The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-30


ceipt Of the following letter from his
son, who is in the navy:
From Somewhere in France
December 20, 1917.
My Dear Father:
Merry Christmas and Happy New
and in a predicament which made me
forget there ever was a Christmas
but fortunately | arrived safely over
here and now have the broad Atlantic
and the war zone between me and
home. We had hopes tnat the kaiser
would let his U boats nave a holiday
Christmas, but events Of that day in
dicate that it was the same as any
other day to them.
| had planned on being home for
Christmas but l found out only two
weeks before that my plans were
shattered. Phyllis felt very bad about
it. Friends seem to take delight in
telling her what a dangerous under
taking | am engaged in, so l don't
wonder that she worries. This friendly
advice stuff never does anyone good.
wish they would mind their own trou-
bles. II bet that if l did happen to 60
down, there wouldn't be any one to
even advise her how to go about get
ting her pension from the government
Dad, I'm posting this letter from
this side with hope of it reaching you
but believe me | wouldn't gamble on
it getting by the censors and then on
a ship that fails to be summarized.
John S. Danner, c. @. M.
o.
The following letter has been re-
ceived from soldier in France, H. G
Mcmahon, to his mother in Portage
and transferred to a friend in Water
town:
Somewhere in France.
December Is, 1917.
Nothing exciting has happened OF
late and we wouldn't know there was
a war going on except py an occasion
al air battle and shelling that the
Doche gives lis.
We are kind of cup a tree" on this
war question. When we first arrived
here it looked as if the war would be
over by spring but things have
changed a whole lot in the last few
months. The Russian situation and the
Italian reverses have changed things
considerably. So it's 'up" to the U
S. to get troops over here and many OF
them.
You people back home can expect
large casualty lists next summer anG
we can expect to lose some troops or
the way over here. l think we have
been remarkably lucky so far in no
losing any troop ships. When the
casualty lists start coming, The
mothers, wives, sisters and sweet
hearts of the fellows must steel them
selves for this news that is bound tt
come, and they should be proud of the
fact that they fell fighting for theil
country. We are not fighting a war O.
conquest but war of humanity. VIZ
are fighting for orr freedom, not only
for ourselves but for generations tt
come.
A few days ago we men here cele
brated in our little way that day com
memorating the landing of our fore
fathers who sought release from the
tentac1es of a tyrant who refused then
the right to live their lives in free
dom. Today we are fighting to keeI
eternal that same inherited freedom
from the menacing power of an ire
sponsible despot. If German Kultul
means complete devastation of homes
utter abject unnecessary misery, de
secration of churches, insulting of de
fenseless women, then am more thar
glad that l am doing my little bit il
making it unpleasant memory. Ant
if the mothers, wives, sisters an(
sWeethearts for whom we are fghtins
knew Of the conditions here ther,
would be no need of conscription.
Doubtless, mother, you will thinl
I've changed mentally and if this il
true it is due to the things 1 hav,
learned and seen since leaving home
We are all hoping the kaiser will
awaken from his crazy dream AM
save many lives by stepping down AM
! out.