The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-09-19
Letters From and About Soldiers



c. B. Compton, who is now a first
lieutenant with the United States
Guard at Fort Bliss, near FL Paso,
Tex, writes Interestingly as follows to
local friends:
1T was quite cool this morning, so
after breakfast | went out and tossed
a baseball for a half hours exercise
with one Of our sergeants. Inside of
few minutes half dozen baseballs
were flying through the company
streets. We are going to have a game
this afternoon didn't know we had
SO many talented ball players, but it,
safe bet that wherever there are
American soldiers gathered, there also
you find material for base ball game.
About the most remarkable thing
have done recently was to stand in the
United States and shake hands with a
man over in Mexico. Paradoxical as
that may sound, it was simple mat
ter, for we were standing on the inter-
national bridge, between I'll Paso and
Juarez. In company with another Of
ficer, who is on guard duty at this
bridge, walked out half way across
to the boundary line in the middle Of
the Rio Grande river. No one is per.
mitted to cross without a passport, but
a Mexican officer, who with his sol
ers guarded the Mexican side. happened
to stroll out the line and | was intro
duced to him.
"Snce leaving Hood River in
March, | have covered great deal of
territory and have visited number OF
big cantonments, so that now | feel |
have fairly good general idea of
what is going on in a military way
here in the United States. Having
served in the Spanish-American war in
1898 and later in the Philippines, | also
feel in position to note comparative
differences between conditions past and
present. Summed up in a single SEN
tence, the most striking difference be-
tween our modern army camp and that
of 20 years ago is the absence of booze
and scarlet women. To put it plainly,
20 years ago women of the underworld
fiocked almost unrestrainedly into the
camps and environs, and intoxicating
liquor was to be had in almost unlim.
tied quantities. Compared with our
present clean, athletic, efficient army,
that of 1898 was an opera boutfe, a
riotous summer outing.
"You folks at home, | know, are be-
ing called upon to support unstintedIy
the war to furnish the finances, the
sinews of war. Without it the firing
line fails. Let me add my assurance
that this money is being well spent. !
refer particularly to such organiza
tions as the Red Cross, the Y, NJ G.
A., the Knights of Columbus and Y.
W. c. A. Those organizations are do
ing a wonderful work, and without
them the high moral tone that prevails
in camp would soon deteriorate.
Il think the highest tribute should
be paid to the Red Cross nurse. Not
only is their work and standards of the
highest order, but their conduct is such
that they have won the highest respect
among army men. They do their alIot-
ed work cheerfully, efficiently, quietly
and in such womanly manner that
they exert a refining influence and
maintain a standing that is unique
whoever wrote that song. i don t
want to get well-l'm in love with a
beautiful nurse, evidently had been in
an army hospital and voiced the senti
ment of a majority of patients
spent 10 days in a base hospital recent
| ly. Approximately 800 patients
were being treated, and some 200 Red
Cross nurses were in charge. | feel
sure that at least !, ,499 patients were
singing that song at times.
perhaps the most spectacular fea-
ture of modern warfare is the air
plane service. and prior to leaving
Hood River had a strong desire to
see squardons of airplanes in action.
| This desire was partially gratified at
San Antonio recently, when saw APP
proximately 80 machines in the air at
one time.
"The organization of which | am
now a member was organized few
months ago, and was originally known
as the United States Guards. The en-
listed personnel is composed of drafted
men in the limited service class, and
the officers are men who have had
prior military service in the Philip
pines or Spansh-Americ war. Most
of the officers in my battalion have
seen from 10 to 20 years of service, so
1--WE think are crack organization. ;
We are at present doing duty here on
the border, but we hope to get across
to France some day.
In letter to his father j. f. Bailey,
Sgt. Hurley +. Bailey, now in France
with the 5th Field Battalion, signal