Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-17
TELLS Of SERVICE.
WITH FRENCH army
ON BATTLE FRONT
Sergeant Johnson of Boise
Transferred to American
Army and Is Now at the
Headquarters.

Army and Is Now at the
Headquarters.
Prentice Hewitt. Jr.. is In receipt Of
a letter from France written by Elmer
M. johnson. a former Boise young
man, who was for two years employed
and later with the Idaho Power. COM
pany. He enlisted in New York and
has had q varied experience with the
French army. although now with the
American forces. He is well known
by many in Boise. His letter is as fol-
lows:
Headquarters American Expedition
airy Forces. Office of Chief Quarter
master. Transport Division. France,
Nov. "a, 1917. Dear Prentice: The
orderly placed your letter of Sept. "a
upon my desk not over 30 minutes ago,
and you may be sure that I was de-
lighted to receive it for several reasons.
1t certainly does fellow good to have
such substantial, tangible evidence at
hand that he Is not forgotten by all
the old friends; also your letter was
the first word l have had from Boise
for nearly two months. One reason for
my failure to receive your letter sooner
Is that have changed my address fire.
quently, and 1t had difficulty following
me up. I recently received a letter
which reached me upon the eighth for
warding.
PLENTY OF THRILLS.
I commenced feeling restless about
midyear last school year. and gradu-
ally worked up to the striking point
by the time passed the last final. 1
had all arrangements made, and left
Cornell the same day school closed,
and after spending some five days In
New York City looking at the tall
things, I sailed for France. After two
weeks Of the hardest work ever tack
led, drilling according to the French
manual, I was ready to take up ny
active business Of making war. Driv-
Ing a five-ton Pierce Arrow truck may
sound very prosaic to you, but I as
sure you that such an occupation
should furnish plenty of thrills and ex-
element for the average person. Our
business was to haul all sorts of war
munitions from the depots to the
camps, and later in the season, hauled
ammunition exclusively from the de-
pots to the batteries. This latter work
was more exciting and hazardous, and
the major portion OF it was performed
under cover of darkness so that the
Boches could not locate us and pick us
off. We hauled grenades by the ton,
shells Of all sizes from rifle cartridges
to the enormous navy gun shells, fuses,
high explosives. etc. The last two
weeks, every night l hauled a load of
a4.4 kilo gas explosive obus. We were
expecting the big battle to come off
almost every day when the United
States recruiting officers rolled into
camp in those big Cadillacs.
JOINS AMERICAN FORCES.
l was perfectly satisfied with the
French army, but they offered the fell
lows honorable discharges If they
wished to Join the American forces
/ wished to get a little local color of
the American army. so tried to get in.
! am now located In the office of the
transport division of the quartermaster
corps, but do not know whether 1t is
permanent or not. My work is alto
gether different from that In the French
service. In the French army we worked
like very devils, and had the great
outdoors In which to carry on our ac-
tivities; here working hours are regu-
lar-almost sedate-and everything IS
under cover" In our army a fellow
makes enough to afford him a diver
sity Of amusement. while on our sal
cry of IS centimes daily-a little less
than five cents--we had to depend
upon our private fortunes for extra
needs, amusement. etc.
The mere fact that am located here
At headquarters-THE headquarters
which Is the fountainhead Of all Amer
lean activities, and represents more or
less the hopes of world of nations
in tangible manner, is enough to keep
me enthused. 1t Is an immensely in
spring thought to feel that one is To-
Gated and taking an active part-small
though It may beat the headquarters
of such an organization of might and
right as the great American army, and
know you have just enough of that
something in your system to feel the
same way II you were here.
THOSE FRENCH DAMsELs.
The way you speak of the eyes of the
French damsels leads me to believe
that you have heen here at some time
or another. Insofar as their effect upon
the soldier is concerned, they are as
deadly as one of their explosive
shells, On account of constant ex-
ercise, / am really able to twist my
neck in much the same manner as
those little rattle snake owls back in
the Idaho sagebrush. While must ad-
toit that l prefer American girls In
general to French girls in general, tho
latter have by far the most beautiful
eyes. I don't know why. but have al
ways been very susceptible to dark
sloe-eyed beauties.
II 10 too bad that you were not able
to get in one Of the branches of the
SERVICE. hut don't forget that one Of the