Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-08-16
q. 8. SOLVING GIGANTIC
PROBLEMS IN FRANCE

/ Below we publish portion OF an
interesting letter written by Rae r.
Stratford OF Pocatello, TO his uncle.
Judge Alfred Bulge. At the time the
letter was written. July 4th, Mr..
Stratford was stationed at the CEN
trail prisoner Of war enclosure No. 1
at Gievres, France. He writes as fol-
lows:
| All the Germans captured by the
Americans are brought to this central
camp and you can imagine that 1t Is
interesting to be about here when a
crowd of them arrive from the front.
They are dirty, hungry, tired, and all
played out" Judging from their APP
pearances, and I'll venture to state
that the most of them are really hap
py and feel fortunate in being here
with US. As one of the Office force, /
have great deal of paper work to do,
Questioning the prisoners. getting
their names, residence, and various
other items of information. During
my work the other morning I found
among the new arrivals, one Boche
who had grown weary of trench life.
took an idea of leaving, and was sue
cesRful in reaching the American
lines where he gave himself up. I
think he was wise In taking his
chances with the Yanks and fortunate
In reaching our lines In safety. At
first 1t is hard to get much informa.
ton out OF them, but after they have
been here short time the fear of be-
ing prisoner has sort Of worn off
and they are more laxative.
IL Is not my intention of firing you
with lot OF personal experiences
which may not be interesting to you
at all, and take your valuable time.
Let me impress upon you ii can, one
fact, which has been stamped upon
my mind so forcibly since my arrival
here in. France, and that is the work,
construction, ETC., which the United
States has accomplished during the
past year over here" / could never
have believed 1t, and one would al
most think himself In America to be
In this vicinity. The usual gigantic
problems to be solved by Uncle Sam
are being solved and In his, and his
only, great big ways We need not
worry about the outcome of the pres
ent crisis, for that is certain, but the
H.
preparation, etc, is an unknown guam
tity. Surely America will be looked
upon after the war, by the other ma
lions now at war, as the saviour of
the other members of the allies, and
hence the principles for which we
are contending. America has sur
prised France and they cannot under
stand how it is that we could have
done SO much in such short time,
being located so far distant.
II do not find France any different
to my first impressions when here
some eighteen months ago. find
more people, women, dressed in black
It's an exception to find one dressed
in colors other than black-and they
seemed to have grown more accus-
toned to the hard times, burdens
they are called upon to bear, etc. The
lady who does our cooking (for us
three interpreters) has not heard
from her husband for more than %
months and Is unable to find any in
formation whatsoever, concerning
him. The other morning while at
breakfast she received letter from
the French Red Cross, and you should
have noticed the anxiety with which
she opened that letter She shook
from head to foot and could hardly
open the envelope, her hands were
shaking SO, but no news.
Il must tell you that we have been
celebrating here at camp, celebrating
In the most fitting manner, for we
have received goodiy number of
herman prisoners OF war"