South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-20
"Tt's A Great Life" Say
u. S. Doughboys in Germany
American Soldiers Rhine Spend Days in Luxury and
Pleasure-Are Eager to Remain, Though America
Is Not Party TO Peace Treaty.
BY BOYD GURLEY,
editor The News-TimeS.

COBLENZ. Germany-If there
be any who pity the fate OF the pri-
vate soldier. condemned by a heart
less necessity TO do duty in a for
eign land, who commisserate with
him upon the stern fate that sends
him 10 an alien land TO guard and
protect the peace OF the world, let
them save their tears.
This is the headquarters OF the
American army in Germany, not a
very large army, to be true. but yet
an army. Above the largest Office
building floats the Stars and Stripes.
Within is bit OF bureaucratic
Washington transplanted TO the
Rhine.
Through the courtesy of the
army, we are permitted TO spend
the night in the officers barracks
a huge hotel with rugs so deep that
the spurs OF the officers, if they
wore them. would be their greatest
danger and their most terrible dis
comfiture.
The great bathroom attached to
the room, which is fitted as lux
uriously as a room in the Biltmore
in New York or the Blackstone in
Chicago, is about twice the usual
size Of hotel bathrooms with its
walls of marble and its fittings such
as would delight the heart of the
most scrupulOus plumber.
Officers i'm Hotel.
This hotel was taken over when
the American army came on its
march OF occupation In it. officers
are housed. And only officers The
private soldier is still billeted In
private homes and a few in bar
racks.
If you inquire Of the German res
ident, you viii discover that he is
glad the American is here. and for
two reasons. The private soldier
who is condemned to this harsh"
service is a millionaire and he
spends his money like the grandson
of a millionaire. Likewise, the
French are here and the American
viewpoint of the nations duty TO
Germany and to the world IS widely
different from that OF France.
To say that America rules this
city and the surrounding territory
is not an eNaggaration, desrite the
fact that France keeps 5000 armed
men here to the thousand left OF
the 10000 Americans who were kept
here until protest at home caused
their withdrawal Every public
utility, all transportation, every in
dustrial problem is eventually de-
cided by Gen. Hugh Allen, either by
direct order or by an equally potent
suggestion.
Theirs Not TO Reason"
This at least was the declaration
Of high officers of the army and
German civilians If you ask these
same officers what interast America
has in keeping her armrd force in
a friendly land, they Will confess
to an ignorance as dense rs their
delight at being kept here IS keen.
America has no collections or &C
parations TO make, is not concern
ed with preventing new hostilities.
has no part in the treaty of Yer
sailles which these armed men en-
force, and Yet they are here, under
the American flag, doing service as
soldiers, obeying orders under an
oath which bound them merely to
support the constitution Of the
country.
They viii also tell you truly that
Germany as a whole welcomes the
presence of America in Germany,
although the cost to them is tre-
mendOus.
1t sounds but trifing to say that
Germany is called upon TO pay but
$40 a month for every soldier with
higher salaries for the officers. Fox
they are paid IN American money.
But that $40 month becomes
something different when It is paid
in German marks. Multiply ii by
5000 and then do n littIe caIcula-
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