The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-03-04
LETTER FROM EDMUND HOWE
Mild Winter On the Rhine But SOL
dlers Want 10 Come Home

With the Army of Occupation.
Editor OF the Banner:
Yesterday had the opportunity Of
spending the day in CoDlenz and
learned that this city has its share of
vermonters. The biheting officer OF
Coblenz is a lieutenant from 81. Al.
bans. the lieutenant of the military
police in charge Of the two bridges
over the Rhine into Coblenz is Yer
monter from Bellows Falls; the mill
tary police lieutenant in charge OF
the restricted area (cabarets, etc.,
is Vermonter from BIattleboro;
and the lieutenant in charge OF the
aviation field in Coblenz is a, Yer
monter from Northleld, lmet all OF
these men yesterday but two OF them
were already old friends OF mine,
having been in the 1st Vermont In.
fantry nearly two years ago at Fort
Ethan Allen
Lieut. Gregory OF Northneld VI. is
in charge OF the aviation field. Sat
urday ii the weather permits, he is
going TO take me for fight down the
Rhine and around the territory oc.
cupied by the Army of Occupation.
He promises to loop the loop with
me; introduce me to the side glide,
or make spiral dives with me if |
wish, but something tells me that |
will insist upon just straight fight
with no fancy figures since It is my
first trip up.
.id.I Gregory lis ,particularly pleased
to meet vermonters and he wants
every Fermonter in the Army OF De-
,cupationi 70 have a ride with him. He
iAets his passenger pick out the plane
he wishes to ride in. an American
English French, or German plane
Ny choice is the English plane with
i the Sampson motor which seems Ia
me theleast clumsy ofthe four The
American plane with the Liberty
motor looks rather large and un
wieldy compared with the other ma
chimes After Saturday. will prob
ably know more about aeroplanes
and possibly will have lost my, en-
thusiasm about flying, but 1t is 9
wonderful opportunity to so up ant
anyone would be foolish not to take
advantage OF IT,
Coblenz is modern city, clear
looking and attractive There are
many things to see there OF histori
cal interest. among which are The
Schloss, or palace. which was erect
ed by Clemens Wenceslaus, the las
sEleetor Of Trevess the statue OF viii
Fheim on the point formed By IN,
junction OF j the Rhine apd i, hi
4 Mlselle; and the Is Aloselle. 1 Brfds,
erected in 1874 The American. arm,
A;lieadquarters tsrd 5strmy) ,iseip fpi
fehormo6s government building fac
ing the Rhine, and 1t cisA from ..fhi
hbuildine itlia the orders are lasstie,
governing the Army OF Occupation.
! The church OF ST. Castor on tn
Rhine was founded In 1896 and In It
present form dates from the end O
the 18th century One OF the princI
pal residential streets of Cobleng
Lohr S,rasse, follows thesllne Of, tn
sldF Rssea lRoaass4ayit byA euffiIat
rfAtml. x 1sois2 & A 4AJ 3s,sf atLsid
of that city stands Stalsenfels Castl
which is tho property OF the ex. Kaise
and just across the Rhine frot
Coblenz is tho Ehrenbertsteln Fort
flcation. eSonc> -ols Nae strongest fort
In GeEffany,s at>fhe, present time
. the lstgionecf, fnfpiitry Regiment
Eoceh bymg me fort 6.
All OF the beat hotels in coblen
are used for the accommodation {
: officers and meals are served ther
under the management OF the Y.
: c. A. The headquarters for Amer
can officers on leave is the Hot,
1 Monopol The manager OF this hot,
at one time was manager of one
= the best hotels In Philadelphia.
The paramount desire among III
!, members of the Army OF 0ccupatio
J, is to get home. They have seen a
!; OF Europe that they wish to and al
: disguised to think they were pickle
: Out 10 do The guard duty. Particular
Is that the feeling Of q, regiment at
toned in a small town like .thI
Here in ValIendar is the entire 2Sl
+ infantry, $500 men crowded into
town about the size OF North Be
: nington. There is practically
= amusement nor recreation here I
!. tho men ruf
We have a-Y NIGGA. here no
:, but they have nothing to sell al
y nothing In the way OF amuseme
n except q cheap wctrola and lit
= writing paper The Y. VI. c. a.
struggling to make good now III
= the war Is over, but their chance
:. redeem themselves has been b.
. ~ damaged. During the war. l.
Red Cross and the Salvation Arr
won undymg glory for themsely,
II but the Y. N. c. A., except in isolat
cases was disappointment a
sometimes failure.
saw picture yesterday in
- American periodical OF Y. NJ. c.
man giving chocolate to soldiers