The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-05-03

while less than 40 per cent Of the S. o
S. troops will leave for home during
the same period. In as much as we are
now S. o. S. troops it can be seen that
we have considerable less than an even
chance of leaving France before the
middle of the summer.
While we can readily see that it will
be necessary to hold number of S. o.
S. troops here for some time, there are
several angles TO our situation which
have not been made quite clear to US,
and we fail to understand why this bat
TALON was assigned to this branch Of
the service of supply. From the begin
ming of the offensive on Sept. rs until
the signing of the armistice, this bat
talon was a part of the combat forces
of the first army; we endured the hard
ships incident to that campaign the
same as other combat units of the first
army; and we did our little bit towards
the achievement of that victory in
which every man of the first army just
ly feels some little pride. There are
thousands of troops in Engineer. Quar-
termaster. Pioneer infantry, and other
units. as we'll as labor battalions, who
have not been placed in a position where
they found it necessary to make the
same sacrifices that we made. and it Is
our honest opinion that there are enough
of those troops TO make our presence
here unnecessary.
But comparatively few of the combat
units of the first army have been trans
ferred to the S. o. S and we fail to
understand why we have not been al
lowed to remain among the combat
units and TO return to the United States
go into the Meuse-Argonne offensive as
a combat unit and with the combat di-
visions, and TO be entrusted with the
execution of an important detail of the
offensive. we believe that we would be
unit with the combat troops. and with
out our status being changed.
Without any intention TO criticise.
and in the spirit of fairness which
America typifes. we have a few re
marks to make which we believe merit
consideration. Even though il may not
be possible to return US to the United
States Immediately. it seems reasonable
to suppose that we could be given some
information regarding the approximate
time of our return to our homes and the
dear ones we left behind. This would
prevent the uncertainty which now pre-
walls and relieve the doubts which now
prevent US from being even partially
resigned to our enforced stay here "
is the uncertainty of the situation
which CRATES on our nerves.
The 22nd regiment of Engineers IS
composed of men from practically every
state in the union. Indiana. Colorado
Ohio. Illinois and Pennsylvania being
well represented. It is in behalf of the
men from the states mentioned that We
take the liberty of writing this letter
and it is to be sincerely hoped that the
editors will find it convenient to present
these facts through the columns of your
publications 10 the friends of the reEi-
ment who reside in the districts in
which these papers are circulated
Thanking you in advance for any con
sideration that you may be able to give
this communication, we are.
Yours very truly
CARL a. HERBST
Denver, Col
SERGT. CLIFFORD w. SNIFF
Fort Wayne. Ind.
CLARENCE J. KOSCHNICK
Gary, Ind.
PERCY a. O'CONNOR
Indianapolis, Ind
SAMUEL LEVINE,
Hamilton. Ohio.
EDWARD f. REINSEL,
Clarion, Pa.
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