Putnam patriot., 1925-10-09
COMMUNICATIONS

Dear Editor;
 Preparations are in full swing for huge celebration on Armistice Day when Putnam will unveil a tablet on the newly erected bridge on Pemfret street for her sons that needed the call of their country in IT and 'le.
 As l look over the list of the events that are to happen that day l wonder if the people of Putnam and espeei- ally the Chamber of Commerce knows what that day really means to a war veteran.
 can clearly remember that day in 1918 how we felt. We were on the left of Sedan (which was the bridgehead and key to the whole Ar gonne frontl in mud nearly knee deep and hoping that luck would be with Us on the last couple of hours so we could live to see the end. Many a poor man went down at quarter 10 eleven and some even later than that.
 The whole front was in an uproar from ten until eleven when every man ceased firing and silence fell over the men and tears of joy stream ed down the faces of many a harden ed doughboy. We hiked back of the lines and that night we built huge camp fires. the first we had since our landing in France a year and hVe months before. We were in a thick wood with nobody to help us celebrate but leave it to bunch of doughboys Go get entertainment because we were no more than "set" before we started to get music from mouth or gans and jews harps while mess kits served as drums to keep time to some of the most weird and fantastic danc- es that I ever saw and ever hope to see.
 People in the U. s. were having a great celebration because the war was over that day but could they real ize what was really meant? No, thousand times no, but the men that were in the middle of the fighting even up to the last knew what 1t meant and although they did not have bands and parades they were the most joyous lot in the world.
 Now a big parade is planned for this coming Armistiee Day, but not one meeting has been called by the American Legion and l wonder why Every ex-service man knows that al parade like the one that is being manned must be planned by one that knows how to handle men lh a line and I am afraid that there wlil De big eonjestion of troops and ciVlilah organizations on Pomfret street un- less meeting of ex-serviee men isl esnea. Now by this remark ! do not mean to infer that the men that are planning the parade do not know any thing about a parade but don't you think that there are some men in Put nam that are qualified to give pretty good idea how t can be done.
 Anybody that will get near Bonne- y;lie's store and look down Pomfret street will know that it is going to be a touph proposition to get the troops; | hands and societies that are planned for in this parade down that street in order. Why not let the veterans Themselves fix that part of t instead of handing the job tO the Natlonai Guard. I was told that the National Guard will lead the parade but can | assure you that if they do you won have two veterans in the hne Nith due respect for Captain Mcbarry rank and organization, can anybody tell me why he should have charge of the parade instead of veteran.
 Remember gentlemen of the Chamber of Commerce this IS Our Day" and we want to run t ourselves without the aid of outsiders as Tar as the parade is concerned
 Men like Doctor Perry, Ar. Moss, l sir. Metealf and a few others are very well able to take care of this parade and if they need any assistance they can get all they want from the eN- service men of Putnam.
 Now I will close my letter hoping that I did not offend anybody be- cause no offense is intended.
 Just a Donghboy,
 ERNEST J. DURAND