Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-28

1t hardly seems possible that more
than two months ago We sailed from
America and a third Of year IS gone
since we left our homes. Each step
in our progress has been a surprise
a finding Of conditions very different
from those anticipated. For instance
this location so near the great line
supposedly full of danger and horror
Of disagreeable labor, is most Of the
time as peaceful and quiet as our own
small Iowa town. Every day seems
four occupations: fighting, making war
materials raising food and transpor-
tation. Everything else has stopped
I am also surprised to learn that OF
those engaged in fighting but (per-
haps) per cent are actually employed
at any one time. The other IS per
cent are building camps and roads,
bringing up supplies, waiting, getting
ready for or resting from a battle. So
in this advanced zone there is the
Sunday quietness most Of the days.
We are in an attractive town. q
French resort, high and cool and with
famous springs. The summer hotels
transformed, are our hospitals and are
admirably located and equipped. Parks,
golf links, villas, fine roads, hills, riv-
ers and orchards, all contribute to
the beauty of our surroundings and we
often feel ashamed OF ourselves walk
ing out, listening to the skylark. gath
q ia YN,yr
haze of the landscape when the dear
ones at home aret dreaming OF us as
being in great danger and suffering
many ha ships. OF course when a Red
Cross train comes and fills our wards
with disabled men, the inside Of tho
hospitals is not like peaceful Iowa.
But outside the flowers bloom and the
skylark mounts to as great. heights
and the moonlight floods the bath
house colorado. just as tho the world
We're not disorganized.
If one listens carefully almost any
day he hears the booming of the can
non In the distance. Trains go by
loaded with guns and soldiers. Now
and then the airplanes sail over us,
and every man wears a uniform
These are the signs Of war. But there
is food in plenty. including white
bread and butter and sugar, and the
French people look we'll fed and
healthful; our quarters are comfort
able. and conditions every where so
good that We know the allies are going
to win and we are all coming home
well and as have said. rather
ashamed not 70 nave suffered more
privations for our countryis sake.
We are coming home proud of our
comrades, the American soldiers. This
pride is perhaps now in inverse ratio
TO his army rank. The American pri-
vate soldier Is all right. He Is going
to win the war. The smile as we take
out the shrapnel, the jokes Of his ex-
perience in no mans land" make us
sure Of this winning.
l have been quietly observing and
listening and trying to learn at first
hand the real inwardness Of this war.
many Germans, I could never bring
myself to hate the whole people nor to
believe all unworthy OF regard.
think am now gradually learning the
truth. There are two classes Of Ger
mans; the Prussians who rule and
dominate and the other Germans who
are dominated. Tho Prussians anlbi-
ton brought on the war, and they are
continuous menace to the world. I
have come really to hate the Prus-
slams and to wish that they could be
annihilated. The otner Germans will
make good world citizens when freed
from the Prussian domination I have
no doubt that the Prussians intend to