Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-12-23

let in, so we in the river saw the boats
in docks gradually rise above us some
ID or 20 feet. From lie Harye we
took a train for Paris arriving Octo-
Der 8 about 1890 p. m. I was as
signed to Hotel Mcmahon, not far
from the Arch of Triumph. Here my
luck of the trip deserted me and l
was assigned to the Third Aviation
center at Issaudun.
You have to get Red Cross work
ers permit to travel in France, so |
gave up my passport and waited a
week for the permit.
In Paris.
Paris, like London, had bread, but
ter and sugar restrictions but none on
the meat. The hotels charged about
Z francs ($14O) for good meal, but
I hunted up some real French places
and got mine for three or four francs.
/ did not see much in Paris. Went
to the Tower, of course, and the tomb
of Napoleon. Everything worth see
ing was covered with sandbags to pro-
tect them from air raids. saw where
one of the big Bertha shells struck.
1t did little damage. The streets had
only dim lights and the autos also.
You see no pleasure cars over here,
not one, all war cars Or taxis.
Have not had much chance to learn
French here as you never see anyone
to talk to in the camps. / for one
have yet to see the beautiful French
girls in any numbers. You see more
in Iowa in day than have seen ov-
err here in six weeks. The boys are al
ways looking for the girl with the
lamp in her hand (statue Of liberty
and their one desire is to say hello to
her.
Morally, the boys are far above con-
ditiOns at home, mean where sex is
and America had better
turn her attention to cleaning up her
own bawdy houses. Until real charity
is shown to the girl who slips, ard
many helping hands,, both men and wO-
men Especially women) help her up
again, she will continue to go down
again. The boys are coming lomc full
ly as clean as they came over, and
they deserve great praise for it.
French Friendly.
The attitude of the French is very
friendly and the Americans get along
with them fine. America need not
fear that her boys will remain over
here, but that French boys will come
to America in increasing numbers.
From Paris we went to the old town
Of Issoudon and the ayia ton camp,
or rather twelve flying birds. Here ]
messed with 600 to 500 officers, all fly
ers who were in the air at various
times from daylight to dark. You
could count about forty or fifty in the
air about you any nice day. These
boys were taught to use the automatic
revolver, the machine gun and also to
shoot at clay pigeons over the traps to
improve their judgment of lead and We
locity. Many had accidents, some ia
tai, in flying, but the daily air circus
was real one.
You soon get accustomed to the
sounds of the engines and would only
ook up when they were doing stunts.
From there I came to this camp of
II 900 men, some colored, some Italian
md some German prisoners.
They have immense warehouses here
md had planned 2S5 miles of track in
.hese yards. They have stopped all
Jew work. We have a major general
n command here now.
Tuesday 1000 artillery troops leave
,or the coast and they think for home.
We are five miles from a town of 3d.
00-ChateaurOuX.
| am athletic man for the "Y" and
arrange their boxing, wrestling, foot
,all and other games.
The Weather.
1t freezes here every night but
haws during the day. We have a big
W hut here and sell the boys cookies,
igars and tobacco. Also have two
iris here who help make hot chocolate
md sell forty gallons or so every night.
We have home talent shows mostly for
he boys, and one night Il week we put
N a boxing and wrestling match and
ave football Saturday and Sunday.
10 not think it will be long before we
III go home.
The country about here is level and
There are few cattle, but
many sheen, A French peasant wO-