The sun., 1919-04-27
TOBACCO CARRIES
LUCK TO SOLDIERS
Orders Which May Be First
Move Toward Home Come
With Smokes.
THOUSANDS GIVE THANKS
Benefit at Robert Treat Hotel
Big Success-POm Show
Starts Tomorrow.

Ihese are days OF suspense to Amer
lean soldiers billeted In France, some OF
whom write to The Sun Tobacco Fund
that they are SO anxious to start for
home that they dig w the ground"
The phrase is new and may have to he
translated by the boys when they do re-
turn. In letter bearing date OF March
80 the writer, who is a n, ember of Bat
terry d, Sl0th Field Artillery. describes
the suspense of the men graphically II
not so picturesquely.
He says: Your tobacco reached US in
the little town of Villotte, where 1t seems
as strange as the things Columbus took
to Spain after his first trip to America.
We knew what II was, but the natives
didn't and l may add that they don't
know yet.
''The gift brought us good luck. or at
least We hope 30. We have been lin
gerlng around here hoping. hoping that
news would come that we were due to
sail for home. 1t hasn't come and the
waiting was a strain. But the very day
after we got the tobacco we heard that
we were soon to nike to Chaumont, moth
Ing more. But that means, We feel sure.
that We will be started back home soon,
Going to Pershings headquarters Is the
first lap home. From here ii is only a
ten-mile hike. The next lap may prove
to bo toward the port of embarkation.
"lf I seem TO dwell on the hope that
we are coming back home, to where the
tobacco is plentiful. and don't say much
about your gift. II isn't because we didn't
appreciate the latter. for we do, might
lily. 1t made us happy only home or
ders can make us happier"
II Is rather interesting to note wha
effect Is being produced on the dough-
boys by their opportunity to see the
architectural monuments of France. and
though their letters and cards to the
smoke fund and its donors are quite
properly taken up with remarks about
tobacco received. they do now and then
say word that indicates they are aware
OF the influence exerted by these his
torical buildings.
Antique Beauties Seen.
Particularly is this true of the Amer
lean soldiers who are quartered in
Touraine. which Is the Frenchiest part
OF France and the richest in chateaux.
castles and cathedrals. Tours, which
In the early part of the war was an
American concentration camp, Is the
centre of much that is beautiful and
ennobling OF these wonderful buildings
that have survived for centuries, II
is a monumental city in Itself and one
wonders what Impression the two gigan-
tic towers of st. Martins made ou
the Yarks when they We're wandering
about its streets. These towers are all
that is left of what Psychologists be-
lieve was the vastest medieval build
ing erected. Did the doughboy pass
IL up in silence or feel some curiosity
about what caused It's fate? All the
building except the towers has utterly
passed away. The soldiers from far
of America may have wondered wha
caused this disappearance.
Touraine. the richest reliquary OF the
past possessed by France, is fun OF
wonders for the observant soldier as
It Is for the curious civilian. At this
period OF the war referred to. that is
the entrance Of our A. E. T.. not 8
word ever got into the CORE spondence
Of the soldiers about Tours but that i:
explained by the censorship which was
rudely enforced on all mail Issuing from
Tours. The secret that Il was a con
centration camp for Americans had Il
be kept from the Germans, and II wa
faithfully kept.
Now that this censorship has beer
relaxed, as we'll as the former strc
military duty which permitted to oul
soldiers little leisure to go about sight
seeing, has been superseded by man,
tile hours, It seems plausible tina
American soldiers billeted at lie Mans
Anglers. Loches and other places il
beautiful Touraine are profitlng by thei
uneNampied opportunity to See Cham
bord. Blois, ChanonceauN and the othe
nf a fnrplpF /
OF France. A word or two does creel
into their communications, sufficient Il
show that the Yankees are not bin,
10 beauty, but we will have to walt 70
their return to know how much they sav
and how deep was its effect upol
them.
The same curiosity applies to the ef
feet on them of what they are seeinl
on the storied Rhine Ehrenbreitsteii
and Coblenz did arouse their interes
and curiosity. but not TO the same degre
as Metz. The soldiers of the Arm
OF Occupation have shown more interes
IN the inhabitants Of the towns an
villages where they are on guard tha
ments. And this, in the occupation o
a conquered territory. is to be eS
pected.
The boys of the 357th Ambulanc
Company, who were in ManderschieC
Germany. early in April. upon gettin
tobacco through THE SUN Tobacco Fun
PLENTY to Smoke" wrote back to tn
donor OF it their thanks and adde
this note:
"The people here treat US with
good deal of consideration and it
difficult TO remember that we were fight
ing them so short n time ago. If on
can judge by their behavior as well a
ty what they say they were conquere
long before the armistcc was sgne
and they never want to hear of anothe
war Another thing that is noticeab
f. that they are fat and healthy and d
not seem to have suffered from hunge
am referring to the people in Il
towns; we have seen marks Of famin
and deso,ation during our hikes outs d
bu. Of course nothing to what We n
member Of the poor people of France"
Football Interests Soldiers.
Another letter from Germany is signe
by Lieut.. =. ]. Bear, who thanks done
Charles Petruskey for tobacco which ]
sava was "isSued TO this organization