Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-12-06
PREPARE
FOR PEACE
Bryan Heise Writes of Thrilling Ex-
periences On The, Battle Fields of
France and Belgium-Why The
War Must Be Fought to a Finish
What Will Peace Bring?
In Belgium
October Both, 1918

In Belgium
October Both, 1918
Dear Father and Mother
Your letters of September 30th
have just arrived. Tonight 1 am
guard in the dressing station, when
the fellow who preceded me came
back and woke me up, where / was
sleeping on the concrete floor (This
being the land of no dugouts) l arose
with alacr5t ty and needed no push
ing to go on guard.
Nov. 7th
The above letter I started when
word came to us to move forward
to the line, for we went into action
the next morning. We got to our
position safely, but got caught in
the German counter barrage, but
they can't hit you if you duck low
enough. I have had a lot of close
and warm exper ences but I, am safe.
Austria's capitulation has reached
us read the French papers and
sort of have it over the rest of the
fellows, they all stand around and
listen to my translations; when |
get back will tell you all of our ex-
periences, it would take too long to
write
Our work in the last drive has
been complimented highly by the
higher officers of the divis on. We
are all pleased with ourselves The
wounded, especially appreciate your
efforts, when one crawls out to them
through fire and gets back safely.
They talk about "Croix de Guerre."
have seen enough deeds that would
use up the whole supply of crosses,
if only mention of the deeds were
made; but no one knows except those
of US who have gone thrugh the thick
if the fight.
l have no more sympathy for the
Germans in this warfare. Listen
to this, this happened to me: 1
started out to locate battalion aid
station and found it without much
trouble. When I got inside word
was received that four wounded men
lay outside in a shell hole. some dis
tance from our station. The she'll
ing was fierce but we started, when
the German planes dropped bombs
upon US, luckily no one was hurt.
| There was no excuse, for they GER
tainly could see our stretchers as the
planes were only a couple of hundred
feet high. Another time we were
literally forced to crawl after the
men to keep ourselves protected
from German machine guns. l
don't wear my Red Cross, brassard
any more it affords too good mark.
l think the reason you received no
mail during Sept. was from the fact
/ that we travelled a good deal, the
middle of the month; then our first
big drive came during the latter part
and the first of October. All the
mail during that time was held up.
/ You will receive news of me if any
thing happens in a short time.
Many times things are in such shape
one can't write. Don't. worry for
me Just take no news as good news.
Word came to me through the
French of peace talk agan, maybe
/ the war will soon be over and I shall
be back with you.
I realize more and more that this
war must be fought to finish; for
the German empire was the only
embodyment in Europe of milHarism
and it's accompanying crimes.
firmly believe that this is the end of
war. I have talked with many
Frenchmen. they all say when this
war is won Europe will be forever
free of the curse of war. That is
the aim of America. Then why not
make it true. Wilson desires it and
all those who have seen war or SUI
fered from its claws, which spread
only grief and ruin, desire it. Then
why can't the civilians back home
desire it. Prepare for an era Of
peace, for it is coming. For the
sake of all the boys who have died
here on French and Belgian sol
don't prepare for war. Preach il
to everyone, see it is true more and
more. The price the world has
been compelled to pay has been Of
such magnitude that it is difficult
for you and me to realize it. But ]
5his sacrifice means the opportunity
, in the future, for the free develop
ment of future generations, then oul
sacrifice will not have been in vain
1t is a vision that seems far away
but to the man who suffers shell fire
machine gun fire and daily face:
T the question of iife or death, this Wis
ion must become reality. 1t i:
!. vital. It is the very force thai
! makes one glad to Garry on. thai
forces one to push on. It mus
come.
Then here is another thing thaf
4 has come to my attention: some
t times when you are walking on +:
E long march or perhaps just waiting
!, out on guard, 1 wonder about tn,
right and wrong of things. As /;
whole are the German people t.
blame? Have they received enough
punishment Do they realize wha
kind of a regime they have been up
holding? Are they truly repent
ant. How does the Great God lool
upon them? 1 wonder how they ar
e Judged, then again how shallow nov
are all the church creeds. how alb
: surd to debate a mans method o
t salvation. 1t is the life that counts
d What kind of man are you? How
: have you lived that what is wort
g while.
S One thinks seriously over here an
I can't help but wonder what tn
d churches are going to do to NEE
e these ideas, these new thots ar
S coming and the world must be pre-
/, pared. Church goers have pre-
q blem to meet and are the min ster
n big enough in their spiritual insigh
/ that they can understand and appre
ciate their new thots? | wonde
IS father, I can't do much more.
e A great change is coming an
y what are we going to do about it
T I guess this is enough for this tim
s With Love, your son
y Bryan
e