The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1922-12-01
Home II From
Rhine Valley

"
arrived home from q three years
military enlistment . week ago Sun
day, looking well and showing mill
tary training and responsibility in
5 his moves and action: Out Of the
three years served Mr.. Munro spent
all but five months at Mayen, twenty
miles from Coblenz. The time he
went there and until the last year,
there were about fourteen thousand
soldiers in the American army in
Germany but now he thinks there
are not over Ave hundred outside the
officials who are attending to the dis
posing Of the equipment that Ia be-
ing left behind. Those who are there
AalOngs to the quartermaster depart
INT mostly, and the large hospital
ktll being kept up and will be for
st&ne time.
Mr.. Munro can give some inter-
esting information regarding the
country generally and the way things
were carried on during the time he
was stationed on the Rhine. Just
now everything is being sold for what
ever it will bring. Horses, mules,
automobiles and truks sell at extre-
/! s.l,2y low prices, buyers come from
the interior Of Germany and adjoin-
!ng countries and pay little or moth
ing for them and peddle them
wherever they can find sale for such
articles. Much Of the property Of
Ahe government went to, decay as
the soldiers began to leave said Mr..
Munro. On q flat on the banks OF
the Rhine was. stored thousands of
automobiles and trucks, including
Packards and other high priced cars,
and when the water came up in the
spring they were submerged and no
effort was made to save them. And
there they stand at the present time
Tusting and tires rotten.
Mr.. Munro was billeted in the bur-
germaster:s home at Mayen while
there and he enjoyed good surround
mgs. The. government paid the
owners for the Accommodations of the
soldiers and they were welcome
everywhere. He says there is won
derful change in the customs of the
people living in the occupied terri
tory in Germany in the last year,
brought on by the Americans. There
is scarcely young lady now wearing
the heavy shoes and long dresses
which were so common when they
went there, but now they can be
seen with short, low cut dresses, high
heeled shoes and their hair done up
IN the latest styles. All the young
people have learned to talk English
and some Of them can speak it nearly
as well as they can their native Ian
guage.
There is still an intense feeling
against the French people. It is
common talk that some day they will
get evens with the French people.
You talk to any Of them and they are
free to express their views on any
subject. They all claim they had the
Allies licked when the Americans
came in and they owe their defeat
to the American army. But for all
that they do not seen to carry any
anomosity towards the Americans.
They don't like the English but don't
say much but their hatred for the
French people is intense.
Mr.. Munro said that many of the
soldiers have married German girls
and are settled down in Germany.
1t is necessary to get permit to
get married. This is obtained through
the commanding officer. But to
overcome this they get furlough
and go to Luxenberg where the Am
erican council has autohity to grant
such permit.
Mr.. Muro visited the interior Of
Germany, France, Switzerland, Bel
gium and Italy, during his stay in
Germany and was discharged from
Portland, Maine Nov. 11th. After
his, discharge he went to eastern
Canada and visited for a few days
before returning home.;g