The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-10
BUSINESS OF LIVING
BY MRS. EVA LEONARD


Bertram Tells Something of Camp
Life in Letter to the Folks at
Home.
Dear Folks at Home:
1T is a dark and cloudy day and
threatens rain. 1t rained all night,
so the ground is water soaked and
the minute the troops begin drilling
mud forms so deep and sticky that
was afraid for one while that the
world would have to stop One face
tious fellow remarked in my hearing
that if the officer should be late in
appearing and the men should have
to stand at attention for any length
of time a row of hats alone would be
in evidence, when he appeared, for the
men would have sunk from sight.
Really when the order to march is
given and all the boots are forcibly
pulled from the mud at the same time
l can hear the oozy sound quite plain
ly. 1t must be horrible in the trenches
that are not concreted-and very few
are-lf the soil is as gummy as this.
Most of the men are blessed with a
sense Of humor, however, and the mud
serves as subject for jests.
Last week the French president
came to visit our camp. 1t was a
great occasion. He seemed greatly
pleased with what he saw. The men
formed on three sides of square and
went thru some maneuvers very cred
itably. Then he addressed them in
good English. The cheers and cries
of .Vive la France! were inspiring.
were Saluted and then the men sang
the Marseillaise. They have some
fine voices among them and I was
proud of the chorus, all right. My
men were the only ones that knew the
song when we arrived in camp, but of
J 90 o. hax dFil1 cd in aNf
this time. Pershing was with the
president, of course, and he spent
considerable time after the review in
inspecting everything in camp. Every
| mess tent was visited and cooks were
| interviewed and questioned. The men
| had no complaints to make about
their food and both Pershing and
President Poincare seemed very much
pleased with what they saw.
My, but Pershing looks the part
of the General of all the U. S. army.
He is so tall and imposing, yes, hand
some, as all the officers agree. The
dinner in the officers tent was a very
pleasant affair. The toast to The
President of the United States was
responded to by President Poincare
in English. and he paid a very hand
some tribute to President Wilson,
My own Colonel Gooding responded
when the POSTMASTER proposed The
| Soldiers of the Allies, and it was
| fine, can tell you. He said he hoped
the American 'Sammies would be
! irnbued with the wonderful patriotic
| enthusiasm of the French and Eng
lish and he added that he thought
such incidents as the recent papers
reported of Americans, compelled to
do military duty in Prussia would
| fire the soldiers with such Jury that
nothing could stand before them. ]
| inquired afterward about the Incl
| dents referred to and learned that
several naturalized Americans of
German birth had been forced into
| service-not trench work in most
cases-and one or two American
same way The plea was that they
had lived in Germany so long that
! they had forfeited their nationality
and had become Germans. Really /
am at a loss to understand their
mental processes. Would YOU not
think that they would remember that
they must live after this war is over
and that the world would be a very
uncomfortable place for them If
every nation under the sun despised
| them? What could compensate them
for the contempt of the world. even
If they would win the war. And II
they fail. as they must with all Uncle
Sans resources against them, what
then? 1t is past my comprehension.
| Well, it is not necessary TO under
stand their clockworks to beat them,
fortunately.
I'VE are all very anxious to get to
the front, and hope the stay in camp
Will not last very much longer. When
1 am at the front 1 shall have some
thing interesting to write.
success in your new position. !
am so rejoiced that you are going to
work for so fine man,
Goodbye. Ever your brother,
"BERTRAM."
(To be continued.)