Williston graphic., 1918-09-12
Somewhere in France,
Saturday, July Is, 1918

Dear daffy:-
That little old caption Somewhere
in France" looks mighty strange to
me even as write it. Certainly 1t
is 4 far cry from Williston, N. D., to
my present quarters in the old world;
and devious the route, though short
the time that I pursued to take it.
And the climatic changes: To be
ierked from the raw blustry April
winds Of Dakota to San Antonio,
Texas, after three weeks of most
strenuous training in Iowa was quite
q strain; and having almost become
acculimated to the dry heat Of the
Border country, to be shot back to
the damp bleak cold of our North
Atlantic detention camp, was almost
the final straw that broke the cameps
back. Incidentally that camel meta
phor is not such bad one, as l know
what it is to go forty days without
drink.
However all things have an ending
in one sense, the end of our appren-
ticeship in Arms had now come. One
thing l am very thankful for, and
that is travelled no long lane of
training such as the eight or nine
months put in by most of the men,
bers Of this company. My lane was
not only short one but with various
turnings as I observed above. Ger
tainly can not complain of monotony.
And let me tell you old boy, l sure
like it. Even the so-called mental
tasks which have to be performed in
the kitchen, and other routine jobs
seem to take on an unwonted dignity
when performed for Uncle Sam. AT
any rate it is all part of the game.
The Game Of bringing home to Kaiser
Bill the fact that no maniac or out
law can be permitted to run amuck
in the comfy of nations any more
than robbers or bandits are tolerated
within the nation itself. No weed is
so hardy as to escape the hoe of the
husbandman, no disease so infectious
as to be incapable Of suppression. And
in exact proportion to the ravages of
the outlaw either in plant or animal
life, are the measures taken by pro-
ductive life to surpass it. Let me re-
mark the fearful reckoning that is
in store for the House of Hohenzollern
is as inevitable as the fall of tomor-
rows tide or the rise of tomorrow's
sun. Any other result would be in
utter variance to every historical
fact, to every natural law. Well said
Anne of Austria "God does not pay
at the end of the week, but He pays"
and when l repeat that old peace
loving, altruistic Uncle Sam seems to
be the agent He has chosen to rem
der payment, my faith in many things
takes on a new lease of life. And
that l have been deemed worthy to
be a cog, however small and unim-
portant, in the great Steam Roller
Uncle Sam is building to fatten out
the clods that block what should be
the broad highway of civilization,
and impede the Path of Progress, is
to me a source of profound satisfac-
tion.
Everywhere we have met with the
most enthusiastic receptions. Not
even four years of the most terrible
war ever waged has been sufficient to
break the volatile spirits of the
French. With eager animated faces
and wild enthusiastic cheering they
throng our lines of march. The street
gamins beg pennies and cigarette
snips from us; the girls blow kisses
at US an dexchange souvenirs. gave
one white button that come off
those customarily unmentioned gar
ments that serve the place of pajamas
in the army, for Uncle Sam, God
bless him, has no motive power to
spare for the hauling of any unnec-
essary baggage.) She said to her
companions, "N'est-il pas aimable ?"
They fairly shrieked and fancy the
'aimable" may have some slang mean
ing, corresponding to our derisive
isn't he the sweet thing tried out |
my French. "Vraiment, mademoisel|e.
II est aimable, parce que vols ravez |
dit," My really he is, since YOU have
said so," proved Ineligible for thew
howled with glee. We halted mo-
mentaniy as l finished up by stretch
ing forth my arms registering ardent
devotion and crying "oh, ma cherie."
tnere was near riot. My temerity
was rewarded by handful of roses
and q box of candy, and precious in-
need is the latter in this country to
civilians as we'll as soldiers. Then the
order Battalion Forward" "March"
prot to an abrupt close an embryonic
romance. -"
But far different from the high
pitched cries of "Uvent les etats Unis"
and the myriad other cries Of well
come, we have passed, no sign OF, i'll
usage or semi-starvation do they ex-
hlbit. Rather does the fat fullness of
their faces and the sleek plumpness
OF their bodies bespeak treatment
which stands out in sharp contrast
to what we know is the lot of such
of oQr chaps that are unfortunate
enough to fall into their hands. And
the boys cuss softly under their
breath at the mental picture coniured !
up of the emaciated bodies of Bel |
gian children, deprived of their food,
their yerv means If sue+oronoo -,