Evening star., 1928-02-22
CHAPTER XVI.

M osT of us remember that up
M ward snap of our hearts In
V the Spring of 1918, when
4 i Dinsmore Ely's letter to his
family became known, but
time din,s memories and it might be
We'll to tell the story once more. 1t
is the kind of story that will bear
much retclling.
Dinsmore Ely went to France from
Winnetka. ILL.,, as member of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technol-
ogy's Unit of the American Ambu-
lance Field Service, with the purpose
Of avoiding the delays of getting over
as an American soldier. A few weeks
in gaining admission to the Lafayette
French flying schools for his training.
In February. 1918, he joined Esca-
drille Spad l02. which was stationed
with the new American Army forming
at Toul. At the end of March his
help check the great German drive.
which had almost forced the English
army into the North Sea. While on
his way to Arniens he was stopped
at Paris and released from his COM
mand to accept commission as lieu
tenant in the American Air Service,
but asked for permission to accom-
pany his former Escadrille as a volun-
teer. AS he left Paris to rejoin his
comrades he wrote letter to his FAM
ily under da+s Of April S. 1918. in
which he said,
Dinsmore Ely's Letter.
AT present my one desire is to
reach the defensive front. Right now
it is hard for the French mind to
grasp how much the Americans have
wanted to help this defensive during
their first year Of preparation. No
matter how great the American or
ganization Is to be, If We suppose there
are 100000 Americans actually fighting
in this offensive (no one knows num-
bersl. We must keep things in scale
by remembering that Germany alone
has probably had more than a million
ana half put out of action in this
battle alone.
And I want to say in closing. II
anything should happen to me, let's
have no mourning in spirit or in dress.
Like Liberty bond, 1t Is an invest
ment. not a loss. when a man dies
for his country. 1t is an honor to a
family, and is. that the time for weep
ing? would rather leave my family
rich in pleasant memories of my life
than numbed in sorrow at my death"
Mails were slow in the war days.
and this letter did not reach Dins-
more E1y's home until after a tele-
gram containing the news that he had
been killed in a flying accident at
Villavoublay on April 81.
The bereayed family made the letter
public, and that last message. Like a
Liberty bond, it Is an investment, not
loss, when a man dies for his coun-
try" was the keynote of the drive
for the third liberty loan. The inspired
sentence was emblazoned on billboards
and hundreds Of newspapers printed
facsimilies in full page space. It was
printed on cards used to notify rela-
tives of casualties in the Army and
for that crowded six months Of 1913
which ended the war became an ex-
preston of the national will and de-
cision.
Not an ace, denied the opportunity
to acquire a long record of victories
in the air. Dinsmore Ely served his
country better after his death than
most men are privileged to serve 1t
during their lives.
Concern with the details Of living
in our crowded cities and our busy
countryside have blinded some Of US
10 the essential virtues. Maybe 1t has
seemed at times that some Of our
sterner virtues Of honor and faith and