The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-11-28

indications are favorable for uS) and
before another year rolls round we will
again be settled in the good old U. S.
A. You can hear all you want to about
this "Sunny France, but it has failed
to show itself in this sector. Fogs
and rains have been very much in evil
dence in the past six weeks.
No doubt, like over here, in Amer
lea, peace has been the topic of the
day. For days the probable outcome
Of all this armistice propaganda has
caused us lots of friendly arguments,
but really we don't feel that the end
is in sight. At least not on the Hoh-
enzollern's terms. To us it looks like
the Germans were the only ones who
thought seriously of their peace pro-
posals.
Owing to his honor, the censor,
many interesting experiences cannot
be stated at this time, but I'm hoping
this catches him in a. good humor and
trifle lenient for am going to try
and give you description of how we
are doing things.
l think I have written before that
our organization is divided into print
ers, photographers, photographers and
surveyors; all working hand in hand
for the desired results. 1t is from the
printing end that I am going to harp.
At this print shop of ours we have
about fifty men employed, thrown to-
gether from all parts of the states.
In the past four months much has
been done to make this plant COM
plete and up-to-date printing office.
When the 10Th was first organized the
| powers what be" at Washington fig
ured on getting their printing sup
! plies here in France, but since there
they awakened to the fact that French
machinery is not up to standard Amer
! lean makes and are rustling equip
ment from the States.
Before coming to France, when we
were stationed at Camp lsvens, and
the printers were drifting into camp
| daily, to find hundreds of printers
ahead of them, they would all ask,
| what in h. do they want with
| all these. printers The question was
beyond me, and everyone else for
that matter. But once we placed foot
on French soil and gave the situation
the O. O. it did not take US long &c &c
| find out that we were in for a seige
of long hours and lots of work.
At first it was planned to erect one
big printing plant here, but later it
was decided that it would be more
practical to build several smaller
shops, inasmuch as Fritz has a habit
of coming over now and then and
"spilling the BEANS" Under the pres
ent arrangements Fritz has not the
chance to cripple the entire works.
Consequently there are print shops
run by American forces all over
France. Some of them are on trucks,
moving up near the front, where they
are exposed to shell fire constantly.
Type sticking under these conditions
seems to be much in favor over here,
judging from the amount of applica-
tions. Up to the present time I un-
derstand there are about $50 men at
tached on the different points.
Has the Spanish flu made itself felt
in Minot. l get some letters from
Boston and if it is as bad as they re-
port, it must be perfect hell. We
have had several cases, but nothing
serious, and up to date is pretty well
cornered For a while there was some
talk of keeping American soldiers out
of the town near which we are locat-
ed, but it was never put into effect.
If they had l think it would have been
a d. good thing for US. These
French store keepers are becoming
Americanized fast. Today prices are
advanced two and three times what
they were when we first landed. Peo-
pie who were there going around in
| wooden shoes with the soles worn
out and toes sticking through are to-
day wearing good leather shoes (and
| shoes cost something in this coun-
try, from 140 francs-about $25 up.
The same holds true in regard to
dress-rags have changed to silks and
! woolens. All this has been made pos
sible with the American dollar. l
think if we were prevented from
spending our money with them for a
month or two they would soon realize
on which side their bread is buttered.
They are becoming too independent.
Today when an American soldier en-
ters store he might as we'll get his
article, lay his pocketbook down and
| walk out. Human nature is funny
thing, isn't it? If there is money in
sight somebody is going to try and
get it. But why shame the French,
when people around cantonments in
America do the same thing.
Well, bunch, may see you on the
next Fourth. Just received the news
Of Turkeys capitulation and look for
Austria to throw up the sponge any
day. What procedure they will use
in getting us back we have not given
much of thought and do not know
when we will leave France. However,
the day when we will all be on our
way back can not come too soon, and
here's hoping it is not far, off.
/ am the same,
BILL.
Pvt. w. c. Davis,
A. Co., 29th Engineers,
A, P. 0. TIA,
American E. F.
Harrison's Car Wrecked
Fred F. Harrison's big Buick car
ali IL, NJ