The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-16
HOSPITAL Trains
mace IgR
They Wanted TO Get Right
Up % the Front
Line.
line.


Tie following letter was received !
ri BY Dr.. ]. G. Broom1feld from
r JohnE4 Shelter, OF the Ameri-
can E1pedftionary Force in France.
meltzer married Miss Frances.
Of this city, about a year ago
FRANCE, oct. 25. 1918
Rev. Broomfield: / have in
tended for some time writing you Gcr
hive thought Of you SO much since
there and the people OF Fairmont
do treated me 50 royalty, were so
2 fce and the business men who were
80 accommodate to the entire reSi
1enl-
people IN France are sad and
oll. iearted-moSt every home has
acFtfI iced one, two or more for the
70 never see them again and
many homes closed to never open
Thousands Of homes destroyed
he battle fields. Trees and ev-
ing destroyed and the ground
soaked with blood. The weak bu:
ing hands OF women and children
nd Tery old men cultivate the fields.
Girls dong manual labor. It is hard (
g max Sc the people back home under
stand tie price Of Liberty
a,n in the advance section S. o. S.
severn miles behind the front line.
can hear the rambling Of the big
s1ns when the drive Is on at nights
1e Red Cross trains 50 back acd
oIt each day to get the American
oys Who are paying the price at that
point and many men go up to the front
lire and make the supreme gift and
return. The greatest sacrifice
one can offer-and pass on to the
Rreat and undiscovered land where If
once e traye1ed arrives he never re-
turns So many cases during their
EST hours; some lad who is passing
on III call tor his wife or mother, F,
an asst words, Lord have mercy |
makes one think as never before and
nteTtand life more as Emerson"
aIId Browning" tried to describe it. +!
trains pull in with the wounded. |
The Americans cIamor all the more
and want IN the front line. Every F..
an anxious to do his bit and feels
that he cannot do enough. ,
The solder has hard ships to bear
for there are many. Well, the aver
civilian never dreams or can inn !
Inc what that means in the army. !
N hen troops are under hard service !
would not think it possible should |.
some one Try to explain Many times I;
chicken coop looks like a brown I;
sf0nt front-the uncomfortable. I'M !
pleasant things and hardshtps go with i
the war game. However. l am very !
conortable at present with my Office !
room IN camp hospital. But per /
willing to go any place or do !
a1 ing that orders may direct and !
ma Sc any sacrifice. J
do not think this good place for
your line Of work. Not that it would !
not be effective but you haven't the !
opportunity to reach the men. So !
many Of the 3. N. G. A. men working |
n fie canteenS. A man with your /
ability and wonderful speaking power |
5csan do so much TO make the people in |
Anlerica understand that we are in a !
fe war and what we want most. is
&c and support from the folks
honeand know that we are fight
ing Tor Liberty and for the sake OF hu-
man ~. Men giving real american
blood Just as free as creek-watcr and
great pride, that the world may
zes+ n peace Giving their lives I'M
Rrea numbers and many just in the
bloom Of lie Let MS hope that it will
Il nembered that the price of Lib
erty means more than Liberty bond. !,
Some of rs are coming back some day
and the question viii be to the ones |
t!left stayed at nome: what did you |.
70 to end the war;
neriea Is playing big part in the
and am proud that I an an !
ericar. Wish I could tell you /
some Of the wonderful things accom-
he'd over here by our War depart
Certainly would be hard for
some back IN the States to conceive
EonderfuI work and management !
country by our troops. Do NOT
eleYa amy newspaper or gossip that /
tendency to discredit our War
rflnent on army, for it is not true.
Only wish I could say more.
r are proud OF our President and !
ress and more especially since
ne stand or position they have taken |
8 peace proposals for Germany is /
10 incere we are in life and death |
gle with the most infamous.
eedy and bIood-thirsty nation the
World has ever recorded. Wish could
Is more.
ncerely hope your brother. Jim.
not recall his Nfull name, is still
and able to continue service
Sfer here. understood last summer