Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-08-29
TROOP PAPER TELLS HOW SOL
NATIONAL HOLIDAY


explained it to him in full.
An American Fourth of July hit
the land of beers, Rhine wine and
Isauerkraut. For all their long alb
sence from the country where "The
Fourth" spells Something, the men of
the American Forces in Germany had
not forgotten how to come across with
a celebration of the Day that might
have made even the old Fathers of
the Revolution who founded it sit up
on their tombstones and take notice.
Whether it was the joyful prospect
of an early return home, or merely
an outburst of feelings at the long
months since the A. Of o. undertook
it's present job, the Coblenz bridge
head made the most of the day that
was present to be celebrated as loudly,
as brilliantly and-in a region that
has not yet adopted moderate prohi-
bition''-as liquidly as possible. Along
with the enlightened comprehensions
of the civil population today there is
expected a serious deplenishment in
the form of drink which made the
Rhine and Moselle rivers famous.
All seriousness aside, however,
there was something to celebrate, and
there was some celebrating done, yes
terday. Exactly one year ago, on
July 4th. 1918, patriotic party of
eight American aviators flew over
Coblenz and the Rhine promenade,
which last night was thronged with
the crowds watching the fireworks
from Ehrenbreitstein and the east
bank of the river, and dropped few
G. l. cans to give the city fore-taste
of what might be expected twelve
months later. One of these bombs
made the bricks fly in back of the
Coblenzer Zeitung office near the
Festehalle and the rest raised little
cain along the river driveway which
was soon repaired. There is some
doubt this morning as to whether the
recovery from the 1919 exhibition
will be so speedy.
That is as far as the introduction
of this Fourth of July story will
carry. AS every last man and officer
OF the late Third Army, and all the
male and female attachments thereto,
is reported on good authority to have
been fully occupied with his own
celebration of the day, with the pos
sible exception of the X. P.'s, NJ. P.'s,
and other such details, the record OF
the events is just a reminder that it
did happen.
Most can recall at least the full
sized flare of fireworks, of all the
varieties that the war invented and
in plenty to illuminate decent Yank
offensive, which lit up the river and
the top of the old fortress of Ehren-
breitstein until late in the evening.
The 18th Field Artillery had been
making a day of it on their observa-
ton tower above the Rhine. After
dark the hill was turned into young
volcano of rockets and flares. From
the Coblenz side near the street-car
bridge and on the opposite shore. the
4th Engineers ran a continuous show
of spouting pyrotechnics.
The whole city of Coblenz, Allied
armies and civilians. thronged the
roadways and walks, hotels and office
buildings along the river and packed
the bridges for this display. The
crowd helped out aplenty with noise
and motion, but was almost without
exception in good order during the
evening. Even the most hardened
case of Germanism could appreciate
the humor of eight doughboys piling
into an empty carriage. otherwise
known as Coblenz hack. which was
attempting to make it's way through
the throng.
The real celebration of the day be-
gan at reveille when the bands OF all
units in the neighborhood of the city
were out in force. From that time
on nearly everyone followed his own
natural inclinations. The 5Sth In
fantry put on snappy battalion parade
in the ClementZ Platz at IL O'Clock
and incidentally brought back reml-
niscences of rapid-fre 70 action on
the front in some volleys from the
bridge during the evening display.
At Ehrenbreitstein during the fore
noon moving pictures were taken OF
regimental review Of the 18th F. A.,
in addition to still picture of the en-
tire regiment, of which a copy will be
given to every man in the organiza-
ton. A loving cup from the 18th F.
A. was presented to Charles e. Phil
lips. X. of G. secretary, who has been
with the regiment eleven months, with
speech by Col. McCabe commenting
the efforts of the welfare workers
The guns of the fortress doomed
out the National Salute of one round
for each of the forty-eight states in
the Union at noon. The first of the
75's to blare forth this salute brought
all Coblenz to attention and uttered
the official commemoration Of the
holiday Each shell used in the firms