The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-13
HUNILIATIN OUR
HOMECOMING BOYS
ASHES OF VICTORY
Returned Soldiers Parade
Streets Without
Rifles
MARCH EMPTY HANDED
MARCH EMPTY HANDED
Returning Soldiers Who Fought and
Suffered Marched Like
Defeated Troops

Bourne, Jr., today gave out the fol- |
lowing statement from it's Washing |
ton headquarters:
"For reasons which must strike |
the ordinary citizen as wholly made
quate, the War Department caused
the returned soldiers from the Dis |
trict of Columbia to parade through |
the streets of the National Capital |
without rifles, thus giving them every
appearance of bunch of prisoners
rather than returning victorious
army. If this is a precedent to be
followed elsewhere throughout the
country, paciism has evidently de-
tern1ined to lose no opportunity to
humiliate the fighting men.
"For more than two weeks a great
amount of space was occupied in the
Washington papers with stories re-
lating to the subject. Dozens Of
conferences were held with War De-
partment officials by those in charge
of the parade and pronounced eff
fort was made to get rifles for the
men. After unwinding hundreds of
yards of red tape, it was discovered
that the only way to get guns for the
men was to have them re-enlist in
either the guard OF the regular army.
At this period of the game it appear
ed as hard to get rifles for the men
for one day as it was az the begin
ming of the war when men we're fore
ed to train with wooden rifles.
"Then the talk changed to having
the men bonded for the return of the
guns after the parade so that the
War Department could get them
back all nice and waxed. Robert n
Harper, chairman of the parade COM
mittee, was quoted repeatedly as
making every effort to get enough
guns and helmets to equip all District
troops in line. This all to prove that
those in charge Of parade arrange
ments were more than anxious that
these returning heroes should not
march empty handed as so many
prisoners.
"But the day before the parade,
Mr.. Harper made the following an
nouncement: The War Department
has signifed it's willingness to loan
equipment to the men for the parade,
but the committee has decided that
it will be better for the men to march
| without equipment This annonce-
| ment could be taken as nothing short
| of a polite effort on the part of Mr..
Harper to cover up the fact that Sec
rotary Baker and his followers had
refused the use of the rifles. This
| is no more than to be expected from
Newt, the pacifst. Those who view
ed the Victory Parade were more
than impressed with the effect pro-
duced by hundreds Of soldiers march
| ing without arms. These soldiers
who had fought and suffered for
their country marched with hands
hanging limp at their sides like so
many prisoners! Both directly in
front and directly behind them march
ed troops not yet discharged, who
carried full equipment. The picture
is simple to vicualize. The gunless
soldiers might, from all appearances,
have been defeated troops marching
under armed guard. What a reward
for these men who offered their all
to their contry? What kind of heart
is it, that prompts Secretary of
War to forbid these men, on the day
their fellow citizens wish to pay
them homage, to carry the rifles
which served them so well in the
hours Of trial and danger?
"When the remainder of the Prus-
sian Guard marched down Inter den
Linden in the capital of the defeated
German Empire, they marched with
full equipment. Flags were flying,
bands playing and the men wore
wreaths of laurel about their heads
and upon their rifles. The huge gun
carriages which numbered down this
| German street were covered with
laurel and these defeated Huns were
heralded as un-defeated heroes.
/ What a strange contrast to the vic
/ torious procession of Americans, who
marched down the historic Pennsyl-
vania Avenue on February 27, 1919,
where the armies of the North march
ed with bayonets-pointed rifles after
victory in the civil war; Mr.. Baker
must have been proud of this pacifist
army as it passed in review These
men INST have felt a pang of humilia-
ton to have thus been penalized for
service well done"