The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-07-18

riding IN tox cars-third class gu
knew. After got my warrant g a
officer | was i
lowed to ride second class and Il. e
than once l have gotten away wit a
seat in first class compartment ~
telling the French conductor no
compre'-that means no savvy, when
he undertook to Gust me from my
good place.
"On the whole we Jared pretty
we'll l don't remember ever going
hungry a day and there was always
more than enough for US. But the
drinking was something fierce. The
water in France is very poor and
much of it is poisonous. All that we
had was charged with chlorine to kill
the germs, and that resulted in a
dose that was worse than awful. Up
around La Pallice the water was
SALTY and of course there was nothing
doing so far as drinking that was
concerned. We had to content our
selves with the wine and beer that
the French drank. | never could
get accustomed to it, however, and
MANY a time have I moaned for a
drink from that fountain on the
courthouse square in Yorkville, and
my buddies used to make me more
than mad with stories about the good
ness and virtues of spring and we'll
water in the respective communities
in the States from whence they came.
The only decent drink of water I had
in Europe was some l got on little
iunket / made over into Spain. But
it didn't taste nearly so good as does
some of that mineral water over at
Piedmont Springs.
Shaved With Coffee.
"The water problem was ever
serious one. Of course the French
don't worry about it because they
don't need any water in their busl-
ness. I've known fellows to go for
three months without bath because
they couldn't get water. I've known
others to use a part Of the coffee
served them at meals to shave with
and I've gone myself for more than
a week without washing my face.
Sanitary conditions in France are
simply horrible as compared with our
methods. Yet the people are healthy
and we'll which goes to show that
environment has a lot to do with liv-
ing and that people can get used to
pretty nearly anything.
"To my great disappointment I
never got into Germany. l had
couple of chances to go up with con-
voys; but l was busy both times
working on the private car of some
big general or somebody, and l
couldn't beg or bribe.any of my fel-
low machinists to do my work for me
and let me 90. Thus it happened;
and while regret it still I don't know
that I missed great deal because
saw enough of the Germans to last
me for quite a while. Thousands OF
prisoners were taken in the various
areas in which / was stationed and
we saw all kinds from buck privates
to some of the biggest guns they had.
The American troops always treated
their German prisoners kindly and
well; but they were awful keen at all
times for German souvenirs. Many
time / have seen bunch of ferries
brought in who in short time would
be deprived of every button on their
clothes. The dough boys wanted 'em
as souvenirs for mother, sister and
the sweetheart and the cousins back
home. Nope, / never cut any off my
self: but I did have quite collection.
Roads Helped Win War.
"France is IN many respects
most beautiful and wonderful
country" Corporal Grist said. $50
far as road construction is concerned,
it has this country beat mile. Many
a time have l run a Cadillac over
French roads at a rate of sixty and
seventy miles an hour and if there is
a road in this section where it can
be done-at least where one can do
it and keep we'll, l would like to
know it. Many of the roads in France
have been built thousands of years
and the French people in many in
stances take better care of the roads
than they do of their babies. Never
would the war have been won in nv