Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1919-02-27
THIRTEEN MONTHS OF WAR
(By Lieutenant Stanley Scott
Brest, France, December %, 1913.

Dear Foks:-
Christmas is over now and we still hoping
get away Some of had permission into Brest
dinner Christmas night and enjoyed It all
b3t the walk home 1t is quite walk from camp
To the city does bother much for we
get privilege of going very often There is
entertainment by c. A, Red Cross and
K. c. there far too many to be accom-
modated at all satisfactorily yet.
course you the of the war from my
point though have been getting stories ever
since the boys have been coming home 1t certainty
has been some biggest fought in? And
aGzaton that wars are destructive and useless ana
ought to be- Whether a League of Nations be
other devised to decide questions
which wars are thought to decide people must no"
and that this has been good only
If lessons which otherwise would have
missed But do think that it will result IN good to our
country and will be worth the cost but
that cost has been great needed only walk
battle ground after attack to realize
Though subject the draft, felt the call
applying to m my circumstances permitted
Never has there been moment when
have regretted NV decision and now am sure that
1T the right choice. My experience has been
derfu1 and 1 have had privileges which have long
wanted but which I had feared would never material
From educational viewpoint alone it has been
military of much value in civil
life, a great than of cultural
at universities The contact with the men
the coping with the problems of the sold
Ter, knowledge self attained under fire,
all to be highly priced by IN the life nope to lead
in civil walks As far danger is concerned it
from that that have been far better
off here far chances
After three months of training Fort Sheridan
and short visit home, sailed from New York the day
before Christmas We had excellent din
the good ship, Lapland, and spent Christmas
in the harbor Halifax 1t was after the
there, get permission
ashore. After lying in harbor couple of days, in
the coolest weather experienced, left in
voy of eight vessels of which ours was the largest
There about officers board, besides
the 148th F. A, which later to be attached
BRIGADE for a while We had a verv quiet SEES and
experienced sea-sickness other than little dizzi
when first The time board in
and in singing writing, stro1ing the deck
for exercise and the enjoyment of the air. Our
must have been off the north coast of Ireland
We skirted enough the of Scotland
of the mountain ranges in the distance In
trip through the Irish Sea there little uneasness
and the number of out deck in of the
number n spite of blowing We
had boat drills very often and the gun crew. in charge
of the naval mounted deck, gave exhibitions
which made feel assured for safety. slept
as soundly that last night as any though we were in
the real danger n morning of January 7th
approaching Liverpool and about nine o'clock
docked-rather anchored just o from where
the big Fatherland lighters took US
ashore did not miss the opportunity board
the big ship which had just brought 10000 troops we
told. q wish could go n ship
told is lying here Brest)
We expected to get away from Liverpool early
the afternoon but it about eight o'clock in the
evening before got train for Southampton. We
had not been permitted Liverpool, except
from the boat What did
tremely pretty sight and am sorry that did not get to
of the city. Travelling by night prevented
seeing much of England; this mis-
fortune to be experienced 1t early Tuesday
ing that 1 shown a 1 stayed
two days in Southampton. Of I
have the Victoria Room, but you may be hat
opportunity given to read the of Princess
Victoria's visit Southampton her a ne
hotel, The Star On Wednesday night boarded a
France and, until this present B.
that night and the following day the
worst have spent in the We on a small
cattle boat The casual officers a little hole
toward the front end in fact the front the
ship. have every suppose that had much
quarters than the enlisted m VIII went on
board that night; but it extremely dry, filthy
the air foul with the
which present in stalls and passage ways
I for the miserable passage
given US across the Channel n the morning of the
landed Harve and without breakfast walk
deem r11Ida long to