The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-24
A Chaplain in France
tContinued from Page Four)

the part that America has been called upon to play in saving civilization from ! the greatest horror since the dark ages, every man would beg the privilege or doing his bit to forever make another such war impossible by throttling the life out of the mad dog of Prussianism. "The thousands of Alabama boys in our regiment are happy and cheerful, and all of them are comfortably billeted with plenty of warm blankets and rub Der boots General health conditions are good-in fact, we have fewer men on the sick list here than we had in the states Exercise and drill work has made them tough as nails, and every boy who comes home from the war sound in limb win be stronger man than he was be- feet as possible. food and water is in- spected with regularity, and the boys take regular baths. Very few men in the regiment get 'tipsy' over here, even if wine is as plentiful as water in some places. The wine is very light, contain ing smaller per cent of alcohol than ordinary beer in the states. This, to- gether with strict army regulations against drinking alcoholic spirits, has caused less drunkenness than when we rules against drink are enforced. The same thing is true of immoral places. Less and less every week is the number of patients treated by our army sur geons for unclean diseaseS In fact. can truhtfully say that on the whole our regiment Is cleaner in morals here in France than while at Montgomery or New York. This can be attributed, not to living among better people. but to the system of educating the men to nve clean lives, difficulty in speaking the language of the people among whom we are living, strict discipline and sure pun ishment for the soldier that violates army regulations against contracting unclean disea ses.
 Papers and letters from home arrive every day, and box of cake or candy Is great event in our lives. One dear soul back in Alabama sent me . box or peanuts. You ought to have seen the scramble among us to sample some Ala bama goobers again. The same was true of package of oceans sent me, and a big cake sent by my wife was sampled all pronouncing the cake good and bet ter. A little box of milk chocolate went the rounds also, even the colonel said 1t reminded him of home If any kind hearted persons feels inclined to send soldier some little delicacy or comfort kit, I will be pleased to give it to the soldier most worthy and needy. Uncle Sam provided quite a feast for hls 'Sammies' Christmas. For dinner Christmas day each officer and enlisted man sat down to-
 Turkey Cranberry sauce.
 Mashed cream potatoes
 Cake Nuts Butter
 Fruit. Crackers
 Coffee.
 
 The men spent Christmas day play Ing like lot of big kids; some of them fixed up a Christmas tree Some toys l were procured from the nearby stores. i One fellow dressed up like Santa Claus i and handed out monkeys and jumping jacks, toy pistols. sticks of candy, or i, anges and apples to the make-believe kids in khaki. T spent the last night of the old year at IF. About midnight a party or soldiers serenaded us, singing. while a 1, full regimental band furnished lively music to compensate us for being awuk- ened at midnight. may gay this: The Y. M. c. A. is doing most wonderful | work for our boys In France Only etcr- '