New Britain herald., 1918-06-17
AMERICAN ARMY IS
 CLEANEST IN WORLD
R. H. Crawford, Writing From
 France, Praises Boys From U. 5.

J. B. COmStOck Ot stanley street. hE Robert H. Crawford, superintendent of tho New Britain Boys club, in which he tells of events of interest in France and of his associations with the American soldiers and sail ors. Mr. CraWford's letter follows: May 25. 1918 Dear Friend:-
 Your letter of March 20 was re- ceived a month ago. l have been trying to find time to answer it so as to receive another, for a letter means so much. That is all we crave for. I have gained pounds 200 avoirdu- pois. so you see Uncle Sam is very good to us. I wish you could peep into our "Y"--the biggest hut in France, and see our boys. Red cheeks, smiling faces, broad shou1 dered, optimistic-siX footers--many of them.
 Meets Johnny O'Bricn. Our two boys who are detailed to help us at the canteen are off today, and it is up to mo to do the work of three, and I am certainly a store keeper. The last few days we sold car of oranges, and our chief has or dered a second from Italy. Really, we think you folks at home are making too big a sacrifice for us. I eat iD the mess with the men and it is as good food as l ever had. Re- fused a seat at the officers mess. So l elbow up against boys from every state. Last night was giving out notice after a quartette was through 1 singing and who walked out from ! that quartet but Johnny O'Brien, and 1 said Hello, what are you doing here? | Oh I'm the guy that runs this joint. | What are you doing? Well, I'm the | guy that entertains the bunch. l took | him to my room and we talked about | the New Britain boys and he told mo 1 many things about the front and l about Rod Chamberlain and others what fine fellows they were, till the 1 other members of the quartet came and took him off. He looks fine and has had an experience that makes one feel glad of an opportunity to | stand for a cause such as we are | fighting for ] have some things in my trunk for Joe Kenney, one of our basketball boys and can't get to 1 him. as it is impossible to leave our 1 district without pass from our chief and also from the military police. Two " secretaries were sent home for breaking military rules.
 l some of the other secretaries, being on the list of speakers, and each Sunday evening go to a new town to take the service, and the old stories we told in the old South Summer Sunday school arc listened to with great eagerness. The old message is always new and needs no apology. l wish you could see my Bible clasSes-men from every state in the UniOn.. It is worth while ! and then some. After being over here 1 for six months and seeing thousands 1 of men, let me tell you there is no 1 better work one could be engaged in than caring for our boys and giving l them a chance when they are boys. All that we have put into our boys ] they have given 1t back a thousand l times. Think of our boys being equal to five Germans! Take John O'Brien, an expert bayonet man, a mere lad; yet he has done things at the front 1 that would make your hair stand on l end, and there is no sacrifice I will not make for these boys. Anything at this canteen belongs to them money or no money.
 American Army Clean. l "Our boys love their homes Every lad has photo of his mother, or wife Or sweetheart, and as we jolly them about settling down in France, they say, Nothing doing; my girl is back 1 in the good old l.. $. A. The boys are surely true to their girls, and there never was an army as clean and well cared for as ours.
 "I want to take home as a souvenir a lock and key to compare them with ours The keys are as large as crow bars They are the largest and most | awkward things you ever saw. The Count and Countess took me through their castle the other day and among the many wonderful things the, showed me was a key made by Xxi | Louis XVI. It was a, wonderful piece of mechanism. Wanted to hook it for l you What an ad it would be for the Corbin lock. We think the French people are slow and that is true. but they are a wonderful people and those who have a taste for the beautiful ad- mire them.
 "The country is beautiful. The farmers are cutting their hay--neVel
 saw such clover and the grapes are
 beginning to form. The land is under fine cultivation, and the work is done
 by the women and very old men.
 Send me a Herald, ust one, and
 will tack it up in my room. Trough
 one with me, but it is worn out. There
 is nothing we want except letters. No
 even money, and you know I was al
 ways asking folks for money.
 Tt took me just one day to W~rit'
 this and attend the canteen.
 "<indest regards to all,
 "Sincerely,
 ROBERT H. CRAWFORD,