The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-01-27
. BUFFUM WRITES
ABOUT THE WAR
Former keokuk Electric Co. Empioye
Impressed With the Beauty OF
the Scenery Along the
River Rhine.
GERMANS ARE FRIENDLY
Like the Americans and Are Very
HospitabIe but Are Bitter
Toward the English
and the French.


The following Interesting lette
from Sergeant G. c. Buffum, A. +. r
has been received by Alvin Kraft
Sergeant Buffum was member Q
the Keokuk Electric company fore
before joining Uncle Sans army
After a personal Introduction, a.
gives the following account OF tn
movement OF his troops and his Oh
servations:
OBERMENDIG, Germany. Dec. %
1s1S-Our regiment (the 3Sth9 ant
division (3rd) were relieved upol
the Argonne front about week De
fore hostiIities ceased and We wer'
back In a rest area after five months
most OF which time we were on th'
line.
Soon after the signing Of the armi
stice, we set out on foot comm:
through Lorraine and Luxumberz
and on December ] entered Germany
proper, and on December Is we hi
the Rhine river at St Goar.
For three days we travelled dowr
this historic valley, passing through
the large towns of Bop7ard, LEM
and Coblenz.
At the latter named place va Jeff
the Rhine river, crossed the Mo
selle and came TO this little town
which is about twenty-five miles
from Coblenz-
How long we are to be here. CT
when that longed-for day viii cone
when we win start for the coed Old
u. S. A., am unable 10 sav, but sin
cerely hope that we VIII leave by
spring.
The trip from the tine we let
France was one never to be forgot
ten, though it was very Ia iSue!ng
at times, as we marched win full:
packs an our backs. and only ore
who has hiked In this mann u can
realize what 1t meant
We rested at certain intervals
along the march, from a day to a
week at time. sometimes campip
in the open, other times being bill
Ieted in barns on the straw. and
other times going right into he
homes.
Beauties Of the Rhine.
The part of the trip that stands
out most vivid in my mind WIS the
three days NAB down the Rhine.
It's beyond the limits Of my feeble
pen 81 TO describe the beauties IF
this river and valley.
Steep, rugged hills. OF mountains,
shelte- the river, which has a busy
life ali It's own. being navigable and
foil Of various kinds of craft
On high, almost insurmountable
reaches are built the castles famous
Ia song and story, some dating back
Two thousand years.
Some are only tumbled-down piles
Of rock. over which vines run In wild
yrotusion. while others are in semi
preserved state, portions Of which
today are Inhabited
The sight of them instantly awoke
IN me memories OF the days when
the knights rode forth from their
strongholds and wagsd war on some
enemy and his followers in an equal
~ sheltered position
Tnesa castles wouldn't last long
tn a modern war; a battery Of 75's
distance Of several miles would soon
reduce them 10 ruins.
Coblenz, g large, modern city, ap-
pcdTNO " Dr 1S& LIZ. DR. well
as lively, but ! have had no chance
to investigate. We marched through
there at attention" with our band
playing in the lead
/ find the German people inclined
to be very friendly 10 US. hospitable
and apparently bearing the United
States no malice, but very bitter
against the French and English.
Three Of Us have fairly comfort
able room IN German home, and
we often eat with the people in
their homes change from army
chow and incidentally chance 10
get something TO eat
Five of US dined at a home yester-
day (Christmas) and had q fine din
ner as well as a very enjoyable
afternoon.
Germans Not Starving.
NV impression is that the German
people are not exactly starving by
any means, though meat is scarce
and high priced; no white bread @,
flour at all. Kriegs brot, a dark
coarse war bread, is eaten and i
not at all unpalatable Sugar 4
scarce. and no soap or coffee is {
be had. Coffee is made out of groun
acorns, and with milk and sweeter
Ing is not particularly hard TO tak'
resembling postum somewhat
taste. They have potatoes, cabbag
and turnips in abundance.
Beer continues to be made 1t
of light quality, but has a good tast
better than our "emps," but no kic
However. they dig UP bottle