The Holly chieftain., 1919-06-12
Is Sentiment of Corporal
Wayne H. Pierce.
THEN GERMANY SHOULD
PAY TO THE LIMIT
But Workmen and Farmers Will
Foot Main Part OF War Indemni
ty-German People Know Little
Of Official Status OF Affairs.

Following are two more interest
ing letters from Corporal Wayne II.
Pierce, son of }. A. Pierce. written
from France, who is anxious to have
the peace treaty signed by the Ger
mans and to get back home.
5th Field Artillery, Army Of Occu-
ton, A. p. o. 729, France, May
Dear Mother: Today is Mothers Day
and so we all write to our mothers
and are glad to do it too. Do you
remember last Mothers Day? l do.
We were in Picardy near MOntdi-
dier at Wellsperenne only couple
of kilOmeters from the front line
and we expected an attack every
night. l had the machine gun then
and expected to use it too but as
the boys said the infantry never
gave us chance.
Well we are glad it's over and I
hope I'll spend no more Mothers
Days in Europe We haven't had
papers lately for some reason but it
is rumored that the Germans refuse
WithdrWn from the peace conference.
Isdon't know if it is so but the Ger
mans were excited and afraid last
night. The people where l lived
wanted to know if it was true that
we were going to start the war
again. told them it lay with their
representatives at Versailles and
that we could make war If they
wanted it. They explained that
they had heard that we would leave
during the night to advance into
Germany and would destroy vii
lagos and kill people as we went;
at least they inquired anxiously If
we meant to caput (kill or Destroy
the towns and people.
An order had come in ordering the
battery to be ready for anything
and so every truck and tractor was
run around to be filed with gas
and oil. The racket they made at
such an unusual hour sure had
some of them worried. l relieved
their minds telling them that what
ever we did we didn't interfere
with civilians if they behaved them.
selves. AS nothing happened they
are normal today.
These people won't talk much, or
know little about the peace terms.
One man told me England and
France wanted too much but VIII
son would support Germany against
tthem. AS for me don't know my.
self about this thing. l used to
think Germany should pay an
amount limited only by her ability.
| suppose that is what most Amer
leans feel but have been around a
little lately and don't know.
Here are the people who ultimate
ly pay the bills. The farmers and
workmen around here. All day,
these days they are working in the
mines and in the fields; plowing
with cows and even stirring the soil
with spades, and they get little
enough In return and many of them
haven't much to eat at that right
now. 1 stopped to talk last night
with an old lady. She was old and
dirty and ragged from working in
the field, but she was glad to see me
and talk a little and asked il had
heard anything about the prisoners
coming home. She has one son, q
lad of 18, at home, one dead, and two
"ouAAuCo uAlu S0PCulCu Cllc W0l.
If only the burden of this thing
could fall on the people who were
responsible, and surely this little
old woman had little to do with
such things. l wish there were not
so many like her and dread to
think that these peace terms may
impose fearful burden for many
years. However, | do not forget the
villages like this in France where for
miles the country is in ruin; the
houses destroyed; the fields torn by
shells and lined with trenches
These people at least have their pro
perty which is more than thousands
of Frenchmen have. Nor do l for.
get the thousands upon thousands
of graves in France either, but
hope that America will not demand
much from these people for herself
1t is right that Germany should pay
France and Belgium but l wouldn't
touch q penny of it myself. l surely
hope they sign the terms Of peace
and end this thing as soon as pos
sible.
Well couple of fellows Just tscame
in, pretty badly of from Moselle
wine. They had had some argument
a week ago while in similar con
ditiOn with the German here and
! they got it into their crazy heads to