New-York tribune., 1918-09-22
Doc Percipal Again

Walter Woods, Of the Van Cortlandt
Vehicle Corporation, has received an
other letter from Captain Charles c.
Pcfcival, former New York automobile
editor and advertising manager. Ar
interesting part of it follows:
II have stopped learning to speak
French. because at my age it will be a
waste Of good time. When | come
home | will never be able to use it ex-
cept to order table d'hote, and the
people here are SO anxious to get our
money that they are learning English,
and they have more reason to do so.
1--WE have the best of food, all that
America can provide in the bread and
canned line, good meats, and on toc of
that the freshest of vegetables that
grow, fresh eggs and plenty of salads.
The boys couldn't live any better, and
never did, at home. l, for one, eat too
much, and have had to cut out break
fast on advice of the troop medico, who
said | was getting stout.
"rhc Y. M. C. A. provides tri-weekly
entertainments in the form of movies,
concerts and good theatrical talent.
Elsie Janis was here on the 18th.
eve get our mail at intervals, and
we work from 2 to 5. 1t does not get
| dark until after 9, and so there you
are. We have an ordnance ball team,
one from the cavalry and one from the
artillery. Our team is the best so far.
We have shower baths and a small
town, with no attractions, a mile and
half from camp. We sleep and eat
and think of New York, New Jersey
and Massachusetts. We long for
Broadway. We wonder what the home
folks are doing. We wonder where the
wife and the mother are and how they
arc. We write letters and we look for
letters, and we wish the darn war was
over. We want to be up on the front
line and see some action. We take our
daily gas mask drill and wish we we're
IN 1T, and then we are glad VIC are not
III it, until some fellow comes in with
new story.
1--WE get q Paris paper on the noon
of the following day it is printed, and
we scan the front page, not for war
news, but for news from home, from
the States and from the ball games.
It's hell to be 3,000-4,00O miles
from home and letters month coming
over
Every day the Americans are get
ting more and more into the fight. and
that means every day nearer and
nearer to home. 1t has been hot as
blazes here for three days, and we
have suffered from the heat, but we
still stick to our heavy woollen under
wear and clothes. because that means
next heavy. cold rain, and then colds
and rheumatism. We are too high up
here to take any chances and too near
the line to look for good weather, be-
cause the constant cannonading does
have an effect on the weather.
II am homesick at times and lone
some at other times, but, take it all
in all, it is interesting, and one knows
and feels he is doing something. One
gets bigger and a broader view of
life, and it helps. This war is moth
ing but big business, however. and is
conducted on that scale all the time.
1t seems funny to be trying to in
crease efficiency, lower overhead and
increase production all the time. when
that production is nothing but the
Staying of human beings and the tax
ing of human life. 1t looks like blow
ing up a grandstand at the ball game
or shooting big cannon into crowd
at Forty second Street and Fifth Ave
nue. Anything that will kill or MAIN
is grabbed and improved. When will
men stop killing each other ard settle
down to peaceful pursuits?
VI tell you. the men who have come
over here and got into this war, while
they work like blazes and strive to do
all these things, don't like it a bit, but
realize that until the Hun is beaten to
his knees we will never have anv peace
! or happiness"