.
In November the Germans capl,u
lated. lust as Yankee divisions broke
Tho last German lines Of defense I'M
til the Rhine.
THE army of occupation moved
quietly to Coblenz and proved the
German soil. Since that time Cen
eral Pershing has directed his efforts
almost entirely TO getting two million
Americans home as quickly as pos
sible and to services at the peace
conference in Paris.
Procession Up Broadway.
NEW YORK, Sept S.-General
Pershing landed at the Battery at
1915 o'clock. He was escorted by
rolice and city officials to an automo-
bile in which he proceeded up Broak'
way to the City hall.
thousands of persons lined the side
walks in the financial district and
leaned from office windows seeking
glimpse of the returning commander.
Cheering echoed to the heights OF the
skyscrapers.
Greeted by TWO Sisters.
HOBOKEN, Sept. Sine general
stepped ashore at $40. He kissed
his two sisters and shook hands with
Secretary Baker.
Referring to the reception given
him as he was coming up the harbor,
Pershing said:
1T is overwhelming. 1 accept 1t in
the name OF the brave Americans who
fought in France
The Nations Idol.
NEW YORK, Sept. S.-Pershing
came home today, the nations idol
The commander-in-chief. symbolic
ing the greatest Of American armies,
arrived on the giant transport Leyia-
than shortly after 9 o'clock
ago, General Pershing sailed from
this port with handful of men, the
first of Americas millions, their
shrouded in the utmost
secrecy.
At that time the allied arrnes were
wearied and discouraged by more than
three years of warfare-a German
victory seemed imminent.
Today he returned as conqueror.
the enemy crushed and staggering
under an ignominious dictated peace.
In contrast to the stealth Of his de-
parture-a stealth necessitated by
the danger Of U-boats warned by
German spies-his homecoming was
the signal for one of the greatest
in American history.
To the hundreds of thousands who
babe Pershing welcome, his GRIM
soldierly figure personified the mil.
lions of khaki-clad boys who defeated
the great Prussian military machine
On his shield were blazoned the
words, "Chateau-Thierry," "Argonne,"
"Meuse," "Cantigny."
In his soul again lived the spirits
of those fifty thousand young cru
saders who answered the last roll
call on the battlefields of France and
Flanders.
ut was the American spirit that
won the war" President Wilson re-
Gently told western audience.
1t was the American spirit that
turned the greeting to Pershing into
an hours-long reign Of frenzied cheer
ing and flag waving.
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 several days to greet the return
ing hero. There were delegations
from FL Paso, where he was stationed
during the Mexican border troubles;
from Cheyenne, where his late wife
lived before their marriage; from
La Clede, the little Missouri town
where he was born, and from nearly
every city, village and hamlet identi-
fled with him or with the great
armed force he commanded.
From the moment the Leviathan
reached Ambrose light, a score Of
miles from the city, before 5 o'clock,
her passage through the lower and
upper bays and up the North river
was veritable "triumphal entry.
The waters were dotted with crafts
of all kinds, darting from here and
there in the wake Of the collosal
steamer Their footing whistles and
believing sirens We'd with the roar
ing cheers of deck loads of passen-
gers and crowds on shore. AS the
Leviathan slipped past Forts Hamil-
ton and Wadsworth the sharp bark
ing of saluting guns roared over the
narrows. Overh cad a group of air
planes which had met the Leviathan
far out at sea, circled and dipped like