The Coconino sun., 1918-07-19
TOMMY" MADDOX
 WRITES OF FRANCE

While the following letter from "Tommy" Maddock, that ten-cylin- dered, electrically equipped young fel- low who thinks as he goes and goes as he thinks" all at the same time, was a personal one not written for publication, it is a letter that will be read with much heart interest from his thousands of good, strong friends in Arizona. When it was written "Tommy" had no idea that his friends hack home were thinking of him so strongly that they were going to in- sist on his nomination for Congress in recognition of his splendid abiiity and his thorough-going patriotism which landed him in France as soon as he could get there with the, pig American idea of Tanning hell out of the kaiser" and do it right now,
 Tommy's action in going to the front was discouraged by his best friends, but his only answer was: Il believe they need my services over there" There was no ceremony about his going away, though he left be- hind a wife and four children, a moth- or and A sister. He didn't leave them dependent. but Tommy" was their ali. and he felt that he should DO the things he had been taught that the typical American should DO when the cali of duty comes. He had no knowl- edge of what is being done back home, but he writes:
 June 2S, 1918. N. c. Layton,
 Flagstaff, Ariz. .. Dear Judge:
 Your letter of May II, 1918, was the first received on this side, ar irving yesterday. The mails vary greatly in the degree of their slow ness. Our battalion was broken up and placed in six places, scattered all over France. l am in charge of half a company which at present is assist ing some other companies already es- tablished in getting out lumber, tim Der and wood.
 William Sisson is sergeant in the company here and has charge of the mail, canteen, etc. He has won a couple of meets in athletic contests and is we'll liked and respected by ev- eryone. He is the only Arizona boy in his company or our detachment and the first have run into in France.
 It is not so bad for the officers, but things are very dull here for the men, many of whom enlisted with enthusi- asm to fight and die if necessary are engaged as common laborers on unin- teresting work, frequently at great disadvantage for lack of proper tools and appliances. They have no chance to see the relative vital part they play in the big game and are apt to forget they are someone's hero in the drudg- cry of every montonous day without news or change.
 A heavy mail sack puts new life into the entire outfit. I hear that this same condition prevails nearly all over. If you want to help a little, | write to the Arizona boys and GET OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. They are helped by being reminded that the home folks have not forgotten them and are expecting them to keep pounding away no matter in what ca- I pacity. -
 This war is mostly work, and the boys are now in the heat of the day. | Personally, l am absolutely against the justness of the parable of the elev- eventh hour, equality. If our Arizona bunch has left the States (they were at Kearney the last heard), make it your job to see that people write to them. A dollar per is small to look at, so our boys need the rest in credit. Unto the end will be needed these munitions and blarney, but the greatest of these is blarney.
 We have just heard of the Austrian repulse by the Italians, which is the first cheerful war news l have seen in six months. You fellows will have to clean up the l. w. w., both within and without the state capitol, this fall. This should be easy if Americanism is stronger in Arizona than partyism. l suppose the Hunt gang will begin to holler against the l. w. w. them- selves pretty soon in order to fool the people, but you know what Lincoln said, and the people were beginning to get next to this bunch two years ago.
 I have not seen anything of Ed Wolfe (brother of Mrs. John Yer kamp) since his outfit left the U. s. wrote him over month ago, but no answer. Think his outfit was split up also. He had worked up from private to top sergeant before he left the States in an organization that was al- ready complete when he joined it, and that is mighty hard to do. If he gets onto the lumber game he will be right at home on account of his old days in starting the Film Flam.
 I received word of the death of Chas. Brooks before left the U. S. Did not even know he was sick until t was all over. Now you know what kind of fellow he was and how long we worked together, so I will not say now I felt. l am mild-mannered, but f l can ever get the chance to take put on the Germans just what l feel about several things which they started, somebody is going to catch ,ell. Selah,
 THOS. MADDOCK.