The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-11-15

er LIE Case Delsotdato Drezione
Centrale per l. Italia E Hotel Re-
gina, Bologna.
Dear Lawrence:
l have been thinking / would write
you ever since l heard the result of
the "battle of ballots" in cole Miss. +"
/ knew there was no man in the state
who enjoyed the carnage more than
you did.
l left New York onthe 23rd day of
August on transport as Y. M. G..
A. representative. w. V. Frierson
of Clarkdale was my 'kamerad." The
trip over was uneventful and pleasant
The ocean was as calm as Mississ-
ippi pond, so l was able to observe
MIR, Hoover's injunction to save all
food. If there were any submarines
ia the Atlantic ocean they did not
show themselves to US. We landed
at Liverpool and received quite a cor
dial welcome from the British. Spent
a couple of days in London enjoying
the fog. Went 20 Paris for two
days more where l enjoyed-myself.
The trip to Italy was a delightful one
except that we could not get a sleep
ed and got pretty tired. 1t takes 2
days to get from Paris to Bologna,
our headquarters in Italy. was as
signed to work in q most interesting
part of the Italian front. My pres
ent post is in valley between two
quite high and famous mountains.
can look out of one window and see a
spur of the famous Groppa and out of
the other see the beginnings of the
Alpiano.
Things have been rather quiet since
l got here but business is liable to
pick up at a moments notice. The
Italian army, it seems to me, is fit for
any kind of job
1t is hard for me to tell you just
what kind of work the Y. M. c. A
is doing in Italy. 1t is of course need
less for me to tell you that no re-
Agious propaganda is part of the
program. We are living up to our
contract in this respect religiously-
We try to put on various kinds of ath-
letics and entertainment programs 1t
is quite an experience to be teaching
a group of Italian soldiers the rudi-
nlents Of base ball while Austrian ae-
roplanes are flying overhead and the
anti-aireraft guns are booming at
them. But a fellow soon learns to
attend to his own job and trust to the
other fellow to attend to his.
The first time you hear the whirT
of a shell going over your head it
gives you alonging for the speed of
an antelope or the wings of an eagle
But even this grows stale. Base ball
must 60 on forever, regardless of
shells and ships. In the entertainment
line, moving pictures occupy the lead
ing role. Various forms Of concerts
are being organized and will be put
on as soon as the facilities viii permit
/ have seen performers, privates in
the army, equal to any ever heard
when l paid good hard money for
the privilege.
Speaking of money, reminds me
that Italian money has one remarka-
bic resemblance to American in the
rapidity which it disappears.
The Italians are in many respects
a remarkable people | find three
practically usual habits, riding bicy-
cles, smoking oigaretts and drinking
wine. Two of the--needless 10
name them to you'll am unable to
comprehend. The third one, if
pressed, l might embrace. | will
state this much that / am too old to
learn to navigate a bicycle and the
taste Of tobacco makes me sick.
1t seems hard, for an Italian SOL
dlerS to understand how a man can
mess at a generals table and then
come out and play base ball with pri-
vate soldiers. We can only say,
along this line that our greatest work
lies. Democracy needs to be acted
not preached.
A copy of The Grenada Sentinel,
the greatest weekly in Mississippi,
would look good to me. This is no
hint, however.
With regards to Mrs. Lawrence and
best wishes for you,
Sincerely, your friend,
JAMES w. BELL.
Hotel Regina, Bologna, Italy, co Y.
M. C. A.
X