The sun., 1919-06-16
LETTERS BIG HELP
TO SICK SOLDIERS
Doughboy Who Was Gassed
and Wounded Tells How q
Note Cheered Him.
WEARY MONTHS AHEAD
Smokes Needed just as Much
To-day as When Fighting
Was in Progress.

soldier who was in the Camp In
Urinary at Havre. France, on May 20
had pleasant surprise In the receipt of
some more smokes from TIRE Sun To-
bacco Fund and at the same time a let
ter from q donor who had noticed his
plea for one In q card he sent over pre-
viously. Accordingly he sat down TO pen
long letter IN reply to his correspond
ent, who IL q young woman contributor
to the fund. The fund Ia permitted by
her to mako extracts from the soldiers
letter.
ITO say that II was nice Of you to
write to n sick soldier boy Just because
he asked that favor Is putting II very
poorly. I am sure you will feel repaid
for any labor Il cost you in knowing, as
tell you now, that was very lonesome
and TO get 1t made me so happy that
could almost believe I was at homo
again, 49,
II won't tell you Just how sick I have
been, for I was wounded and gassed
and the story would be long and
miserable one. Anyhow. I like to forget
such things. and am now getting along
very nicely. shouldn't be surprised
any day to hear the doctor tell me that
when there was room on a transport 1or
mo could pack up and 80 home. 1t
wouldn't take me very long to pack.
But these are hopes only; the doctors
have not said anything to lead me TO
hope for quick start, and here am
still In sunny France fighting as hard
to get home az I ever did In the trenches
was glad to read that you were well.
for there's nothing like being well. To
be sick In a camp 10 about the hardest
luck.
Don't think That am going to start
IN complaining. I'm not : MI mean Is
that after my experience shall always
be sorry to hear Of any one very sick.
never paid much attention to such
things before.
"One gets a little nervous right hcrc.
| which IL one of the places that the boys
start back home from It seems as IL it
might be long time before I have my
chance. But / certainly did enjoy your
letter and to hear about New York or
| any city in the States makes me feel
very happy. Will you write again ?
| AS look over this letter II seems as II
had said nothing and had said Il
| several times. But I will do better next
time. 30 don't stop writing"
weary Months Ahead.
| with the return Of soldiers being
pushed forward SO expeditiously by the
War Department II In natural for peoI e
who do not follow very carefully the
Smoke Fund stories to eelieve that all
| the American soldiers in France are
being brought back whether they are
sick or well. A moments reflection
will reveal that to bring the wounded
and Ill men over might be hazardors 9,
and this letter quoted above and
numerous cards from soldiers all
through France in camp infirmaries and
base hospitals are evidence that many
lAF t., tbAr las ,lv,C
for months after the bulk of the troops
| are back home and discharged. 1t Is q
kind thought OF fund donors to seek out
/ the names of these sick soldiers and to
cheer them with tobacco. OF course and
also with letters. They need both.
| Private Bernard Cohen of Company
H. Thirtieth Infantry. wrote to the
Guaranty Club on May IS as follows:
IT wish to thank you and through
you The SUN Tobacco Fund for giving
US a treat. Plenty Of smokes is a lux
ury here as 1t used TO be in France.
| suppose there arc a good many per
| sons at homo who do not appreciate the
big difficulties we have to overcome in
order to keep supplied with tobacco
There Is none in Germany. and we need
to smoke here as much as il We were
still fighting. That ia one reason why
ws are deeply grateful to The New
York SUN for not dropping US the min
| ute the war was over. We expected II
sure But THE Sun kept right on, and
III guess We have had more tobacco
since the armistice than the troops had
before It. Believe me, We all appre-
ciate these gifts very much"
On May 16 "a Soldier of the First
Division" wrote to donor Miss Bresched
saying: II received your most welcome
donation and do not know how to thank
YOU enough
A Card From Germany.
This card. dated May 20. came over
from Bratenau, Germany. intended for