The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-02-15
FATHER RECEIVES FIRST LET.
TER FROM 5oY aovER THERE"
By Dan cloud

huesA tell. mucn-Ihe knowledge
that the letter Is TO be censored rath.
er frightens him. He was still aboard
ships he was safe: he was well !:
there was much TO write; he'd spent
/ his first Christmas away from home
/ tell mother he had been reading his
bible: the whole company was cheer.
full; he'd write all he could write.
but yoa write often and tell me
everything, won't you"
What? Nothing worth while In
that?
Say. YOU haven't boy at the
front. Say. maybe you haven't any
boy at all? Nothing In that? You lis
| ten here:
That letters been censored The
corner of the envelope where he'd
marked something was cut on. There
was a foreign post mark. that was
blurred About the only legible mark
on IL was the clean. clear print OF
the A. E. r. Censorship stamp. Up In
the right hand corner. instead OF a
stamp. were the words. Soldiers
Letter" Get that? Soldiers Letter"
My boys letter to me, Soldier? My
l9-year-old boy? Soldier! Defender!
Nothing worth while?
Look here, Mr.. Man: I don't know
you; | don't know II want to know
you or rot, What are you doing here
at home TO back up that boy Of mineg
| don't care what your official title
is. IL don't matter to me II YOU live
In the bog house on the HILL You may
be a close mp friend OF Sosand-So's
who's had the big pull for years.
Those things don't count anv more
What are YOU doing TO help win this
war for Worlds Democracy
That bov of mine isn't much Of "A
diplomat He didn't slip any secrets
OF world wide Importance by that
censor. | don't think he even tried,
He's Just a blue-eyed boy--our baby
of vesterdav--and he has mans
burden on his shoulders. They call
him THE KId.-" and when he Joined
he was so small they put lIm as 1u-
gler; but he's grown since then -~
grown nearly two inches That was
lHnR, long, long time ago. Let's sea--
that was almost nine months ago :
eiCht anyhow--lt was when the first
call came.
Get that? When the first call fsr
men came that boy of OURS became a
man, and now-he's In France. He's
over there where men walk into hell
with their eyes open. Over there
where they stand up TO certain death
lust to save a few hours for more
men to come. for mare men and
more men. until some day. when the
German lines have weakened, therein
BE- enough men to push through. and
men enough to redeem this worIa for
Democracv--for civllization--fo for these
! fine principles that you ard | have
claimed In snch high tones but never
demonstrated
Nothing worth while?
Listen here-~you Man: That hny
"f mine f. over there TO help st~p
the beasts while we get ready 10
conguer thnm He's right up close 10
the line, Maybe. for all | know. to.
night. he's crawling through the
trenches with a message from the
CaDtain to Sergeant De Brtiler.
It's hell over there Mavhe out n
No Mans Land. tonight. he's
But no There's no use In such pic
lures until we have 20 look at them
But yeu' What are YOU doing 10
felD bark this bov of mfne7 Are YOU
doing all vou ran? Or. are YOU sitting
with some of YOUR cronies tellipg
how II ought TO be done? How about
you?
Don't YOU sunnose know mistakes
are b"ine made? Don't you sunnase
we al know mistakes are being
made7 Sure we do We knew from
the start thev would he. Rut growi- /
ing aud critieIsing and TELLING how
II might have heen done don't get
food and ammunition aad Red Cross 1
supplies and more men over n back /
up that boy of mine ! don't 1ike I
some things as they are. but THAT'S I
neither your nor NV business iust 1
now. Our business Is 10 back mp that
hov. frer' whom ! iuat got tho frpt
letter That's our business. and with
Gods help we are going to do a. I'm
going 10 do it--and--you've got TO
help me.