Evening star., 1923-12-10

The spirit that carries along Lieut..
Hooven Grifls. sentenced to eighteen
mouths Imprisonment yesterday on
the charge of attempted abduction
Of Grover Cleveland Rergdoll. millionaire
Philadelphia draft dodger. Is shown in
letter written to his mother on Ar
nlStice day.
Lieut.. GrifIis' home is In Hamilton.
Ohio. in the district represented by
Representative Roy 6. Fitzgerald. him-
self an overseas service man, who in
tends to have this letter printed in the
Congressional Record as an example to
American youth Of ardent love Of conn-
try The letter follows:
Cell IL Heated.
I, dearest Mother:-
The church bells are ringing
again this morning and 1 am wonder
ing if they are rejecting In their
tumult of sound the gladstone way
am feeling. / dare say their mes
sage today is quite different from
they sound cheerful and glad enough
to quite nit in. Moreover. the sun
- shining and a shaft of golden
light has made mockery of the iron
bars and has penetrated into my cell,
Where it makes a great difference.
casion.. the prison has finally de-
cided that it is cold enough for heat
and the steam pipes are warm,
With promise of a decided change
ture.
SO. altogether 1t is a great day,
q quite fitting time for thanksgiving,
pride and rejoicing in every way for
me-and one in particular.
have already decorated my cell
so that it is no doubt different from
any other cell in Germany From the
colored advertisements in the Sat
urday Evening Post have been hard
at work with my scissors. and have.
rious colors until have achieved the
desired result. At one end of the cell
under the window Is a gorgeous
coat t-or-arms OF the United States.
1t took me a week TO make 1t and 1t
70 inlald in paper like a mosaic; The
bright, and the bald headed. eagle
with the shield and all the rest are
in the correct colors. 1t looks fine.
Then over my table I have hung my,
is an American shield. Altogether, I
could not desire more and, really, it
helps.
Sings Patriotic Songs.
'T started Off the day by singing. The
Star Spangled Banner as faced
my flag at salute. regardless Of the
prison rule against singing. Then,
I followed with 1.-THE Battle Hymn Of
the Republic and the Glory. glory
hallelujah had strange setting
way over here. But it rang true and
stirred my heat quite as much as had
singing 1t. After that l whistled The
Stars and Stripes Forever but then
I thought had better write this let
ter. 1 shall go through my entire
program. and will sing and pray all
day-eren though I am quite alone.
Naturally my mind reverts- back
to the events of five years ago today
when in the midst of cur turmoil and
hating and sorrowing- we achieved
peace. 1 can remember my own feel
ings in LIE Mans that day easily, for
it is not SO far from Wurzburg as 1t
is from Hamilton. Ohio Then, later,
I cannot but think of the days OF an
niversary that followed each year at
home. and like to bring back the
memories of some OF our celebrations
Recalls Year Ago
How time does change things. 1t
was just a year ago at this very day
and hour that Chaplain Cowley. Car
roll and myself went out to the ceme-.
for our dead. Amid the quiet groves
OF Greenwood that day | had little
thought. indeed, that another such day
would find me in a German prison.
But even had I known, please God. l
would not falter from a trust, her
itege, of brave fellow countrymen.
For at least it has been given me
to feel for my country az never be-
fore did feel. Truly has 1t been
said that they know not their own
country who know no other Thus 1t
has been with me, for the more I see
of the world and the people, the more
I love and reverence America. And /
am sure that comparison 10 q great
enlightening factor. For that reason
] wish more Americans would travel
and come home convinced.
Faith in America.
"I only wish I had the power to de-
liver myself OF the tremendous cer-
tainty I feel In the destiny OF Amer
lea, and enlist every American in
evangelization until 1t Is achieved.
am firmer than ever of the opinion
that America will be Gods tnstru
ment, and our destiny Is to work His
will on earth. for His purposes, not
ours. And, oh, how this part Of the
world over here needs US! They need
our standards and our Ideals, our
generosity and our fellow-love.
They need our square deal and our
principles Of Americanism.' They
need our loving God. and can forget
their gods of revenge and hatred.
Thus 1t Is that America must be
strong with the individual strength
Of i10,ooo.ooo people who will all
work together to . common goal,
actuated by the love Of God and coun-
try. What 4 power that would be-