Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-12-08
HOME TOUCH LETTERS NEEDED.

our soldiers overseas, says SeCIE-
tary of War Baker need our help and
encouragement now perhaps more
than at any other time since they left
home in order that they may be in
spired and strengthened to maintain
that fneness of character, manner and
conduct which has earned for them
sEch universal respect"
This is a statement which we shall
ali DO well to consider very carefully.
1t is not that we think there is any
grave danger of our boys, WHO st99d
up so well under prolonged strain OF
one sort now going to pieces under
what may be an equally prolonged one
Of ANOTHER sort. But there Is no uae
denying thai the situation in which
they lina thel42slFes is eXacting ins
$he eX'FeHe and eRe @!4G5 will rel
ouirc he a4.uimam Of seif-controi and
self-discipiine to sprmount. n +
many. II rot all. OF these boys would
far rather take chance at goius
lover the top" than to enjoy security
under conditions as dull aAd nv.l0.
onous as those of the trenches without
the fought of the zero hour to steady
them, H. ~ 1
From now on the tasks OF these d..
will oe far less interesting end eXcit-
ing than before Thy will have more
leisure in which to be home-sick and
bored, Above all, they will not be able
10 see as clearly the value or signih-
canoe of the service they are now call"
ed upon to perform.
Furthermore. Let us not forget that
these are not altogether the same boys
who sailed from Newport News OF
Hoboken. They have had thou. ..,.4u
nav exuerienees which have chahsea
them. They are not boys at all now 10
most Instances. They are men, WITH
a new. more intense restlessness,
created by the Great Adventure ana
they will expect to be treated IKE
men.
All this, of course, is as we would
have it; but none the less, 1t places
upon us new obligation and respon-
sibility. Since our soldier cannot come
home at once it is for us more than
ever to carry the thought of home to
our soldier. Even though he is three
or four thousand miles away from u.s.
we must by our letters, carrying mes
sages of interest and sympathy, bring
him back into the family circle and
hold him there unwaveringy.
If such letters were important while
he was on the firing line they are a
hundred times more important to him
now. Then it was only at intervals
that the thought of home occupied
him. Now it is likely to be constant
and it is this very hunger for the
things which home alone can hold
hunger coupled with a new sense OF
freedom and a very human longing for
adventure-which may prove most
dangerous.
Secretary of War Baker and Mr.
Fosdick, chairman of the Commission
on Training Camp Activities, have
both been in France. They have spent
weeks with our soldiers. They know
what these boys need and how much
they need it. They ask now that a
concerted effort be made by the whole
country to break down the barrier
created by three thousand miles Of
ocean. They say that the thing which
will do this most effectively is the
right kind of letters from home.
Let Us all work with them in this
Let us see that our boys get, and keel
on getting. the kind of letters tina
count-letters full of the home favor
full OF news and encouragement. 1
they get such letters from us they will
ROT mind marking tine 50 much attic