Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-03-20
SON THOUGHT LOST
WRITES TO PARENTS
WAS AMONG FIRST TO ENLIST
WHEN WAR STARTED AND Is
NOW SAFE IN PARIS

Paris, Feb. 26, 1919.
Dear Sister and Brother This
beautiful day rejuvenates me and in
spires me to write few lines to you.
am sitting in our little office where
can look over part of Paris. I
am on duty one day out of every
three, the other two days / spend
reading. studying, talking, listening
to lectures and looking over Paris.
Such privilege is rare. Here I
have seen many things which shall be
always fresh upon my mind, for I
have seen many buildings and monu-
ments which are of historical interest
and Importance. In the political and
military world this is now the center
of the world. To be here when the
treaty of peace is signed is rare
privilege and one coveted by thous-
ands of United States citizens. Many
years later l can retrospect and say
that l was in Paris when the most
terrible war known in history was
conclusively terminated. The expe-
riencees which l have had here are
worth more to me than you can i'm
agine. They are an asset. When I
left my home and my wife I did not
expect to return ever for l realized
that the dangers on the front line
were so numerous and imminent that
life was very perilous and precarius.
l saw many soldiers fighting for the
preservation of democracy who never
returned. To die under those cir
cumstances is the highest and most
although many pieces of shrapnel
vrbi1 no Quo
while I was sleeping in my little
tent a shell exploded near me and
caused the tent to resemble a coarse
sieve and broke down small apple
tree which stood in front of us. An
other evening l was sitting on an
empty box near our gun, which threw
shells six inches in diameter, when a
shell exploded near by so that piece
of steel made a hole one inch below
my right hand which was resting on
that box. One afternoon near Fis-
cues above Chateau Thierry, the
Germans threw over SO many large
explosive shells that to see through
the released smoke was impossible.
There saw soldiers manifest courage
of the highest type. Those who
were not wounded or scratched calm
ly and carefully carried to dress
ing station those severely wounded.
Just before that many German air
ships flew over us for the purpose Of
accurately locating our position. They
did it we'll for their large guns gave
US a terrible barrage. have seen
holes made by large bombs dropped
by airships that were thirty feet
deep and more in diameter. Some
fields are so completely devastated 1t
is impossible to drive a car or team
over them. Many towns were abso-
lutely demolished, not one house was
suitable for occupation. To see
forest ruined was not unusual
many of the trees were torn out by
the roots and others broken of. The
trees IS or 20 inches in diameter
were clipped off as straw. Some
of those acres will be untillable for
many years If not always. You can
not imagine the ruinous effects OF
war. both to the people and the coun-
try. France has suffered undescrib-
able pain and privations. The re-
sultant evils of hostilities are as
founding and horrifying but the con-
ISOLATION of victory partly repays
those oppressed.
l am on duty all night this date.
1t is necessary for some one to be
subject to call at any moment as
we have many prisoners in our care.
OF course, some of them are vicious
and unruly. This work is not al
ways agreeable, for frequently We
have to correct some of them.
Are you as we'll as usual? / am
but not as heavy as l should be. for
l weigh 10 pounds, whereas l did
tip the scales at 1870.
Your brother,
GEORGE DAWSON.