The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-01-05
OUR BOYS PUZZLE
TOFRENcR HOSTS
Californian Writes Of Experiences
"0ver There"
MUCH they CANNOT TELL

Uncle SANS Censorship Most Drastic
Adopted by Any MISUNDERSTANDING
of Americans Annoys the French
soldiers-Campaign Hats Are the
Vogue in Paris Fashionable Circles.
a California soldier with the Amer
can forces in France gives his eSpe-
iepces and observations in an interest
ing letter to the folks at home:
MY Dear -;
"I have before me, as a precaution,
A twopago digest OF new eight-page
]rdcr, outlining the censorship re-
strictions. II is an impressive doc
dmcnt, Uncle Sam, though novice
In tho game Of doing something with
out letting the world know about it,,
has gone his beligerent associates one
better than they ever thought Of. This,
suppose. because Of the comparative
ease with which a spy otherwise could
operate in the American army.
"rhe new order is the most drastic
ever adopted by any nation and a
blow to The Sammc ambitious to tell
EN- about il. It cmbodies an ocean
Of 'don'ts and not a single 'do and
one is won't TO wonder, after first
perUeal. what the deuce he can write
about was puzzled myself until
got the linack Of sticking to gcncral-
ties A good way to fill up white pa-
per, also, is to devote two or three
paragraphs to telling the folks that
you can't tell them anything, and
why
sorted, and alphabetically ar
ranged these 'don'ts' run from A
to - After reading down through
H' and II the newcomer finally de-
cides to sit down and write, merely I
nm Wcli.' All references or opinions
to present or future whereabouts, work
or operations Is prohibited. The men
tion Of troops in connection with any
particular place is forbidden, And
this is carried even to military corre-
spondence, / am told, the addresses
reading merely Regiment So and So,
A. il f., three initials which will be
used n lot in the next few months
or years. Postcards, both Of the pic
ture variety and those with messages
on them, are taboo. Other subjects
tant discuss arc: Information con-
cerning casualties, unless they've been
announced; the effect of hos
flo Gvo oil ipfor,n q tint, about ofrornf ft
and the condition, moral or physical,
Of our own or allied troops. And,
what Is more, no criticism Of any
sort will be allowed of our own Off
GERS or those of the allies. So I
can't, Cor instance, tell you what
think of my corporal. As matter Of
fact, however, l haven't got one. I'm
The clerk of my company. and spend
most of my day fighting the Germans
with a typewriter-no casualties yet.
felt no conscientious pangs about be-
ng armed with so innocent a weapon
Is typewriter, however.
More Than Guns Needed.
"Thcre are many things besides
guns which figure in this war Over
here, the side rule. the surveyors
ransit, the cross-cut saw. the cleo
.ricians pliers, are few that are as
rs the Krag, and the baker
md the cook, the dentist and the bar
)er, the store clerk in the quarter
naster's. and the cobbler, the woods
nan and the bridge builder. the track
aver and the rod builder. all are use-
esscntial-in their place.
And their work is regarded as being
IS honorable as that Of the man who
zoos down into the first line trenches.
Dr., rather. will 90 down.
"Thcrc is a lot Of speculation as
o whom Uncle sam will start things
every soldier has an ear open for
he latest rumor-and there is ono
very feye minutes-and deep Curl
,sily rs 10 the immediate future Of
lis troop. but there is no answer 10
he question. when do we go?' And
ho constant repetition of this ques-
ion has had bnt one result, 4 special
rider prohibiting the discussion Of
as to when We will take
,vcr stretch Of line. II is Il pun
shable offcnsc FOR an officer to de-
)atc With his men, for example the
question. or ono thing only am (
.ertain-that the United States will
lot start until everything is ready
used TO think that all an army had
% do was to march up TO the firing
Inc and go to it. but this trip has pro-
.uccd realization Of the elaborate
necessary before we even
,cgn 80 fight. There must be hospi-
ais behind the lines, manned by
lHrscs and doctors and attendants
.ailroads to convey troops and food.
bakeries, bath houses,
auadrics and hundred other things,
md all these must in in readiness he
'ore the actual fighting begins.
There must be a pretty efficient or.
,anization perfected merely as pre-
imluary. And that is why there IS
, dignity to the man with the shovel,
he AK and other tools l could emu
nerate. He already is at work while
he fighter is waiting until the stage
S set.
"The liquid refreshment ques-
ion here is an interesting one. OF
,Qurse. there is not even the hint Of
s1y liquid prohibition on the part of
he French government The French