Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-12-13
LET THE HUNS
REBUILD FRANCE

Dr. J J Ross, former physical di.
rector at Middlebury college who is
with headquarters company OF the 18th
aero squadron in France, wrote on DC.
tober -, the following interesting letter
to Prof Myron r. Sanford of the War
Service Committee at the College:
words fail toeXpress my appreciation
for your letter 1t has been over three
weeks and only one letter from home.
In the meantime received a paper
telling Of the influenza Your not offer
/ ing me sympathy, take it none of my
ismiIy are dead have one suggestion,
which acted upon would produce i'm
mediate Improvement in the mail SER
vice Tell every man that fails to do
his full duty in getting mail to us that
are in the zone OF advance, that he
will be put in the front line trenches
In June | was bunking beside a lieu
tenant that had just received his Xmas
mail | have a better opinion of the
American If the ones in control can't
do the job, let some one else take
hand at it,
Il am exceedingly fortunate in being
assigned as Flight Surgeon to an Aero
Squadron Our Squadron has had part
in some Of the most important places |
during this last push We receive over
the telephone the new lines several
times daily when the Hun is on the re-
treat. Only a few days ago our men
had to return with their bombs still |
on as they were not sure of the lines
In the earlier part of the drive one
Pilot was much distressed for lear he
had dropped his bombs near a Hospital
1t was my good fortune to make the
trip along the, same road Immediately
after the Hun evacuated | noted the
Red Cross 1t was near a Rail Head
and large munition dump!
Il have had the opportunity to ride
thirty miles behind the Hindenburg
line. | have seen the masterpieces of
the Huns destruction As far as l
could see the trees had been shot down
or sawed down The ground was one
vast mass of trenches and wire entan-
clements. 1t was interesting to note that
as he retreated and knew the chances
were that he would have to pay town
for town, the destruction became less,
until near the present line it is almost
nil We were up to about 2000 yds of I
his present position. | could see the
town that his troops were still hold
ing There were no fires and the town
seemed to be quite intact l feel it
would be a pity to destroy these beau
tiful towns; far better make them re-
build the devastated area. hope to
bring my children here and show them
the Hun rebuilding and then let them
bring their children and show them
the Hun still at the task The French
plan to preserve certain parts of Arras
to show to coming generations the mind
of the Hun. 1t is a beautiful sight to
see the French returning to their
homes; at times it seems pathetic
to see them searching among the ruins
for some trace of their lost treasures.
"Our Pilots have made wonderful
record. Owing to the fact that nearly
all the correspondents have been with
the French, little has been heard of the
Royal Air Force. l have been with
them four months on some of the most
important parts of the lines and only
three times have l seen a Hun machine
over US in the day time and then it
was 10000 feet high taking pictures.
Just before the offer of Peace a Hun
flyer dropped some circulars at our {
Hangers. At the lines held by the
French the Hun comes over and attacks '
them as they start out. We have one
pilot in our squadron that has to his