The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-12-05
LIEUT.. f. |. ROWAN
WRITES about AUS
TRAN BRUTALITY
Minot Red Cross Worker in Italy Tells
Of Erutes Violating Virtue of
Ten Year-Old Girls and Dis
figuring Boys for Life.

Lieut. L. l.. Rowan, formerly custo-
dian of the Elks Home in this city,
who has been doing some mighty eff
fectlve Red Cross work with the
American forces in Italy, writes
very interesting letter as follows:
Piacenza, Oct. 23rd, 1918.
Mr. Dear Mr.. and Mrs. Colcord:
A letter to you will be like writing
to all my Minot friends. l have re-
ceived great many letters since writ
ing to Mr.. McGahan. l will answer
them all some day, and tell them how
much l appreciated the news from
home. 1t takes away some Of the sad
ness we have to meet with smile on
our face.
l have been at the Italian front for
two weeks and am going back very
soon. That is where the real work
is and the only place to be. We have
opened 500 bed hospital for the
American Elk. Forces, and I am here
sending equipment for another to open
November 1st. Don't think that
many Of our boys are wounded. In
huenza is what is bothering US now.
The American boys on the Italian
front are in fine condition and as hap
py as can be. They have good meals
and all they want to eat. They are
looking forward to the big American
dinner they are going to eat Thanks
giving. Each one is to have bottle
Of wine. No one drinks water over
here; even the babies in arms are
brought up on it and I must say it is
, excellent, and not intoxicating.
The Christmas slips will soon be ar
irving in Minot as they have been dis
tributed among the boys. They have
to be signed by your commanding Off
GER, sent home and shown at the ex-
press office before they can accept
anything to be sent over seas. l wish
you could hear some of the things the
boys want, ham and eggs, pumpkin
! pie They are like big overgrown chill
dren, and the love light that shines in
their eyes when they talk of home, it
is wonderful to see them. They want
the war to end but are willing to stay
till Christmas, 1919, to give Italy what
}! she is fighting for. They know they
have won but have not paid the Aus
trian brutes what is coming to them.
| This war is going to make good men
| Of our boys. l wish you all knew
what the refugee children have suf-
fered, some as young as ten years, and
bows CT all ages disigured for life.
I have seen these things. There is no
punishment too severe for them. Even
old reoplc did not escape. They had
playthings of their children. Our boys
| know these things and they are going
, to get the brutes. l have talked to 50
| IN h0c
pitfalls. They say they love the Amer
leans and don't want to fight them. as
they want to come back to America
after the war is over. l hope they
put all the Germans and Austrians
that go back On the same boat and
have the American troops as convoy,
have gone out with some of the
ambulance drivers on the battle field
to help bring in the wounded, and it
hurts when you hanpen to find an Aus
trian. We take care Of them which is
more than they do for our wounded.
You should see the food supplies the
American Red Cross send three times
4 weak to the Italian and American |
prisoners il Germany and Austria.
Had I known l was to be put at such |
work as / have been doing / don't |
think any one could have gotten me
over here. Now you cannot drive me
away from the hospitals. have held
sor,c Of the poor fellows by the hand
while the surgeons were working on
them ard YES 50 fascinated that !
have not seen the borrow of it. There
Rave been such wonderful results from
the operations some of them can do
most any thing with their artificial
parts and will be able to make good