New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-26
A Letter Home
The War as Seen from Middle We.
Training Camp


The following extracts are taken fyo,,
letter ,critten by young member Of u.
officers training camp at Fort Sheriff..
ILL.,, to his mother in Des MONIES, Iona.
Company Illinois,
Fort Sheridan, H., June ., 1917
Dearest Mother:
Another week fnished-our third in A
GERS training. Already we are showing "a.
effect of strict military discipline, in ~.
better general appearance We present. n.
simple, wholesome-if coarse-die, IA.
hours and hours of drill and exercise in N.
open air the intense, the rather sean. s,..,
with all barracks windows open. and the s,,.
eral atmosphere Of earnest and quiet NM.
pose, all contribute TO make a fellow 4, in,
military way. Fat is rapidly giving wav :,
muscle and where there were no mu.cle,.,
our knowledge before, a surprisingly lar,.
number are putting in an appearance A.
least announcing themselves to the con.
seriousness presiding over them.
Mother dear. you mustn't fear what ma,
come Of the war. The issue is perfee,,,
clear and we know what We are preparing
TO night for. To refuse to fight. or NOT "a
want TO fight for the ideals Of democracy Ar.
attitudes which, if held by majority OF On,
people, would lead US into bondage rorx.
than any existing in Germany. In fact. /,
would mean submission 10 German rule
eventually. and imagine how sats.sc,ory
that would be-
Our honor and ideals, mother are II. biz.
gest things in our lives. They are about
the only things that are worth lighting for.
Fighting, | mean, in a military sense In our
present elementary development as broth.
erhood of nations we know Of no other way
to settle attractions of agreements and vio-
! lations OF treaties. executing hy armed force
If Charley French and his League to In.
/ force Peace come into their own, We may
never again have TO resort 10 arms to se,,l,
disputes between nations. but until NE pub
lie opinion of Great Britain, Germany.
France and the United States OF America
becomes crystallized 10 the suggested World
Court. we must back up our treaties. agree.
ments and ideals with the only efectiv.
weapon now recognized in this war-msd
world
Superior 10 German Forces
We are avoiding many OF the blunders OF
England and France. The present training
camps for officers and the proposed draft
ere the most significant features OF thi,
profting from experience of our allies. The
government has tried to get her most fl
Young men into officers training at once, for
il recognizes that they will be best con.
served as officers The drafted army viii
draw equally from all classes, so that the
mental quality of successive drafts will no,
de.eriorate. When we go into action feel
that a force of Americans will be superior
to an equal force OF Germans. We will be
equally we'll equipped will have the best
training available, and will have moral
courage that | think must be qualified BY
most intelligent German soldiers II Is GER
tain that our government will not make the
foolish and CHASTITY expensive mistakes that
cost England so much in the hrst TWO years
Of the war.
And YOU must cease TO fear for me, and
instead pray that your son may make the
most of his training, so that he may hit hard
when he hits, and make good account Of him
self ! am where | can be most usetu 10
my country-and to myself since l am sup
porting my own ideals in so doing And no
other consideration should come IN. w
Rad a particularly sweet tenor voice or the
power to preach and inspire men to support
their God and His ideals or if | were physi-
caly incapable of bearing arms TO advantage
| should feel that army \. VI {. A. work
was the proper place for me. Or II had
great Journalistic power, and could see the
need for me to do publicity work IN the IN
terest of my country's cause, | should try 10
avoid direct military service and would feel
that so doing did not make me Stacker
Or if | were great lawyer and statesman
and felt that my energies and talents "ouIa
be best utilized by helping IN the construc'
ton and repair work which must be done o.
a large scale in the legal and diplomatic
fields, ! would be unafrad OF the term
"slacker" which would often be applied 10
me Or if you or dad, or a wife. or brot'srs'
or sisters were dependent upon me Tor sup
port. and if any of you would sufsr io'
necessities by my going. ] would unnesi~'
inglv seek exemption from direct military
service, and would continue to work direety
for YOU. rendering whatever indirect service
TO my government | might be able to rendet,
But-well. just think how ashamed you
feel if | didn't want TO go, And tnins Of
the issues, Think of poor France-poor'
bleeding, exhausted France. And tors"
whatever of danger lies ahead for your son
II | get into action the chances are four 70
one that I'll come out alive. Whether oea'
or alive you'll know then that I've done ny
part a mans part.
PRAY that your son may 90 notnlhg less'
Must 20 to noon mess. Love TO you all,
LYMAN.