The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-08-19
SOLDIER DECLARES
FINE SENTIMENT
Soldier Tells of Feeling of RespOn-
sibility of Working for Better
America in Civil Life


The soldier who wrote the letter
quoted below, which appeared in the
9th infantry "Cottie" paper printed
near Coblenz, Germany, for the boys
of the army of occupation, is one of
| the first to state some thought that
| others have had.
1t is true beyond a question that
thousands of our returning and re-
turned soldiers feel the responsibility
of working for better America in
civil life, and making up the time
they have spent away from friends
and family by redoubling their good
services.
The soldier writes:
When We Get Home the Duty We
Owe
There is lot of talk about what
we are going to do when we get home
and the general impression conveyed,
is that we will be due a royal re-
ception. With all the attending ad-
vantages newspapers tell us what the
home folks are going to do for the
boys when they come home. The
general talk Is that now we have
fought our battles in France, we
have done our part, and deserve to
have rest, and be waited on by
those back home. There is some
truth in this, we have done big
share of our part, but our job is not
over, by long shot, we are not the
fighting soldier that looks forward
to being coddled, and made a fuss
over when we get home. "
The coming of Mothers day
naturally makes him think of her and
folks at home. What are they think
ing about? No doubt, mother is
thinking of how she will entertain
her boy when he gets home, how she
will comfort him, and try to make
up for the years he had missed. r
wonder, how many of us have
thought of her side from the deserv-
ing standpoint, are we going home
with the idea that our families owe
us something? Or that we owe them
something? Do they deserve con-
sideration? Has it been an easy
time for mother back there? Has
she had it comfortable there while
we were fighting here? Oh no! Nearly
all of us will admit that physical dis
comfort is much easier to endure
than mental discomfort. The, pangs
of anxiety, the misgivings, wacthful
waiting, careful reading of the news
paper each day to see if her boys
name is among the casualties; all
this Is not pleasure, yet mother and
the others have been experiencing
this. They have sacrificed a great
deal and they too, have suffered, now
we are going home to them, and it is
time we think of this one thought.
Perhaps mother and the folks at
home deserve little consideration.
In fact the mere fact we are getting
home is enough payment for us, we
don't need or want our folks to put
themselves out for us. Rather we
are in a position to desire to do all
we can to make the folks comfortable |
when we get home. Mother who has
been waiting so long and patiently
deserves now to be comforted and |
cheered, thru the efforts of her boy |
80, just as a suggestion let us think |
of how much. reward they need at |
home, for being so concerned about |
us, and let us all go home with the
desire to do all we can to make
mother and the rest of the folks
for we have been away
almost two years and, we have that
time to make up.
G. L. WEIKERT,
Captain 9th Infantry.