Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-06-17
OUR VS.
OUR CQUNTRY'S SERVICE

The following letter was received
June I'd, by Mrs. w. NJ. Stuart of New
port from her son Richard, who has
now been raised to the rank of corporal:
Somewhere in France. May r. 1918
Nv dear Mother:-Today is Mothers
day" and although it has never been
my good fortune to be at home on this
anniversary since it has started it comes
back to me today more than ever before,
perhaps because ! am in foreign coun-
try under most unusual and trying cir
cumstances 1t has always been said
that Your mother will stick by you
when every one else has deserted you.
We all appreciate the truthfulness OF
this statement This war which is now
involving the lives of so many OF
Americas young men is going to assert
itself in the States after it is all over
and we return home. We have heard
reports from home which are detrimen-
tai and suggestive as to the morale OF
the American troops but it has IN most
cases been traced to men who do not
know what they are talking about and
have no close connection with any sol
der over here. These stories are abSo-
lutely unfounded and the morale of the
soldiers is of the very highest. The men
are not becoming drunkards as some
people back home would have you be-
leve, since the men have no good rea-
son for lowering their morals and repu-
tation even if intoxicating liquors werc
to be procured. In our leisure hours we
find plenty of good. wholesome amtse
ment and entertainment in the Y. NJ c.
A. huts and the Salvation Army homes.
Many times we ask ourselves, what
are we fighting for anyway" f peo-
pie could see the things that have hap
pened and are happening over here
every day they would have an entirely
different viewpoint of things. a people
that have committed the crimes against
humanity that Germany has committed
in the past four years must either be
completely annihilat ted or made to look
at life and liberty from an entirely diff
ferent angle. ! don't think that there
is a man in France today who is not
willing to give his life if it is necessary
Perhaps one of the biggest things this
war is doing is to bring about new
religion. which although unique. is a
fact among the soldiers. There is proc
ably more cursing and swearing in the
trenches than anywhere else on earth,
there are thousands of men smoking
now who never smoked before, but that
Sc, ~ yir~;@ - - " urHn n
goes into battle who is afraid to die,
and we do not hear of soldiers over here
asking to have their sins forgiven Just
before going over the Top" but all
truly believe that they are here for q
special duty and they perform that du-
ty almost with smile and as for there
being a Hell" there is nothing farther
from their minds. Any man who is go
ing through this war at the front is
going through his He'll every day and
a soldier who dies in the performance
of his duties has nothing to fear.
The Mothers are the ones who are do
ing the most worrying, and that is only
natural, and it is true that it is the
mothers who have really made the SUI
preme sacrifices. Millions Of mothers in
France, England and Germany know
what this really means.
/ have been on special duty at head
quarters, quite ways back of the lines
for two weeks and have had mighty
good rest and consequently feel fine
now. / am going back to my company
in a day or two, but do not think / will
on b,ol. 70 the lines for Soma LITTLE time
so there is no need to worry.
We hope that the day is not far distant
now when this war will be over and
the ANGLICAN Troops will be sent back
to their mothers. who sent them away
as boys" but who will find them on
their return to be "men" matured,
broadened, wiser and with determined
outlook on life caused by the trials and
sacrifices that they have been called
upon to undergo and it may be possible
that for that reason alone this terrible
war is not being fought In vain.