Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-06-26
ALEX BEAR WRITES
FROM CAMP GRANT
Son of Mr.. and Mrs. Ben Bear at
Training Camp in Illinois Get
hing Anxious to Go Across
so GERMAN PRISONERS
AT CAMP GRANT
Kept Inside Stockade With Two
High Walls, the Outer One
Being Charged With
Electricity
Camp Grant, Ill.

Camp Grant, ILL.,
June "a, 1918.
Dear Father and Mother:-
Yesterday was ideal and hund-
reds of visitors came from every
part In the state. At our barracks
\ alone we must have had at least
20 and they had the privilege of
eating one wonderful dinner, for
no expense is spared for the noon
day meal on Sunday. Our assistant
mess sergeant comes from Decorah,
but what his last name is I am un-
able to say. He usea to work on
the county roads and spotted me
the minute moved up this way.
In the afternoon 1 attended a
ball game our team and the Rock
ford Athletic Club and while it was
a peach of a game, our men were
beaten 2 to L. Had supper down
town and later few of us boys
went out to Harlem Park, an amuse-
ment place along the river.
No doubt Dot will return to the
city before long and when she does
will be ready to run in for short
stay. 1t is certainly rather quiet
around here Sundays and if the
expense wasn't so great would go
in for every week end. The fare
to Chicago and return is s5.25 while
before the rates were increased 1t
was only $3.26 so this extra fare
will keep quite few of the boys
right here in camp. OF course they
Will go in once in while bat not
very often.
The division goes sometime in
July and every man is eager to go.
Most of the boys have put in about
z or months at this camp and ore
now longing for a change, but Just
the same Camp Grant has taken
mighty good care of them. While
| it, no doubt, is a hardship to go
across, we are eager to go for the
purpose of fighting and that's what
we all want to do. If man can
believe what he reads in the papers
l think it is safe to say that the
war can hardly last more than a
year longer. Conditions are be-
coming very bad for Austria while
the moral of the Germans is fail
ing. I am predicting peace next
Easter despite predictions to the
contrary.
At this writing SO German prison
ers are outside in front Of this
building surrounded by 10 guards,
having been brought from the east.
All of them are sailors coming
from the interned ships that this
country took possession of some
time ago. At night they are kept
inside a stockade which has two
high walls the outer one being
charged with electricity in addition
to the numerous sentries on guard,
so woe to them if they try to es-
cape. AS matter of fact they are
glad to be here and will live like
the rest of the soldiers except that
they will have no liberties what
soever. We have had a few warm
days and taking stock of my cloth
ing find that I have only three
suits of B. V. DIS. You might send
couple of them to me if you de.
sire, size SO.
l have done nothing more about
getting furlough for it is still a
little too early. However, if there
is no objection here in the Office
and l can get away might ask for
"a few days sometime in July and IL
not then, it will surely be in August.
The Infantry companies are on the
rifle range this morning and / can
hear the reports of hundreds OF
guns which makes it appear that
the enemy Is right near us. Here
is where one~ will find the real
soldiers, for these boys work like
beavers all the time. They have
nothing but the blue sky above
them and camp out in the hills
having only blankets for protection.
It is a hard life, but a wonderful
physical training. During the week
$4,000 men will arrive and this
department will again have much
extra work TO do. The misfits will
be quickly weeded out and sent
home, while the accepted ones will
be placed in quarintine for two