Evening star., 1919-02-27

It was a great parade and great
demonstration that was given to well
come home the men of the National
Capital who have returned from the
military and naval service of the coun-
try. And weather conditions under
which it was given could hardly have
been improved if those in charge of
arrangements had been permitted per-
sonally to fix them.
Under a sky almost cloudless, and
with only enough of a breeze blowing
to straighten out the flags and stand
ards carried by the marchers and TO
stir the banners and the bunting, the
Districts boys back from the war
marched between solid ranks of cheer
ing, appla uding relatives, friends and
neighbors. Those in the crowds who
could not be included in any of these
classifcations watched as interested
spectators, brother and sister Ameri-
cans joining in a welcome to the re-
turned soldiers with almost as keen a
personal interest as if they and the
marchers really belonged.
Gather Hours in Advance.
Back of the ropes stretched early this
morning along both sides of Pennsyl-
vania avenue from the Capitol to 18th
street the crowds began to gather hours
before the time for the parade to start
City-bound street cars on every line
brought additions to the throngs. the
cars on the Virginia and Maryland
suburban lines being loaded to suffoca-
ton from O'Clock onward
1t was an inauguration day crowd
with difference. The difference was
that thousands of the individuals
interest in at least one among the
15.0a0 marchers--an : interest aside
from that with which crowds view
the presidential pageants every four
years. 1t was the kind of interest
that one could almost feel in passing
along the Avenue sort of mag
netic emanation that seemed to wire
less the fact that the fellows who
soon We're tc pass in review before
the throngs and before the President
of the United States included many
of the sons and brothers and hus-
bands who were a part of the capi-
taFs Hanpower contribution to the
crushing Of the Hun.
Always the hub and center of at
traction of the crowds at an event In
which the President participates, La
fayette Square and the vicinity of
the White House was no exception to-
day. Every one who was able to gain
entrance to the coveted space in front
of the Executive Mansion was there,
hundreds stroiling or standing along
the north sidewalk or sitting on the
stone coping surrounding the park
for hours before the parade was
scheduled to start.
Many Bands in Line.
Along the 18th street side of the
Treasury building, and from the stems
and stands at the north entrance of
the building, thousands of employees
of the Treasury Department viewed
the spectacle.
TIE many bands in the parade
somewhat of a novelty in Washing
ton affairs of the kind-were scarcely
needed to keep the enthusiasm of the
spectators keyed up to the proper
state, and the marchers passed be-
tween solid ranks of men, women and
children voicing an almost eontinu-
Gus succession of hurrahs and split
ting gloves and almost bIistering
palms in uninterrupted handclapping
Police arrangements for the parade
were well nigh perfect. At noon the
cars of the Capital Traction Company
and the police, Boy Scouts and special
policemen began clearing the thor
oughfare. Only such automobiles and
other vehicles as carried official in
sigma and whose occupants were pro-
vided with police passes were per
mitted to enter or traverse the Ave-
nue. after 1890 o'clock