The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-10-05
MUNRO BROWN IS
HEARD FROM
IN FRANCE

Charles S. Sprague received yes
terday a letter from Munro Brown
dated Somewhere in France" which
will be of interest to everybody in
Goidfield, for everybody knows
Munro. Referring to his present To-
cation he says:
This time we have stopped in
a city Of about 10000 and there are
very few Americans here, so we
have had our own way for two days,
and as it is a good place to make
purchases we have been filling in
some of the vacant spots in equip
ment. Being a second lieutenant
I have time to go around more
than the higher ups although we
have a fine organization and plen-
ty of time anyway, but now | know
sufficient French to get along nice
ly in the stores and usually scout
around and investigate ahead of
time.
"Of course this thing of finding
out what makes the wheels go
round is against my principles. but
1 manage to have a good time do
ing it. And now that we are on
the subject it might be of interest
to tell you some of the prices,
which are fairly close to ours at
home, in some instances higher:
Hotel rooms, 81; a good meal, moth
ing elaborate, 81; butter, per
pound, 81; eggs, per dozen, 81;
vegetables, about the same as in the
United States; canned goods a lit
tie higher. All bread sales are
regulated, and where bread may be
purchased from the French military
canteen = French bread = the ho-
tells are not permitted to issue it
to us. Under other conditions we
must have bread tickets and if we
may be invited out to a private
home for a meal we must take our
bread. it cannot be given us.
Clothing is a little cheaper than
in the United States, although I
think the quality isn't nearly as
good. If we purchase the better
grades the price is very high. We
buy most of our clothing through
the United States quartermaster.
All leather goods for civilians is
very poor and prices fairly high.
Most of it is limitation leather.
From observance there seems to be
enough of all kinds of supplies, but
no surplus. | meal the people eat
well and look we'll, but nothing, alb
solutely nothing, is wasted. Some
stores are good and some Door:
some cities are clean and some are
not, about the same as in the Unit
ed States. Many people speak a lit
tie English, very few speak ~fluently
and most of them who do speak
fluently learned the language in
England and have the English ac-
cent. But what little French 7
know nm in very handy. 1 in
tend to learn as much as can
while I have the opportunity. MANY
french and many Americans speak
German, the proportion being much
higher than of Americans speaking
French.
OF all the organizations doing
good work over here with the SOL
diers, the Salvation Army is spoken
of as doing practically all their
work right up at the front and the
men say that this organization car
ries its work nearer to them than
any of the rest, with the exception
of course, of the Red Cross, but
most of the work of that organiza-
ton is of a different character.
The Y. M. c. A. and similar organi-
cations of entertainment do most
of their up front work a little far
ther back, though of course in the
danger zone, but where a picture
show might safely be given or an
entertainment may safely be held.
Il I'm still feeling fine, having a
good time, and enjoying all l am
doing, moving around enough so
that work doesn't grow monotonous,
hence my report is progress
made"