The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-03-08
Hall Relates
Continued from Page y

enough for us. They gave US wood
and kept up the fire, swept out our
rooms, cooked us a rabbit dinner.
She gave me knife which | prize
highly as souvenir for a Swastika
is emblazoned on the handle. It is
part Of the uniform which every
youngster was forced to wear as a
member of "Hitler's Jupend"
YOUTH. Some of my handkerchiefs
were badly worn and it happened
those were included in laundry
which she did for me. She told me
they were capute and gave me two
brand new handkerchiefs. The little
girl had taken three years of Eng
lish in school so she interpreted and
did a fine job. shall never forget
those people. They were excep-
tional
Here German is the predominant
language although some of the
younger people have been taught
French in the schools. Many of
the words english Germany are
similar in sound SO if taken slowly
and with plenty of motions can
make out fairly we'll in conversa-
ton.
Recently, even though we have
been right up. among en- the
special service boys have been do
ing right by US. In well BACKED out
rooms we've had several movies.
They are old as the hills but never
theless are interesting. Even a cou-
pie of Red Cross Do-nut girls ven
tured up few days ago. This
does a great deal to boost the NOR
ale OF the outfit AS a matter of
TACT the difference stands out plenty
after one of the events. Yesterday
the Division band gave a street
concert which the natives enjoyed
as much as the soldiers.
so far as food is concerned there
were quite number of days that
we didn't do SO well. AS matter
OF fact those &C rations got pretty
tiresome. Now things are different
and we have fresh meat at least
once each day. Daily rations Of Gig
aretts, gum and tropical chocolate
Zone each) are passed out at noon
chow.
For the life Of me | can't figure
out where these people do their
shopping. You can walk up and
down these streets and never see
darned thing that looks like a store.
In some towns the front of the
stores are shattered but up in this
section they just don't seem to exist,
Each house has its cows, chickens.
geese, pigs. Some have tobacco
hanging in the barn. In Alsace pota-
toes are cooked in large watts and
fed to the pigs while in southern
France they can hardly find enough
to feed the population.
Haven't had time to discuss poll
tics very much and / don't think
these people are very interested in
that subject at the moment. Don't
see how they could be when they
have to spend most of the time in
the cellar. One thought that is pre-
dominant the majority, even
though they speak Dutch, will not
admit being Germans They are
Alsacinne and although they lean
to the French side of the fence |
believe thy would like to be indie
pendent Of both. The country is
rich, as you know, and there is
every reason for the people want
ing to keep it for themselves.
Not long ago we were in town
where they made burlap from Gel
lulose. It was large factory and
supplied employment for great
many of the people. / was surprised
TO see that the machinery as a
whole was new and very modern.
They even had a color process
whereby the burlap was printed
with various designs. From all APP
pearances few shells dropped In
the area and the employees took off
and haven't been back. The looms
were threaded and there was bea-
coup raw material in evidence.
Thanks SO much for the copies of