The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-01-25
OLD GLORY LOWERED
ON RHINE BY YANKS
AMERICAS ARMY OF OCCUPA-
TION, 1000 MEN, LEAVE GER
MANY WEDNESDAY
SIXTY ARE LEFT BEHIND
MANY, WIVES AND CHILDREN
ARE IN GROUP IN AMER
ICA SOON

erlcan troops were withdrawn from
the Rhine today, ending American mil
ltary participation in the occupational
area.
The withdraw was signalized by
the hauling down at noon of the Stars
and Stripes from the castle of Ehren-
breitstein, which has been the Ameri-
can military headquarters since the
beginning of the occupation. Mean
while the first trains with members Of
the expeditionary force were leaving
Coblenz for Antwerp to board the
Trasport st. Mihel which will take
them back to the United States.
The American flag was hauled
down from Ehrenbreitstein at noon
today. .--...
The American forces in Germany.
their Rhine watch completed, turned
homeward today, and many a German.
realized that that gay refrain "the:
Yanks are coming" must now be-
amended to "the Yanks have gone.
and the French are here"
The dawning of the day that was
to see the American garrison march
down the steep slope, of Ehrenbreit-
stein across the Rhine into Coblenz
and thence, in company with the other
units Of the eighth infantry, to the
Antwerp trains, found the Stars and
Stripes hoisted to its accustomed
place at reveille while doughboy SEN
tinels still mounted guard at the sal
1y ports. Their packs were as ready
as at any moment during the great
war, but today the final ..fall-ino
meant home. The place where, as
many private, put it, a dollar is one
hundred cents and not several thous-
and marks.
The first section of the regiment
was to leave the station at 3:45 o'clock
to' be followed by the second detach-
ment at $3.50 in the evening. The st.
Mihel sails Thursday night with the
tide. -
The families of the American SOL
diers started for Antwerp today as
the advance guard of the departing
forces. 9
Seventy-six wives and twenty chill
army officers, escorted by Captain w.
G. Purdy, entrained this morning.
They were officially designated as an
irregular contingent. I"
Seventy-six wives anad twenty chill
dren OF non commissioned officers
and prlvates, forming the, second cir
regular contingent were prepared to
leave during the afternoon. The ar
rangements were that all the families
should be on their way before the
troops themselves started on their last
march out of Coblenz.
Coblenz, Jan. 24-Major General
Henry 7. Allen, received last evening
q brief letter from Chancellor Cuno,
conveying the compliments of the Ger
man government on the occasion Of
the departure of the American forces
in Germany and asserting that their
conduct has been exemplary.
In reply to letter from General
Degoutte, Major General Allen said
that he would formally turn the Amer
lean zone over to the French on jan
uary n, or any day thereafter.
1T is with deep regret" ne wrote,
"tnat l must bring to an end the de-,
lghtful official relations which have
always existed tremendously between
us and terminate the services the Am
erican troops commenced in the war
and continued on the Rhine"
Lord Kilmarnock, the British Rhine
land commissioner, and Baron JAG
queny, the Belgian representative,
called personally on Major General
Allen and begged to be excused from
attending the ceremony at Ehrenbreit-
stein. They said they were too sad
dened over American departure to
be present at the lowering of the col
ors but that they would be at the rail-
road station when the troops departed.