The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-16


interested in the following letter from
Lieut.. F. J.Neumeier,. a popular cap
ital city newspaper man who went to
the front as battalion adjutant to Ma
jor Gearey Of the Second North Da-
kota. "Neu.' as he was known to his
many friends in Bismarck, covered the
last regular session of the legislature
and was stationed here from that time
until the Smashing Second left for
Camp Greene. - - ~ -
Somewhere inFrance.
~ - March Is, 1918.
Lam still in the Land Of Somewhere.
This is beautiful evening, just such
an evening as we used to enjoy in
North Dakota during the month Of
June. and so qthotss naturally go back
to North Dakota, Therefore l. am
going g. to, write q letter to some of
my North Dakota. friends on a compli.
ance which is against the. best of
rules of society. However. have so
many letters to write that it is nec-
essary. for me to make carbon copies,
so if you receive a carbon copy please
consider that the letter is a perconal
letter. You remember what Sherman
said war was. . - =, W.
am very happy and well, in fact,
l could wish for no better lot. eat
three meals each day and manage
get a few hours recreation after
each days work. Sometimes man.
age to even get fresh eggs and T.
bone steaks to eat. A soldiers life
is not such a sorry lot after all.
have seen much of France. l
have visited old historic chateans.
cathedrals and battlefields. navo
seen all classes of French people.
| have visited French homes and |
believe l have seen more than one
could see, even if he was personally
conducted thru France. have seen
French heroes, in fact heroes of all
climes, and l have seen those beauti-
full French girls which we have all
read so much about. tell you it is
all worth the sacrifice.
France is rapidly becoming Ameri.
canized. believe that if the war con-
tinues many more months that France
will be a second America. The French
people have taken up American ideas
and they can speak better English
than we can French. Even the Amer
lean slang has come into the peace
full lands of France and it is not un-
common to hear a French lad say to
his pal Jaw pull in your neck" fam
ons American soldier slang express.
ion. American constructed telegraph
and telephone lines and honest to
goodness American railways are
forming a close network in France.
Much has already been accomplish
ed in France during the short ten
months that the United States has
been in the war and the present adj
ministration deserves much credit
It's results that count and its results
that they have here in France. I sup
pose that the hue and cry has gone
u, among the politicians that every
thing is not as it should be over here
but yor, must remember that election
is Coming on-there must be some
truth when l say-(a Nonpartisan-re-
putlican)-the American soldier Is the
best. treated soldier in the world.
The people of France are doing ev-
erything POSSIBLE for the American
soldiers. They have practically adopt
edithem and many French mother
is now mothering an American soldier.
The soldiers receive frequent invita-
tiOns to the French homes and there
is q close bond of friendship between
the people of the two countries.
think that this bond can best be de-
fined by writing a sermon which was
given by the mayor of the French vii
lage in which am now, at the funeral
of an American soldier. During his.
sermon the hundred more or less Of
French men and women who were
rresent wept and curiosity got the
best of me SO II had the interpreter
ret me copy of the mayors sermon.
Here is translation of his sermon
at the burial of the American sol
der:
Officers and soldiers OF the Ameri-
can trO0ps:-It is with profound grief
that we behold a new sorrow afflict-
ing the American troops encamped In
ours9ity-the death. from sickness OF
onsff .NWS 19llips! End we unite
onrsSimcefe fegrets with these of his
comrades