The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-07-26
U. S. TROOPS IN
RANCE CONF DENT
SPIRIT HIGH AMONG AMERICAN
SOLDIERS IN WAR CAMP.
ROASTING NOT in EVIDENCE
Realization Of Serious Business Min.
eled With seIf-Relianoe, Exists
Among the Rank and File of
the Americans.


American Training Camp In France,
July 21.-"Whenever you write home,
whether in private letter or to any
newspaper, tell them we are doing
finely and that no army ever had u
finer spirit or was more confident of
winning"
Il have handled troops for a good
many years and under varied condi-
tons, but never had a finer set of
men, never a more enthusiastic lot
than now. 1t has been revelation to
me TO see the splendid spirit that has
prevailed since we landed, and 1t
augurs well for the part America is
10 play in the war that her initial
troops take hold with vim that Is
going to prove irresistible"
The first quotation Is from COM
paratively green trooper, the second
from a seasoned officer. Both were
made independently to correspond
emit within a few moments of each
other. Both illustrate the wonderful
esprit de corps prevailing throughout
the first American contingent-an es-
prit de corps which has evoked the
enthusiastic approval of the French.
Realize Its Seriousness.
The American soldiers, as one
mingles with them, do not appear to
underestimate In the slightest the seri-
BUSINESS and earnestness of the task
before them. But from the newest
rocky to the oldest sergeant they are
going through their daily drill, per-
forming their daily work with dash,
vim and cheerfulness and willingness
that has come as genuine to the cor
respondent who spent the first two
years of the war on the German side,
and with ample opportunities to wit
ness the perfunetory qualities of the
German spirit
Thus far there has not been one
single soldier who boastfully under
takes to underestimate his opponent
but likewise no one has made his APP
pearance who is not supremely hope
full and confident In the final outcome,
The fine spirit prevailing is evident
on every side. The discipline is ex-
icellent and there Is an absolute lack
of complaint. The troops are taking
their training with cheerfulness and
are adapting themselves to the novel
ty of billeting and living under unpre-
posed by living In strangers houses.
The troops are engaged In work al
most entirely strange to them, yet the
officers say they have made entirely
unexpected progress, which not only
is a good augury for the balance of
the army, but Is due largely to the en-
thusiasm pervading each company and
regiment.
Several thousand soldiers were made
happy when as many letters or pack
ages arrived and We're distributed
among the various camps. 1t was for
many, if not for most of the men, the
first mail they had received since leav-
ing the United States, and 1t was more
welcome than anything else could have
been.
indicated often how long the families
of men had been out of touch with
them. Every third or fourth missive
was addressed in care of the former
assignments of regiments, for instance,
the Mexican border and western forts.
Others had found their way over TO
Somewhere In France" notwithstand-
ing the addresses; others had been ad-
dressed to the recipients at Washing
ton In care of the war department,
while the others had been forwarded
from the sailing points Of various regi.
ments.
Chaplain Gets Mali.
The mail here has been put in charge
Of one Of the army chaplains, who thus
has busy week as postmaster All let
tiers and packages are forwarded from
Paris and must be sorted ont and dis
tributed under his direction. Likewise,
he has charge Of all the outgoing mail,
which is turned over 10 him after hay-
ing been censored by company officers.
Though he has been working on the
problem only short time, the chaplain
already has evolved thoroughgoing
system, which insures the soldiers re-
cs!.ins their mail within 9 few hours
after its arrival. The outgoing mail
for the United States leaves BY way Of
Paris once daily.
The encampment has almost meta
fslOfauhOsed this thoroughly and dis
tinctiyely French town into an Ameri-
can community, Notwithstanding the
fact that the soldiers have taken nota-
bic pains TO adapt themselves to the
customs and habits of their hosts.
An American corporal opened a
baker shop in the abandoned quar-
tiers of a one-time French barber, who
now IL at the front.
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