Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-09-26
GOOD LETTER
FROM FRANCE
William J. Metzger Writes Interest
ingly of His Experiences

We take pleasure in reproducing a
letter written by VIM. ]. Metzger to
his sister and parents, Mr.. and Mrs
B. Metzger which will prove of in
terest to his friends and acquaintances
in this city. The letter follows:
Somewhere in France
Dear Sister: Aug. 7, 1918
Your welcome letter was
received a short time ago and l was
surely glad to hear from you. Mail
from the States usually reaches US in
about four weeks but for some reason
your letter was on the way six weeks
| It doesn't matter how long it takes to
get our mail as long as we are sure
of getting it. some time The mail
| is rather uncertain either going or
coming and is rather surprising that
more Of it is not lost than really is.
| We all receive quite a bit of mail
which means whole lot to us and
keeps US busy most of our spare time
answering it. If the folks have for
"arded my letters you have been hear
ing from me quite regular and know
something about things over here. |
expect that my place in this camp is
permanent and will most likely be To-
Gated in this part of Sunny France
until the war is over. This place suits
me first rate and am perfectly salts
fed to remain here for the duration
of the war You were asking if we
had to work hard, the work is far
from being a snap but We are all will
ing to put up with most anything so
as to bring this affair to a close and
get back to the good old u S. again
Much of our work is rush orders and
must be gotten out as quick as pos
sible. Many times we are required to
work over time and Sundays so as
to cause no delay in getting job out.
The experience that | am getting in
operating different machines is going
to be worth a whole lot to me when
| get back to civilian life. The shop
foreman and officers that are over US
are all fine men, nice to get along with.
This camp is very poor place for
Cold Bricks which is the army ex-
preston for a loafer. Whenever a
lazy soldier is discovered in a gang
it is usually made quite hot for him.
He is usually given some disagreeable
job or is given work where a certain
amount must be done every day. The
boys that are coming into camp now
have it mighty soft compared to what
we had to put up with early last
spring. When | come to think back
the time has surely gone fast since
my outfit has landed. In another
month I will get my first overseas
service stripe. Every six months that
we spend in this country the Govern
ment gives us a gold stripe which is
worn on the sleeve of the right arm.
I wonder how many will be issued me
before | again set foot on y. S. soil.
Let's hope it is not more than a half
dozen. [ suppose you watch the pa
pers quite closely and note the gains
that our boys are making. 1t is only
a matter of time when the U. S. SOL
diers will show the allies and in fact
the whole universe that America is
backed by the greatest army of the
world Considering the length of
time that we are in this affair and the
distance we must bring our troops and
equipment, the U. S. has done some
very wonderful work. At the rate
this country is becoming AmericaniZed
in another year the place will be more
like an American province than France |
You can be sure that we are all very
anxious to get back home but not a |
man is ready to leave until the I'M
perial Government has been so badly
crushed that, it will never rise again.
They are the ones that are causing
the nations to suffer but sooner or
later they will be made to pay very
dearly for the otrocities and suffer
;ngs they have committed. | never
have fully realized what freedom and
liberty have meant, but since | have
been over here my eyes and ears have
been opened to a few facts that have
made me sit up and take notice. The
American people think that this war
is depriving them of many good times
and luxuries but | only wish they
.ould see just some of the things that
re going on here, l think that their
opinion would be somewhat changed.
\ short time ago one Of the A. E. F.
,ditions had the startling headlines of
Heaven. He'll, or Hoboken by Xmas"
The three H's have received consider
able discussion among the men in the
barracks and wish | could give my
opinion of the headline, but am afraid
hat it would be infringing on mill
sary affairs which we are not sup
posed to do. | look for this affair to
end Just about in the same manner
that it started. We get American
papers printed inParis quite regularly
and are fairly we'll posted on what is
going on at the front. | suppose you