The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-04-17
LIFE IN /. FRANCE !.
TOLD BY Letter
Lieutenant M0sby, Former
University Student.
Writes Back.
ISN'T ALL SUNSHINE
Does Not Want Able Bodied
Men to Cheer Him When
He Comes Home.


Jus, how il seems 10 be- going across
French territory towards the front
with the Montana National guard.
which is now the One Hundred sixty
third infantry. Is graphically told by
Lieutenant Elk Mosby. former univer-
si,v student in letter to n MissOula
friend.
Lieutenant Moshy tells Of the trip
across the channel and some Of the
unpleasant experiences Of riding on
French railroads and trying to be com
fcrtable In French winter weather. The
letter follows.
Months Pass Slowly.
About six months ago promised I
would write you q letter from over
there Those six months have been
greatly congcsted at times and they
seem to be more like years than any
30 day periods have passed before.
suppose If In my past I had heard n
Judge say 80 days ! would have made
IN exception to that statement
My first conceptions Of France.
we're anything but sunny. After
rocky trip across the channel. our
t'~nch shoes hit the shores Of France:
and they hit quite hard. for We were
Il pretty tired bunch. The president
wasn't at the wharf to give us the
"plad hand" and there wasn't brass
band hitting up patriotic airs. In fact
We were fast realizing that the French.
like the English. were too bnsily en-
gagged in war work to stand on the
street corner and holler "hurrah''
when we passed.
Would Make Him Mad.
"A number OF people on their way to
work would pause an instant and give
na the once over. perhaps wave their
hand. and pass on. 1t makes a fe!:Ow
feel rather ashamed when he thinks OF
III the able bodied h,lskies at home be-
tween the age Of 20 and rs years with
out an excuse in the world. except d
manufactured one. who stand on the
corners and cheer when the otfer fell
low marches away. Think OF all that
good energy gone to waste. r. any
thing Is going TO make me rea, mad. Il
will be to see those same "hnskies'
holding down corners and cheering
when we get back.
We'll, We followed orr guide a
couple OF miles and found our mex
stopping place. 1t wasn't hotel
duke. but think will find worse
places before the war Is over. We
slept In long wooden sheds, with two
tiers of hunks. made by stretching
81, ,l,o III,
ut small intervals A big sack full o
straw was thrown on each bunk am
each man drew four blankets. rhes,
buildings were our night quarters,
Our day quarters consisted of q
better constructed building with a
mess room and lounging room. There
was a stove In each OF these rooms. sc
We thawed out here each day II was
not even freezing weather. but ! don
remember being as cold as I was a
this camp.
Sammsss Too Husky.
we remained here two days and thel
received orders to move on. Again ",
u lot of narrow streets and final,
stopped alongside OF a string Of freigh
cars, When say freight car. dom
ever think Of one like we have a
home, Tho cars over here have /,
capacity OF from three to five tons
They only have four wheels and ar
coupled together with chains. Their,
is supposed to be room in each car 70
eight horses or 40 men. II may hay,
worked OUT all right. packing 4
Frenchmen In a car. but when you at
tempt to put 40 six-footers from Mon
tnna In one Of those shoe boxes--wel
it can't be done. II would be wors
than can of sardines. for you hay
room for the oil in a can OF sardines
whereas, IL you put 20 U. S. soldiers u
"A French boxcar. well. you wouldn'
even have room for breath Of air.
Spent Week Cleaning Up
The boys loaded on somehow. IS &c
Il car, and we left for parts unknown
We arrived at that port n couple o
days later, spent most OF the day max
ing our barracks. which had been re
Gently vacated by some Russian troop
--inhabitable.
We remained here n week and tn
men were busy the whole time. wash
ing clothes and cleaning eauipmen,
Our next trip Is one we don't like 4
think about. We left in snow storm
packed in box cars and out OF them
We We're three days on the road. 70,
can travel the same distance In tn,
United States In eight or ten hours
We were Is hours going the last 3
miles. because of an eight inch snow
fall. There were only two men VIII,
took sick on the trip. so the men wer
pretty well hardened up,