Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-12-18
Compliments the Work of the Red
Cross Very Much and Says He
Can't Say Enough About
Them
DOING WONDERFUL
WORK OVER THERE
Whatever support is Given the Red
Cross the Same is Direct Ard to
the Boys Over There
Somewhere in France.
Oct. q, 1918.

A large Red Cross recreation hall
has just been erected here, so will
make that my quarters for the after
noon. After having worked all week
among the sick, wounded, and suffer
ing, it means a great deal to have
some place where we may go and feel
at home. The kind Red Cross people
would have us feel quite as much at
home as though we were beside our
own iresides. 1t is about the only
place soldier can go without being
ordered around. Instead of being or
dered to do so and so, you are greeted
at the desk by a smiling countenance.
You are talked to and greeted as
though you We're civilian back home
instead of soldier in the army. You
are then invited to stay for the after
noon. Before half the afternoon is
spent you have quite forgotten that
you ever were a soldier in uniform.
This is our only chance of having a
touch of read home life.
The Red Cross surely is doing a
wonderful work over here. | can not
compliment them too highly. They are
rendering their services in a way that
only mother could treat her own boy
in khaki. Some kind Red Cross
worker is looking after the interests
of some worried mothers boy over
here. | was much impressed few
days ago by this little incident. The
same happened in one of the wards.
The ward master had procured at cost
some precious sandy and cigarettes for
those of the patients who desired to
buy. When the Ward Master had fin
ished his tripy he was stopped by a
gentleman, who said: Now go through
your ward and giVe candy and cigar
cites to all those who were unable to
buy and / will settle for the same"
That man was a Red Cross worker,
looking after the interests of those
who had no money. This is only one
incident in a thousand. l don't sup
pose there is a soldier in the army that
does not enjoy his Red Cross comfort
kit and the Red Cross issues.
We use hundreds of thousands of
Red Cross bandages every week. Every
bandage that is folded back home, re-
lieves us from so much less work here.
Can, however, add from my own ex-
perience, that during the past week we
were forced to make ten thousand
yards of gauze into bandages in order
to meet the local demand. AT times
we have depended somewhat on the
Red, Cross bandages, but the demand
has been too great. | don't say this to
criticize in any way the work of the
Red Cross, but rather to encourage the
well spent efforts of the Red Cross.
| have heard remarks to the effect that
the Red Cross has been drowning us
with ready made bandages. Don't let
any such talk bother you. Neither your
bandages nor your extra efforts will be
wasted Whatever support you give to
the Red Cross, the same is direct aid
to our boys over here. | am sure that
this alone is encouragement enough to
have the good work continue in the
future.
| hope that the encouraging news
back home is received with as much
enthusiasm as over here. Our boys
are already looking forward to the
voyage back home. We, of course,
have our pessimists and our optimists,
lyet either extreme sees brighter
dawn not so far distant.
Hope all is we'll at home. Am feel
ing fine as Frog" in Sunny France.
Best regards to you all
From Your loving son,
RUDE.
My address. Note change:
Rudolph o. Evans,
Headquarters Co., Hospital Center.
A. P. o. $780,
American Expeditionary Forces.
France.
11-1l-19lS.
IL o'clock, Over there.
| Ny dear mother:
AS | headed this letter, noticed the
popularity of the date. On this elev-
enth hour of this eleventh day of this
eleventh month, the most crucial de-
cision of the worlds history is to be
made. We are patiently, patiently
waiting for returns. No one is more
interested and eager than our own
soldier boys, You will have heard
long ago about the decision OF peace
terms when this is received, yet we are
at present unable to determine the out
come.
You will have to overlook the burr
of my paper. Last evening as ! wa;
writing, M candle burned low ane
my paper caught fire. Paper is grea