The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-03-15
Troops in France Are Training
to the Highest Point
of Efficiency.
KNOW NO FEAR OF FRITZ
Soldier Writes OF Work and Expert
eneeS With Army at the Front
Old Regulars to Be Used as
Crack Units Of the Unit
ed States Forces.

Dear -. This Is the first time I
have hnd--or have taken-for letter
writing In some days. | wrote home,
and will devote the rest of the minutes
delayed letter to you. | only Just re-
turned to my company after being
away for month--in blamed sight
colder place. l had "a long and won
derfuI trip. the details of which can't,
of course, recount. Let 1t be men
toned, however. that among other
things | did was sleep in a real steam
heated room, with sheets, five electric
lights, all going ut once. and bath
room. | was neXt-door nelghbor of
Hank Wales. of the |. n. s., who, dis
covered, worked In Sacramento. tpking
the job | left when went TO pMhnma.
He knows you. and mentioned that l
did, but didn't go into any details. My
trip, my one night of luxury and :hy
reyersion to the life of the army have
brought realization of one thing,
though:
To pervert the title and main strain
OF the latest Broadway and first-llne
trench hit, the fun Is over. over here.
From now on it's business.
France. to the American soldier,
never again win be what It has been.
This thought began to formulate itself
in the minds of the lucky Americans
who came over here In the late sum
liner of 1917. about the time the snow
began to fall and the fog to come In
from the coast, Now II has crystalized.
The grave. whole-sOuled, sincere six
months welcome of France Is over. II
was welcome not SO much regal as II
was genuine-not one such as Is
spoken ut II banquet when the mayor
turns the hypothetical keys of the
city over. but of the man who opens
his home and his all and says, not in
words but Ia deeds. You are one with
us what we have Is yours" Aud for.
tunatc were the Americans who were
present at this welcome. The army
that comes this year win be welcomed.
but not as We were.
No Longer a Novelty.
Not that France has intentionally
moderated her tone, There has been
merely natural relaxation, OF course
and the "soldat Americnine" now Is
accepted more as matter OF course
than as n novelty. But the big factors
are that the United States is getting
into the war-and Il IL winter. There
Is less liberty now than there was
no alEnight passes. and frequently
Sunday Is broken by inspection and
drills. There Is no military pernis.
sion tn visit nearby cities except on
business. Visiting OF the cafes is Der.
mltted only between noon and n IN
and y. M aud $50 for officers and
fnlisted men. Winter has brought long
Rights and cold days. its Red Cross
sweaters aad the II pairs OF socks
from home. and, incidentally. the keen.
eat appreciation Of three fruits OF civil.
hEation which back home" are such
/ common-placcs that their existence
creates no more thought than the f,sa
on Hcctor's back.
These are light. heat aud water.
War. and Its concomitant eronorIss
cause a step backward In evolution
ana human progreSs-supertcial al
least--and luNurteS vanish. one by one
Nhile what the American OF TODAY suh.
| consciously considers as necessities
are stiutrd An aeon or 50 ago water
and artificial heat and light might have
been considered a luxury. or a ,iiSSlpa.
Hon 10y our developing ancestors But
now they are normally In the class Of
things We must have. There is. nj
course. no alarming scarcity o. any ~
these things, Merely conservation.
over here we hear that the lights
are going out on broadway. and Dear.
I born street. Gld Canal street. and Mar.