Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-01-22
RAYM'D HJERLElD
OVER IN FRANCE
Describes a Road They Built Over
There and Says He Wishes We
Could Build One Like it Near
Decorah
EXPECTS TO GET
HOME THIS MONTH
a Number of French, English
4 Italian Prisoners Released
y Germany. They Lived ON
" Barley Soup and Barley
Bread
France, Dec. 2. 1918

Bread
France, Dec. 2, 1918
Dear Folks: / received fathers
letter and change. Thanks for it. /
received all your letters and money,
but have not heard from Gaven, as
yet. Probably he didn't get over and
that would be very unfortunate, as
it is worth good deal according to
experience. Gavin should have taken
the trip to Italy when he had a
chance. But how did he know, as all
you people have been kept ignorant
of the happenings on this side. Well
you all know that it is about finished
now. Lots have gone to the German
border around Luxembourg until the
peace terms are arranged. Ryggs is
with them. AS the censorship has
been lifted, or sunk, / can tell you
a few places where / have been.
Landed at Brest from New York.
Have been in the Vosges mountains.
Lots of Germans ten miles from
there all the time. We put in good
piece of road there. | wish we could
build one near Decorah like it. 1t
would open the natives eyes. All
rock bottom, rock top along the sides,
a fine hand laid stone wall with fiat
rocks covering from the wall to the
main road. On the wall was laid
green mountain moss. Beautiful
scenery. The Germans had started
this road in 1914, but never finished,
.as they have not finished the other
plans they started. Been at Romor-
autsn. That Ia where w were Eailf,
ing railroads. remember. Bussang,
Nancy, Epinal, st. Mehiel, Buznancy,
.Grandpre, Stonne. Never saw so>many
dead in my life as at Grandpre. That
is where the u. s. boys went after
them, the last fight of the war We
We're bombed by German planes at
IGrandpre, but / was lucky. / could
have gotten lots of German helmets,
swords, and other souvenirs, but too
hard to pack along. We have been on
the move with heavy packs since the
2Sth day of September. Average from
Is to 27 kilometers (fiye-eights of U.
s. mile) every day. Getting on hard
er roads now after getting Verdun.
I am now going from there through
,Revigny, st. Dizuor, Massey and now
at Bar-Sur-Auhe, good place and am
headed for Chaumont, or near. Per-
shing's headquarters are at Chau-
mont. I went through once before on
train. saw the first freed French,
English sand some Italians out OF
Metz while in Verdun. They We're
happy. Worked them hard on moth
ing but barley soup and barley bread.
saw some of it. Looks like charcoal.
Terrible stuff, Germany is in terrible
shape and that comes from them
and they know it. Lots of German
prisoners on>the road. They are work
/, ed but fed good. Most of them wanted
to be captured. I notice Fred Bier
mann was pretty sick on the trip.
i know how he felt, even if it never
made me sick. Guess | am lucky or
carry a rabbits foot or the like.
Harry Baker must he at Bonlien.
remember fellow interpetor for
that land shark at Waukon and an
other family at White Earth, but my
memory has failed me, | guess when
I try to recall names now am get
ting so | can't write, spall or a
thing anymore. I am sorry to hear OF
some OF our good citizens going ac-
ross the great divide, but suppose u
must be that way. Take care of your
selves and don't get in contact with
such and you will get by guess.
/ l. have been here BOW about seven
months and as things have not al
ways been the best | have had TO Set
along the best way could. fou inuct
depend upon your wits at times and
1t sure makes you depend upon your
self. No one looks out for you. Lots
of times I go to some other town fve
kilometers away and buy things, but
it is worth it, I hope ] get your box
o. X. as good chocolate Is serrce
times. We can buy French cho"o,
= h-.t 1t has a sort OF a mea'v or
oatmeai taste 70 IT. somethire
irg whev coll Y chocolate re1ier
Como = etrmned c"aar
mu.-rs~,v'r~ o. ~ rced y
~ = eo.~'rtaa - hircb
brooa rd hecr~ cT'tn d'se~e r'
Tet,s = -~' scorr