Baxter Springs news., 1919-05-16

at was not 10 do police duty In
Europe that these men entered the
army-the work for which they en-
listed, the crushing Of Germany, was
completed six months ago. As the
weeks lengthen into months, these
men grow restive and disgusted with
the trivial drills and routine duties
they have to perform, when serious
work awaits them ct home. Many Of
them have motners and wives depend
ing ON them, and know how greatly
they are needed at home. Many Of
these men were told months ago that
they were to be sent home; weeks and
months 60 by and no orders come.
Illustrative Of their restiveness and
impatience, ! attach an extract from q
letter received by me from an enlist
ed man Of the Twentieth engineers:
az am writing you in regard to the
treatment the Twentieth regiment Of
engineers has received In France. We
were among tn first troops over here
and not telling when we viii get back.
Ours was the last unit Of the Twen-
tieth to land. We landed at Brest on
Decoration day, 1918, and have been
over q good share Of France. We were
operating a sawmill at Vaux, on the
border of Switzerland when the armis-
tice was signed. We were told that
just as soon as we finished that work
we were ready for sailing orders. We
received orders to come here in the
devastated district about the middle
Of January, where we found the Sixth
battalion, Twentieth engineers, who
eams over on the tOrpedOed Tuscania. |
who were engaged In the construction
Of q logging railroad in this burned
area; also two @awmills which we are |
helping to operate at great expense
to the United States government with
out bringing the government any re-
turns.
"Tast night the captain Of my |
company said the outlook now was
that it would be early winter before
our return. The engineers were among |
the first to land in France and viii be
among the last to leave, and this watt
ing is causing the ruinatiOn Of many
young men. We were told that we
would 20 home in the order that we
arrived, but not so. The largest num-
per of soldiers that have returned
we're not here long enough to earn q
service stripe.
Many Are Farmers
awe are all men Of some trade and
/ great many are farmers, and what
We would like to know Is why we
hould not be among those TO return
'arly. This is the sentiment thruOut
he engineer units. th 9 ~"
'"sT am d native born resident Of
syracuse, Kan. I am q Inachinist in
he emplCye Of the Santa 'Fe railway
n civilian life. My mother is So years
Id and now has to work for her sup
'ort. / am not only needed at home,
ut also by my employers as skilled
abor in that line is very scarce. III
hink ! could do my country more
'oOd at home than over here, as the
1ar is.1Over and this rebuilding Of
rance is not up to the United States,
think
"This strikes me as q sensible and
ractical appeal. It is the conviction /
a soldier who, having done his duty II
y his country, seeks permission to do
is duty by his dependent mother.
"This letter is transmitted 10 you q
/ no spirit of criticism, but merely In
, emphasize the widespread demand 3
Or an early return of the soldiers :
rom France. ! do not doubt that you q
re giving this matter your attention, Z
ut feel that too much cannot be ?
one toward stimulating governmental 4
stivity in this direction. n
''With assurances Of good viii, be- h
eve me, respectfully, 8
aARTHUR cAPPER"