The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-16

"a young American university man
&C l.. w" now an artillery oricer In
the French army. writes this urgent
letter 20 his American friends point
Ing out the raj exfEencies OF the war
The daily routine OF life at the front
does not prevent &C, l.. w" from keep
ing hts eyes open Nor does OFT kser
from thinking He has some things
20 say In his letter that e~ry stay-at-
home American should note and re-
memher,)
I remember that before I Iest New
York you and many Of my other
friends said Il envy you going over
there. old man. where the big things
are doing" Big things why. in
the tersy-turvy world Of the trenches.
casernes and denots have found that
life is Just a network of trifes
A separate peace in Enssts-~that Is
IN Insignificant topic for few min
utes' conversation in the mess hall.
Inmortaltty-thss subject Of few min
ufes' thought II one happens to sleep
badly and wakes ur at 2 tn the morn
ing. But the absorbing topics are
these; The s o'clock 'nonch was cold
this morning; the new lieutenant In
stats on q doucAe and a change OF linen
every SUNDAY. the last lot CT rinard
wasn't ~ for a carter 20 drink: on tire
magazine which you received from
America this morning there was q pur
PIE stamp which I should Ike to add
10 my collection.
Trouble TO kewp warm.
- va aSa- Aara a-e- absorbed II end
i-r devices 20 keep warm A. night: in
scheclsev tricks II the barracks: In
endless exercises with TIE grenade and
haycnAt IN minute studs ~ the course
ard sSiczrv of tiny she'll FRA g1nerts
And do@n 81 the front they spend
weeks watching low dirt parapet or
slump ~ shattered trees
II YOU should draw hesrt-sharAd
sgnre WITH its point resting on Chit
cago ard It's iHdentstion on New York.
and TIRE two nara bolas touching Wash
snTtcr on cne side and BOSTON on the
other. you would have the zone of big
things in fris war as far as America
Is rned--ChicaG the food center
New York the raoney and shipping esn-
ter. Washington the policy center. and
our greatest industries included in it's
borders
On th~ pulsing Of that great heart
back home depsnfs allied success or
failure Lucky people that Hive close
70 it--thst are it's blood and muscle
For YOU the grstest task Of pumping
v8Ecr into depleted veins on this side:
FOR you the mag nIhcent duty OF main
tanning a healthy fow in the arteries
of communication In land and water:
for you the solution Of the big poitti-
cal and social problems
Army in Rear to Win.
I had TO ccme TO France TO learn
that II is the army of the rear. back
in the states, that Is going 10 win
or lose the war. The army in France
will do nothing new or extraordinary
In building several hundred miles OF
railroad to the front " - But It
was a monentous event when Wilson
pooled the equipment and manage
ment of the railroads OF the United
States. Our engineers are building
several hundred kilameters Of mill
tary highway, but the Romans did as
much cuple OF thousand wears ago,
and did II much better--so we'll, in
fact, that we still use their founda-
lions The important thing
ts. VIII you send US the trucks and
supplies to roll over the roads? The
mere act OF digging trench is moth
Ing In itseif--the Wops are the best
af ft-hut will YOU build The ships to
send the mon to fll them
The men here have done a big thing
In surrendering comforts and facing
death. but in the meantime life is a
dreary skein Of naceinx details. a
series OF eickening endurances against
boredom, fatigue and hunger-but
principally against boredom
When ! compare the Importance OF