Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-11-02
With Islanders
In the Service

Mrs. n. II. Hickman, 1407 Seven
teenth street, has received a letter
from her son, Corporal J. +. Hick-
man, who is with the engineer corps
IN France He states thai but few
American soldiers will be disap-
pointed If the war is fought to
finish, and that Germany, at any
rate. should be forced to terms
while encircled by a wall OF steel.
The letter follows:
AS everything is going along
nicely over here. will try my hand
writing once more, although l will
have to admit that il is some job
finding something to write about
that is allowable. l met ieuten-
ant, one Shirley Folsom, with
medical and hospital outfit, who
wishes to - remem bered to all at
piled with all necessary articles,
YOU have made for us in due time.
However. We are abundantly sup
piled with all necessary tarticles,
so you must not feel that We are
going to go cold or hungry. With
all our different equipment, any
thing that one does not actually
need becomes a burden, for we
move around, and everything that
you do not carry on your back
must find room in one barracks
bag. so you see It requires little
scheming to have room for things.
The war is going to wind up, l
think, about as l predicted, for the
Huns are surely getting plenty of
their own game and are looking for
a fairly reasonable excuse to quit.
Anyway, the longer they hang on
the worse they are going to be
beaten. SO we should worry. And,
besides, when it is all over, the
Americans at home and abroad
have something to look forward to,
for we live in a land where people
live and not merely exist as the
people here have done in these for
eign countries for ages, and | guess
always will until they get over this
divine right of kings stuff. We have
a political scandal at home once in
a while, but for genuine rcttenness
leave it to the rulers of the Euro
pean countries with their fairy
prince stuff and block-headed mar
riages among themselves. Take
away about one dozen of these
scrofulous degenerates who have
caused this war for just one month,
and it is a safe bet that there will
be no such place as No Mans Land
by that time.
But everything indicates an ear
Iy peace with an endless amount of
wrangling over the spells. ! hate
to think of an American having to
listen to the two-faced German
view of anything, and am of the
opinion that there will not be a
great deal gained for the allies IN
less Germany is surrounded with
bayonets during the entire settle
ment So I look forward TO quite
a long stay in France, even though
peace is declared, and though We
all know there must be an end 10
this some time and in some manner.
yet / cannot help but feel that Ger
many is getting off lightly and
don't think there will be very many
disappointed American soldiers if
this war is fought TO a finish. One
would think to read their saueT-
kraut diplomacy that they don't
give the rest Of the people on earth
the credit of having d memory.
While we of the western hemi-
sphere will soon be going along as
happily as ever, for hundreds of
reasons, l can see that the people
in all Europe will have accomplish
ed nothing by this war, but will
soon be in the same old rut they
always have been unless they have
an awful revolution. They have
lived in slavery, body and mind,
so long that it is a question wheth-
err they will ever be able to think
and act for themselves, though time
will tell The destruction and des-
olation of peoples homes is an aw-
full thing, but they can be rebuilt;
but the feeling of independence, if
it ever has existed in the people of
Europe, has been destroyed for
ages. and is far greater loss than
else could possibly BEL
Perhaps, being a heart and soul
free American, one should be dis
qualified as a judge of European
peoples and their troubles. But
one cannot help but think. and the
more one thinks the more is the
pity
Received a letter from Clarice, |
and am much pleased to know that
she is also a soldier, but feel that
every American is a soldier and !
know they are doing and have done /
their bit. for we have all been well (
fed and well clothed and our every |
want looked after. so I feel that the |
honors should be equally divided |
between all loyal Americans over |
thnre and the soldiers oyer hern "