Arizona republican., 1918-09-18
HORACE GRIFFIN TELLS UT FRANCE
 DURING WAR TIME

Who on the Southside does not re- member Horace B. Griffen, Jr., long Southside manager for The Arizona i Republican? Of course Horace $. IS in France. He is that sort of chap and the following letter from him IS i just as bright and breezy as his Tempe Notes were when he furnish ] ed them:
 France, July 20, 1918. ] Dearest Folks:
 This sort of reminds of home. for it's warm this evening, dusty, and the flies are inclined to be altogether too i friendly to make life in here really in viting. It is an opportunity to get out a letter though, so I'm going to take advantage of it. For the first time since I've been in France l be- lieved, l slipped up on letter to the i folks last week, but one to Webb at that time was intended to substitute, so l trust that you didn't miss out on i news from me altogether. It seems strange that you can go four weeks without word from me for the mail l leaves us daily and should get out at least once a week for the states. C est le guerre though, and we have to put up with the same proposition on this side, so the bets ought to pe even.
 Olives letter of June 18th came in i day before yesterday, but aside from that I've had no mail from the west in three weeks or more. The clippings she enclosed were interesting, partlcu- larly the killing of the Pemberton boys
 A letter from Ambrost Long arrived yesterday from New York and appar- entlv he was about ready to ship for France. As you no doubt know, he IS still a sergeant major. Of course, We are counting on seeing each other over here sometime, though how, when and where, is an X quantity rye never been on pass since I've been in the army and one doesn't venture far from his organization without pass. We might chance into the same area sometime thought. We're hop ing we may anyhow.
 One of the boys said last night: Gee! Won't it be great when you can get i back on Broadway, look up into the heavens and admire the moon, look in the illuminated windows and enjoy the white and bright lights of the city once more." We were commenting on the moon here at the time. cussing it, you might say, for it and a cloudless night stand nightly in the way for an enjoyable time in dreamland. In the shack where are electric lights are hanging covered with dust and cob webs though, and long since placed out of commission Outside on the street is another light. very similar to the street lights of the little town at hOme but it too long ago, ceased to shine 1 presume that way down in Southern France, maybe they have the bright lights, beautifully lighted busi- ness houses and homes, but it's been months since I've seen anything of the sort. More customary to us is Put out that light or I'll shoot and in one instance the guard took a shot even before he said that. It was aimed at one of the men, too, but went wild. so merely serves as another event to chronicle in the diary.
 I've seen and heard enough within the past few days to spend mighty interesting evening with you at home recounting if all. If we. were carefree and free from all the ties of war, some l of it might make interesting reading. but there is no chance for it to be passed on now.
 I was down talking to some of the wounded men last night and all at once I sped one of the boys out of my old company, the first one I've seen in three months or more. When I left he had a pretty soft job. dog robbing for the major but those days have long since passed, he says. He's seen some mighty fierce fighting, along with the rest of the fellows. and had just re- gently come in. wounded in the arm from q piece of high explosive shrap- mel. He's a plucky little devil, though, and seemed far more interested in what the boys are doing on the front and listening to the other fellows stories than worrying over his personal misfortune That's the way all of the boys seem to be, for that matter. It's the fortune of war, a mere incident that is generally well Overshadowed with the excitement attendant upon their work d warriors.
 The Salvation Army, Red Cross and Y. NJ. C. A. are in the midst of it all, doing this thing and that to make things pleasant for the men, and need loss to say. their work is well worth while and nightly appreciated by the friend in need Here. the Red Cross is waiting and not an ambulance comes in but what hot coffee or chocolate and sandwich is handed out 10 every occupant The "Y" representative was circulating among the men last eve ming putting out Meccas and in an other rlace the Salvation Army was distributing lemonade. The whole place rather resembles a carnival. but Wher you look at the other side of it. clothes blod stained, dirty and some in tatters nearly everyone wearing bandage or some part of his body and it probably blood stained, dirty and some in tattCrs badly wounded to move around of their own accord. it lends different aspect to the scene.
 Though we are at war with Ger many, and doing everything in oul power to down her warriors. bocht wounded are being brought in anC well cared for. Probably the gooC treatment is surprise to them, bu surely they'll some day be able to saN a good word for the allies. We car only hope that our men under lik, circumstances are being treated ac cordngly.
 was talking to a wounded soldiel today. and he recOunted the harrow. ing escape he had from being anon. those mot present" With five other. Of his squad. he was advancing upoI an enemy machine gun nest Three O them were shot down. within lift, yards of the other two were knocke, out. He took refuge in small hollow and though his heavy pack-the onl, part of him protruding above tn ground-was fairly riddled with bul lets, he escaped with a single sho through one foot He said he though several times that it was about tim to make out a will but now he's keeI to get back into it again. It's fai example of the fighting spirit of ou American soldiers and believe me, tn Hun is doomed