The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-12-26
CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
SOLO|ER|N BELGIUM
MEANING OF THE WAR AS VIEW
ED BY SOLDIER ON THE
BATTLE FIELD.

Captain F. p Candee has received
a Christmas letter from his son, Fred
L. Candee, corporal in the signal
corps, who Is now In Belgium. Out
side of the interest that always at
taohes to letters from soldiers known
locally and whose parents reside here,
the letter from Corporal Candee gives
expression to sentiments which give
an insight to the line of thought that
American soldiers who have helped to
win, the worlds greatest war. The
letter follows:
Dads Christmas Letter."
Somewhere i'm Belgium, Nov. "a,
1918.
Dear Dad--As you probably know
| this is a day set aside for all the boys
| over here to write to their fathers
and tell them how great it's been to
participate in this great cause and see
1t constantly gaining and so approach
ing its day of final triumph, l know
how closely you have followed the
events ever since the arrival of Uncle
Sans boys over here and all you
said about what would happen to the
Hun and their false cause has taken
place. OF course everything may not
be over yet, but the inevitable signs
Of ultimate complete success are now
thoroughly apparent. We can all
over there and over here enjoy a
wonderful Christmas for in spite of
any unexpected events which might
happen the future has been made safe
for democracy and we shall see after
the war the dawning of new day in
which the people of the world shall
make real progress in the fulle: ex-
preston and development of human
life. No longer will the material creed
might makes right be the goal of
existence and though men will con-
tnue to serve for the accumulation of
material wealth 1t will not be for the
power it will give but in order that
such accumulated wealth may be of
assistance in good works which in the
future will be increasingly developed
to aid the progress toward the day
of reaf peace on earth, good will to
mem
And just remember in these great
history making events in which we
over here have been privileged to par
ticipate you and all the rest of the
home folks have had greater real
share than you in your distant contact
with them have any idea of. There is
one thing sure, but for the absolute
backing you have given us and but for
the supreme confidence you have con-
stantly imposed IN us, the acts of bra
very, sacrifice and devotion to duty
which have so FASTENED the success of
all our enterprises would never have
been possible. You may have thought
OF the boys of your heart and home |
over here fighting their battles alone !
without you but there has been a con-
you and all the home people in any |
event to which we have given our best
that means all the events we have /
been part of.
Say, won't We have great times
war adventures when | get
back. / surely followed your foot
steps in having good luck and if the
luty for me continued long enough !
night win my way to a position of
'eal responsibility as you did But for
me thing | am truly grateful and that
5 that | have been one of the great
oldier body and not a quickly made
officer as the conditions demanded so
many should be- This great body of
lastily trained officers have done as
veil as they possibly could under the
circumstances, but the enlisted men
With sturdy American common sense
nd unconscious patriotism have ac- I
emphasized greater things than were g
bought possible and have made for I
ur old U. S. A. a reputation entirely I
4 keeping with the ideals which have I
mays guided her destiny. 7
You were right, Dad, the triumph of \
he cause for which you fought In S
$50 has made possible the great out G
,me of our present world wide strug- r
le And the fact that the struggle q
as been world wide and included all @
aople directly or indirectly means that a
lose great ideals which Lincoln stood 7
II and for which now our President d
Filson stands are to have place in q
lie future right development of men q
lie world over. h.
How happy am that you have been q
Die to be so real sharer in these "
70 great epochs in history-one as n
part of it yourself and now with and In
rough me a real part of this one. a,
my every best wish and love to n
II, your soldier boy FRED. n