The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-07-11
INTERESTING LETTER TO !
PARENTS FROM WlTTlNC|

In a letter to his parents, Neil P.
Whiting, son Of Mr.. and Mrs. A. e.
Whiting of Bixby avenue, Bemid5t,
gives an interesting narrative of his
stay abroad in Uncle Sans military
service. The letter was dated at
Liffol-le-Grand,F France, Sunday. May
rs and says:
The work most Of the outfit has
been doing is conveying trains to
Conhans, Verdun, ROmagne, frior Tor
Treves), Coblenz, and other points.
From one to six men have been sent
with q train, according to what 1t
consisted Of. some being whole trains
Of valuable supplies, sealed and pad
locked as we'll as guarded. Lately a
lot have been troop trains, consist
ing OF a couple Of passenger-coaches
and a string Of box-cars, only one re-
curing guarding, kitchen car con-
tanning stoves and utensils. Convoy
erss carry small pack containing two
blankets and toilet articles, and two
days rations: upon return we get two
dollars per day for time absent over
two days, as Communication Of rations.
I received $12.00, as left" Thursday
the 18th and returned the 23rd.
Regulations Pulling.
must tell you something about
the regulations here. All cities and
villages have M. P.s to keep soldiers
from wandering in or out without
authority; besides preserving order,
etc.; places Of any size have American
Provost Marshal, and Railway
Transportation Officers stationed in
offices, the latter at the depot; the
r. T. O., time-stamps your papers,
such as pass or travel-orders, tells
you what train to take, and how
long you may stay In the place. also
issues you transportation. The depot
is guarded so that you have to pass
the r. T. o. office and register both
in and out; but II you happen to get
by, or there are none, you are all
right, because you need no tickets
on any trains, from Brest to the
Rhine, Just get on. Privates are sup
posed to ride no first or second-class
compartments, non-coms no first
class, and officers can ride any. (Puz-
5le, where do they ride?)
Good Fortune Smiles.
Fortune surely smiled on my trip.
In the first place, l was lucky to get
a trip that far, and the weather was
perfect and felt flne 1t came at the
right time as the restrictions are be-
ing Stacked up with the removal Of
troops, and M. P.s leaving, they had
been taken off in Metz and Toul. We
could go when and where we pleased,
and leave when we got ready We
had only kitchen-car to guard, so
there were just two of us, and we
got set Of padlocks on the car so
did not often need to get off and pa
troll the train when it stopped, but
rode comfortably in a second-class
coach My companion was Sgt. A. E..
Wheeler, a Minneapolis lawyer, and
the best fellow in the whole outfit.
The night Of the 18th we were rid
of our train. had receipt for it,
and were free to enjoy life; we
rolled our automatic pistols in our
blankets, and would leave our packs
while going out to take in the sights.
And always were handy stations OF
the Y. M. c. A. or Red Cross, or both,
furnishing eats and sleeps at very
low prices, except Metz. as the Amer
leans are all gone there:
Orders to Coblenz.
With travel-orders for Coblenz, we
started out. going via St. Mihiel, Yer
dun. CONTAINS, Thionville. arriving
at Trier Friday afternoon. where we
stopped several hours in the yards,
visited a Red Cross canteen for hot
coffee. etc Arrived at Gerolstein In
Tho aftornoon and later on two Of
cur other fellows came in with their
train, found that the trains would be
kept there. as the troops for them
were there. So. in the morning, we
hoped a passenger train and went
on our way rejoicing; had to stop in
Mayen for several hours. and a..
rived in Cob]enz about $500 p. m.
In the Contains and through there
and as far down as Metz and Nancy
It was daylight from Lorville on, and
I enjoyed the scenery; we followed
the Moselle into Trier. Winning