The Washington times., 1919-01-11
VERDUN JOYOUSAT
TRUCE, ,SAYSS|MON
By Goldberg

4
OF the armistice and how the churches
OF that celebrated French city filled
in Thanksgiving services with natives
and soldiers of all the allies is en-
tertainingly told In letter which
Rabbi Abram Simon has written TO
his congregation at the Eighth Street
Temple. Rabbi Simon is on official
overseas service and his letter was
read at a meeting OF his congresa-
tion in the. Eighth Street Temple
last night SO
His letter follows:
"verdun. December 2 ,Isls. :
my Dear People:
"In the hope that these lines reach
you. before the cradle bells of 1919
ring in q new year. send you my
greetings to the welcoming season.
No one year is written so large In
the annals OF the world as 1918
Though dyed in precious blood we
are nevertheless crowning IL with the
laurels of a victorious peace. The
year could not. have died a more
! glorious death.
oaIm Fellows Armistiee.
''The day OF the armistice was one
OF the outstanding moments OF my
/ life. Twenty miles to the north I was
q, proceeding along the road past
IGlorieux, vascherovilie, toward Ne
veille, and when within a certain
distance Of the front line because
was only permitted to proceed to a
prescribed limitD I heard the final
boom OF the great gun at 1859 a. m.
A calmness almost weird and almost
perceptible swept the beautiful hills
| for mills around. Four miles to the
! east lay Deaths Valley. In a minute
the Kaiser's dynasty lay buried there,
never, hope. to resurrect. The last
minute gunfire was the death knell of
Prussian militarism. What q dramatic
moment! Probably the most sig
The destinies OF humanity In the bal
ance were being guided by an ALI
directing Hand!
AT 2 in the same afternoon q
! conglomerate mass Of men had gath
cred near the citadel OF verdun. Sud
! denly, at the sound Of the bugle,
soldiers of Z the French, American,
British instinctively fell in line, and
saw a most unique international
parade celebrating the close OF the
war. A priest led the way, an Ameri-
Sah oouo VI IulTly pieces followed.
and hundreds of soldiers and civilians
came in Joyous pursuit, interiocking
arms, swinging sticks, handkerchiefs,
and shouting the new Battle Cry of
Freedom.
Yank Prisoners Return.
"on the following day I had oc-
casion to visit the personnel officers
of certain regiment when my at
tention was attracted by a queer
sight. Here in the French barrack 4
saw the first forty American prison
ers released by Germany. Most of
them happened to have been of our
Seventy-Ninth division and to have
been captured on the fourth OF No
vember. One week of confinement
told heavily on some whose anemic
faces and hollow coughs spoke VOL
umes Of their suferings, while others
were SO boisterously happy to be
among their own that they forgot TO
comment on their prison rations or
German treatment. For several days
since. streams OF released English,
French, Russian, Italian and Rou-
manian prisoners have flowed thru
the lines into Verdun and into the
De Neil barracks where food and
shelter were provided, and whence
they were sent to their own armies
or specially prepared for temporary
quarters.
And now something more personal!
I am conceited enough TO believe that
you wish me to say a word about my
self and future plans If ] only could
say something of certainty. Rumors
fly thick and fast. We have been
ready for a forward or backward
movement for the past two weeks.
We sometimes suspect we are destined
for the Army OF Occupation and are
eventually to march into Luxembourg
so as to be ready in the event OF any
internal disturbance arising in Ger
many when the peace terms are hand
ed her. Sometimes we believe that
our division is preceding into a rest
area for final ernbarkation homeward.
Had our Seventy-ninth been chosen at
the very start for entrance in to Cob
lenz via LuSemburg there would have
been a resounding shout Of Forward
in all our ranks. but to GO now. after
the first troops have had the privilege
OF the thrill would rob US OF that rare
experience which cannot be found in
a secondhand thrill. In other words,
the men are languishing to go home.
with my most fervent prayers for
New Year OF increasing health
and prosperity to you all, and that
you will believe that hold you
in affectiopate remembrance. re-
main.
sincerely yours,
ARRAN SIMON"