Arizona republican., 1918-03-27

Urging AriZonans to write to every boy they know in France and some they don't know," Judge Frank O. 1 Smith, in a letter from lover there" l describes the lonely feeling in the heart for home that will not be downed despite the fact that there is mot a man over there who would come back for worlds till they have seen the thing | through
 In his letter to his wife, the man who gave up a brilliant career to enter the service as an overseas secretary of the Y. M. c. A., adds a bit of local color lacking in many respects from across the sea.
 In part he says:
 Perhaps it may interest you to know of the formalities we must go through at the hotels before room will be given you:
 Name. Profession. Place of birth. Former residence. Nationality. Date of arrival in town. Arrived from what place. Date of leaving. Situation militaire. Signature.
 = This record is kept of all persons and a duplicate turned over to the police. One small inn where I stopped on my way to field service had been named Hotel du Cygne Ghe swami in honor of Wagner's Logengrin, but no German for them now: So it has been rechristened Hotel de le Cruix Mili- taire.
 My! but the khaki sweaters are life savers. I hope every American soldier has one. l have not parted company with mine very long at a time since I came over.
 '"The French soldier thinks the American women a model of thought fitness and I agree with him. The comfort kit you made for me is a source of wonder to the Frenchman. When tell them my wife made it they smile and say, 'Ah, Madame must be clever.
 T was amused at the attitude of the Frenchmen during the recent bomb raid which I described in another let ter. They would watch it for a while, with a bored, shrug their shoulders of a motion, and go on with their work. l presume one can get used to almost anything.
 You asked about the Y. M. c. A. huts. Well, if you think them a place of luxury, just think again, for they are well named huts. except of course, in the larger cities, then they are called hotels.
 Sometimes there is a foot of mud on the floor, only there 'haint no floor and the mud would make the Arizona adobe hide its face in shame for daring to say it's name is mud Sometimes there is stove without fuel and some times there is fuel, but anyway we would think we did not pay the rent, we lose so much, and there is some advantage in being able to take up your house and put it on dry ground. Things are improving and after while it will all be made comfortable but it takes time.
 'The accommodations in the town are better and should be, for it is there that the problem is greatest, for each week percentage of soldiers off duty and of course go to the nearest town for recreation. The Y. M c. A. hotels in Paris are fine. They are always filled to overflowing with of ficerS and men. AmuSementS in the way of sightseeing trips, movies and preciated by the men, In the huts afield, one gets in closer touch with the soldiers and you surely feel that it is all worth while. When the men begin to know you and call you by your name, look to you to boost you over hard places or help chase away that sick feeling of Loneliness in a crowd They hail you on the road (often, I think, just to get a cheery word or joke in return) all that is what makes one have heart to go on and be the big brother They seem to mean so much. ..... and have temptations crowd thick and fast around them. The job put up to the Y. M. c. A. and like organizations, is indeed colossal one-the greatest that has ever confronted the morale of the world, for the world will be made up of the men who come back, and it is up to Us and you people at home back of us to see that they come back fit to be the fathers of another generation. If I can only help a bit to show them that although this war may last several years, these years are only an exciting episode in life. The true part of life is when they resume the even tenor of their way and this must not be spoiled by unclean living during the war.
 Orthodox religion is not what these boys want now. They would march out in double quick if they heard it but the toughest, toughest among them will listen and crowd up and hear more when you talk to them about making good, and make the folks back home proud of you, etc.
 nat IS expected or them back home is the greatest lever for good you can possibly use and only goes to show that the greatest of all is love for the soldier will not do for himself he usually will do for the great and only her who is the synonym of love to him.
 If the good women of the world only knew what a power behind these soldiers they are, they would back them up to the last ditch tor trenches perhaps, the proper word.)
 One has only to be here to know that the devil is onto the job as surely as the Y. M. c. A.. is--the gambling dens, the painted women, the vile joints, all made as attractive as . camouflage, to ruin mems lives, are al there and must be enumerated by