Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-26

The following letter is from a
Maine boy in a Southern training
camp to his Dad" in Augusta. 1t
seems to speak in no uncertain tone
of the confidence Of our soldiers, and
of the strong desire of all to get in
to it," to spring to the side of friends
who have been more fortunate" and
are already in the battle line. The
Journal is assured that in all the let
tiers Of this boy to his parents has
never appeared a note Of lack of con-
fidence or any evidence that the Off
GERS or men Of his regiment are re
sentful of anything but delay to give
them their "chance'-it is always of
their drill, their study. their physical
and mental examinations and Of the
great, slow moving war machinery Of
which they are a part.
That some of them at least are
close followers CT events in Europe
is evident from the following por-
tons of a letter written last Sunday
evening:
Ehit NiittL vi toIllS1it VII lItt w tSt =
ern front? And tomorrow night and
the night after-the week after that
Dad, as sure as you're a half century
old, the Germans are Gasping their
last gasps. The Allied bayonet is in
their vitals and being vciously, hor-
ribly twisted. waiting for the end.
The kaiser's beatific dream is turn
n fnr ;rrl,{
Germans battled for a decision and
the decision has arrived, final, ire
Vocable. FoCh. smiling cortentedly.
behind his deadly determined millions
of Americans ana British and French
and Belgians and Italians and Portu-
guese, behind his uNaSsailable in
trenchments. his matchloSS artillery,
machine guns. trench mortars. tanks.
airplanes, just waits. That's all
WAITS, and that is as it should be.
Don't you hear men telling what
ought to be done-and don't Vol,
laugh? Don't You feel sorry for them
in their futile, Misunderstanding i'm
patience-their inability to compre
bend the tremendous strategy of
Foch's waitingo
In Europe is being fought the
greatest battle ever known in the
Worlds history. The most masterful
campaign ever waged is in progress.
Millions of soldiers are moving like
chess men under the master hand
slowly but inevitably forcing a check
mate l never followed ANYTHING so
closely or with such intense Interest
IN my life. I'd give all the money I've
got IN the world to swap my commits
sion Tor priyate's chance in the
American forces on the British front
To-Day, and he could have my $500
worth of equipment TO boot!
I'll say that the Kaiser has the
chance OF blind batter against Wal
ter johnson. All the Germans have
left to them is to lombard Rheims.
Poor Rheims: Reminds me of that old
song about Grimes. Every time the
Huns get up against it''-find their
oest-laid plans gone agley is that
right ?)-they tear few new holes
IN Rheims. Did you note that they
turned their artillery on that devas-
tated city again about a week ago
and. with the unsurpassed fury of
their attack, laid the final ruins
Isn't that significant?
But one doesn't have to clutch a,
straws like Rheims to gain comfort
In indications. The most powerful Of
fensive movement Of all time is
blocked-at a standstill-after weeks
of desperate endeavor and fearful
sacrifice Of men. The most carefully
prepared plan possible to the German
leaders and the great Prussian ma
chine Of war. backed by apparently
absolute faith in its success, heralded
to the discouraged and antagonistic
German people as the final drive to
certain victory. is on the verge of de-
moralizing failure Peace with victory
and indemnities is a broken bubble,
How is the impending disaster to be
explained to a pleading people grow
ing desperate in the straits Of death
and hunger?
La Bassee canal. Mt. KENNEL and
behind it, Mt. Rouge. Mt. Noir and
Mt. Des Cats. are like stonewalls
against the German attacks. Given
chv holds while German dead heap
before its impregnable defense. Hun
dreds OF thousands Of Americans and
French and Italians replace the allied
casualties and swell the defending
force to greater strength daily. Dom
nation at any cost has paid the price
| in full but is not and cannot be dom
ination. No trapping of the allied
forces is a possibility. They are with
drawn and entrenched to absolute
safety. None of the territory they
have given up has more than sen.i-
mental importance. Where 'n.y "at :,
wooded ground they have taken II
.,th .,,rnr;sing ease. Where they
~. needed to hold they have held
Whsre they have died they nave