The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1918-04-05

boys are right there when it comes to
bartering stuff. was fortunate in ar
ranging for a supply before l left the
states. l believe the people of Oroville
should look after, in this respect, each
enlisted drafted man individually from
Oroville and vicinity, especially those
who haven't got the home folks to send
magazines. tobacco, and cigarettes.
The following. are extracts from a
letter written from France by Frank
NJ. Dallam, Jr., to his sister, and atten-
ton is called to the unbiased stand the
young man who has always been an
offensive partizan," takes relative to
the criticism of the government at a
time when every man should stand by
Ihis country regardless Of political affil
iations:
Both you and mother express great
distress and anxiety because of the
charges made in speeches by certain
senators regarding the alleged break
down of the war department and the
government in providing for the men
over here. 1t Is natural that you should
be disturbed, but l hope that the let
ters you have received from Lawrence
and me long before this has served to
convince you that there is no cause to
worry on that score. l can truthfully
say we are and have been properly
cared for and our necessities provided
for amply, and many comforts in ad-
dtion. We are not suffering from an
inefficient handling of supplies, as
these speeches lead you to fear. You
know that am the least likely to be-
come an apologist for an administra-
ton that ! did not support and one
which l actively opposed, but neither
would be guilty at such time as
this Of contributing to any sort Of po-
litical propaganda for partisan sake.
This war has wiped out all considera-
ton of politics with US over here, and
hope it will do the same at home
very soon. There is only one way to
regard the war, and that is. big ugly
job that must be completed. There is
only one thing to do, and that Is, lick
the Germans, and lick them thorough
ly. From all indications the necessary
punch must come from America, and
the only way it can be delivered is by
every American forgetting past preju-
dices and joining with the government
in perfect unity of purpose and of ac-
ton. Criticism that is accurate, honest
ly and intelligently founded and that
springs from motives entirely patriotic
/ lxx,ax ~ hn1, f,,1 nd tue
That is the kind Of criticism that
should be made at this time. 1t is con-
|structive. But mere political catping is4
as intollerable now as open treason.
We do not know what the conditions
are today in America, how badly the
men in training may be faring, but
from my own experience fell that the
government has done all that could
reasonably be asked for the boys over
here, and far more than could right
fully have been expected six months
ago. If the government and the people
are still displaying the same solici-
tude for the men of the draft that was
being showered upon them when We
left for France, the men of the Nation
al army certainly can have no grounds
whatever for complaint Thousands of
men were living better in every re-
spect when We were over there than
they ever had before in their lives, and
many times better than any soldiers
who have ever before been called into
service by any country.
ut will be satisfaction and COM
fort to you and all the folks to know
that we are better cared for here than
we were in America. Much better car
ed for and even though we are only
volunteers, we seem to be better re-
garded by the agencies that have to
provide for our needs and wants.
1.-TWO Spokesman-Reviews that you
mailed me reached me several days
ago and were read with eager interest.
The Seattle papers come regularly and
the Gazette also comes with tolerable
| regularity of late. It is like a letter
/ from home and is full of newsy gossip
that is such a pleasure to get. Pack
ages travel slowly and have received
none that have been sent to me here,
but l presume that they will begin to
show up befor long"
| Speaking of the Y. M. c. A., the
writer says: There is a branch of the
Y. M. c. A., here as in most places
where soldiers are stationed over here,
and that institution is doing a splen-
did service"
In speaking of what can be done
over here to help he says: There is
nothing that will count so much in
winning this war as food supplies. Ev-
cry pound that can be put upon the
market will help America and her al
lies to win. France is not starving, but
the great army we will have over here
before long must be fed and the sup
plies kept up for these people at the
same time, and that will require the
gratest efforts on the part of every
one engaged in any branch of the food
industry. All grain and stock raisers
can consider themselves very import
ant units in the big military machine
that America is creating You are all
doing your part nObly. The work at
home is of the first Importance, and
it is the hardest because you must
content yourself with remaining in the
old surroundings that make you feel
as though you were making little or no
progress, and also COMPEL you to en-
dure the enxieties of waiting and
thinking without the novelty and inter-
est Of strange sights and experiences
to offset the worry"
| Private L. H. Cobb, of Supply Co.
1904, @. M. c., over in France writes tC