The union times., 1944-09-09
Was Previously In
 England, Scotland

Written from Somewhere in France" Local B-9O, New Haven Electrical Workers, this week received a letter from their former business representative, Chief Petty Officer Joseph M. Rourke, in which Joe gives an interesting account of conditions as he has found them in France. The text of the letter follows: Dear Sir and Brothers:
 It has been many months since have seen most of you and be- lieve 1t has been sometime since 1 have written letter to the Local Union, so I am going to give you a brief account of my self If you don't mind.
 "A DIFFERENT LIFE''
 ''TO begin with, it is quite impos- sible for me to write to each of you individually, so I can only do the next best thing and that is, keep in touch with your Business Manager Vincent McCovern. He keeps me we'll informd about how the Local is progressing and I am glad to hear you are all doing Q. K. In general he has been most kind to me and more than once sent me favors that deeply appre- ciate.
 Tt has been 141a months since l left my job as Business Manager of your Union and believe me fellows, l do miss you all so much. This life IS so different from the one I spent in civilian life that 1t isn't funny. Be- lieve me when I say it will be so good to come home and see you all again. As you perhaps know since coming into the service I have done training at Camp Geary, Va, Camp Endicott, R. l., Lido Beach, Long Island, N. Y., then Scotland and now France.
 "After we left Scotland and came through England, there we saw the war at its worst. Sometimes I won- der how those people can keep up their morale and still take the se- were blows that they are taking each night, not to mention of what they took back in l94O.
 These people in France like wise have taken quite a licking. The town we are quartered near is really in shambles and the people look so poor and haggard. Why wOuldn't they after four years of terrible war?
 You folks back home hear more about the progress of the war than we do so 1 will not mention that. All know IS they are doing a good job and the leaders of our War effort deserve tremendous amount of credit.
 "They really take good care of us and the food they serve us is excel lent Our quarters are likewise pretty good when you consider the thousands of servicemen that are in France.
 "The Red Cross is doing a splendid job and they likewise deserve lot of credit. Quite frequently we get cigarettes, candy and other favors from them. In the towns nearby, they always serve coffee and doughnuts to us whenever we want them
 ''We do have a very definite shortage of water and it would make you laugh to see me trying to take bath in helmet full of water, and after washing and shaw ing then wash my socks and under clothes in the same water.
 Naturally censorship prevents me from telling you any of the details of my trip or whereabouts, that will be left for later day with Gods help.
 1 sincerely hope that you fellows will keep up the good work and keep strong progressive union for me to come home too. You fellows are do- ing a good job and all I ask you to do IS stick together and work with your officers at all times.
 'Let me once again thank you and all for your many favors and believe me that I sincerely wish you all the luck in the world. May the coming months bring joy and happiness to you and yours.
 When any of you have a chance to drop me line, rest assured that l will be most grateful to receive it.