The sun., 1919-03-25
BROOKLYN HALLS
HEROES OF WAR
Citizens Go Wild in Joyful
Welcome at Parade Of Survi-
vOrs of 9th Division.
GAY SCENES IN STREETS
State Guard Turns Out as Es-
cort Of Honor to the Men
Who Fought in France.

II was Brooklyr's day. Probably
never before has the borough across
the river had a day so peculiarly Its
own. for yesterday the men Of Brook
lyn who had faced the most devastat-
ing war the world ever knew, and
bested It, we're welcomed home. They
were welcomed home to hearts that
had been torn even as the ranks OF the
men who broke the Hindenburg line
had been rended, as day by day the
long casualty lists printed the names
Of men who never shall return or who
would return but remnants OF them
selves.
The closer YOU get to the grim tact
of war. saw the boys who have been
through It, the less you feel ike max
ing a demonstration. And for thou
| sands of Brooklyn's men and women
in the marching ranks and In the Ions
grand stand on Prospect Park Wes'
Yesterday morning there were mo-
ments when the agonizing days OF ias'
| autumn seemed very close indeed
Rut that after all was only a minor
| chord in the great symphony OF cheers
End waving flags and happiness WIN
which Brooklyn at large welcomed thoee
who above all are the borough 8 heroes
~ ~ q. nrophetic Of the welcome Man
| nattan will give the whole division TO-
day Fifth avenue will be delirium.
| steel HeIments signal Cheers.
There are those who believe It was
mistake 10 put so many OF the present
| members of the Brooklyn guard reg,-
ments In the line ahead OF the units or
The Twenty-seventh. Metropolitan CROWDS
have become thoroughly used to seeing
men in uniform. But II gave contrast
The atmosphere changed with the nrs'
appearance OF Brig. Gen. Charles l. De
bevoise. mounted. in command OF 'he
| lTwenty-seventh's detachment.
His was the first figure to appear
| topned by the steel helmet that marked
service where steel helmets were needed,
Ahead of him rolled perfectly timed
| ba-raEe-a barrage Of cheers with every
! musical tone, from the shrtll super so
prano OF little Mile Smith. who saw
! her brother to the subfoRhorn oase, OF
old Tom Jones with the bronze button
OF the Grand Army on his lapel, who
saw his grandson.
| Wild, unrestrained happiness shrieked
| in that cheer. and II followed the ser
ried ranks as they swung by the stands
and the crowded sidewalks and windows
| for the better part OF an hour
| Nothing could have been more dra-
matic than that difference between the
reception to those of the present guard
| and those who used TO be guardsmen.
II was the keynote of the whole recep-
| ton.
"Think of it." said one woman, "those
! boys used to be militia, too -
Once Militia, Vow Veterans.
There was nothing OF the militia in
| their makeup yesterday. They marched
with the swing which only active service
can give. They showed a sort of hand
some. courteous inattention to the plau-
dts poured into their ears, showered be-
fore their eyes. II was the difference
between the attitude OF the finished pro-
fessional and that OF the partly un-
trained amateur. These men were pa
rading. But they recognized a parade
| as one of the mere Incidents. one OF the
things that are done automat tically in
their profe ssion. Their profession was
fighting.
And fighting spoke In every line Of the
picture. They marched In close forma-
| ton, twenty abreast, rifles at the shouj-
der and bayonets hxed. They marched
lin perfect step and In correct alignment
II eyes slipped to right or. left in search
ltiously--and what they saw impaired no
whit Of change to the tanned, hard, nj
faces that often had looked death In
the face.
Each man wore his steel helmet bear
|