We consider two-dimensional U(N) QCD on the cylinder with a time-like
Wilson line in an arbitrary representation. We show that the theory is
equivalent to N fermions with internal degrees of freedom, which inte
ract among themselves with a generalized Sutherland-type interaction.
By evaluating the expectation value of the Wilson line in the original
theory we explicitly find the spectrum and degeneracies of these part
icle systems.