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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1918)
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, JANUARY 27, 1918. OREGON SOLDIERS' LETTERS BRING THE WAR CLOSE TO HOME 6 Lieutenant Short Now on Gunboat Monocacy. Althaask T.mmjmm Nrel fUcata ef htaa Act Mr Servlr la Atlantic la Leased Far. X 1EUTEN.VNT EDWIN SHORT, who 1 1 la In service on board the gunboat Monocacy. patrolling- the rlr Yang-tee, la China, writes to a friend In thi city, lnr Lh.it although ba la enjoyln the work and tha noral sight China, he loud to be In active ser vice In the Atlantic. The Monocacy la reported by recent dispatches as havtnr been fired on by Chinese sniper. "I have certainly ben mixed op an distributed since 1 last wrote you and I am eeetnrr considerable of this sta tlon slnca 1 left Cavlte. Thlnklnar bad been in tha Islands Ions; enouch to .' reed a health trip, the Admiral ordered me to the Cincinnati, which was make a couple of months' trip op north. From Manila we went directly to Toko- Kama and spent the month there. Then we went to Kobe and the ship stared about five days there, but. as had previously told the Admiral tha I fi nd plenty of duty In the Philippines, m-hen we arrived in Kobe and found Ihnt China had declared war. I was ordered to the Monocacy. one of our small river gunbonts whlrh bad been Interned In rihanirhal river since we bad entered the war. and was ordered away from the Onc' the same day. s diH not art ashore in Kobe. I rft Kobe on the 'Galveston. spent a week In .VatdMkl. and then sailed for J-r-r. uhni. So 1 consider that I saw th- t"t pirt of Japan, even If I did nile Kobe and Kyoto. "From Yokohama. I went op to Tokio a couple of times and also vetted several of the mountain and e shore resorts. Of course, I saw my fill of Buddit and Shinto temples and shrines ir.HuJ:ns; the bis;. 'Budda. I'lub itnu. at Kamakura. and bad tea several times at the famous Perry tea bu of the hundred steps. Most every one wbo visits Japan has te at ibis place and leaves bis card or writes his name In a biz scrap book which they keep. "1 spent all of one afternoon' looking throuch these books and found the names of many people I know. The si or.4 and stores re as Interesting to me as anything else and I spent hours In them. I am clad I did not buy more, for It is only more Junk to carry around with me. I should like to vi.Mt Japan again on my way home. Trough, alter beinir In one place for two and a half years. It is a treat to cet aboard a cruilnir ship again. and I have almost made up my mind to rail It quits with Sub. I may r liar.ee my mind though If I get an opportunity to go back to the Sub sa hool in New London. , "Japan !- a wonderful country and In many ways 1 can't help but admire the people for their progresslveness especially after seeing the difference between them and the Chinese. "Shanshal is the most modern and American looking city In tbe East and Is also about the busiest. At piesent the rate of exchange rs so high taat one has to squeese to get through. Vut that is due to the war. Fo much silver la needed to pay the troops In Europe, mostly the Hindoo and Asia tic troop, wbo want 'real' money, that a Me dollar has advanced from 43 tents gold to about 't cents gold. so that where a gold dollar was worth 2 ' Mexican dollars before the war. li la now worth about one and a quar ter The price of things In Mex Is still about the same aa II waa for the lower rate of exchange, so Meg Is practically gold now. I do not sup pose thi financial dope Interests you. but It Is quite a vital question out here. -After three days In STianrbal. I left on thla boat for Hankow to Join my hip. or rather my 'spit kit. 1 was surprised to find such comfortable .and modern boats here on the YanKtse. Th.s boat is far ahead of any of the river boats on the Columbia, although not as fast. It la an English company, the ship's officers being all English or Scotch and the crew Chinese. -It la COw miles from Shanghai to Hankow, and Just at this time of the year, as the height of the water bein to drop, there is a strong cur rent In the river and we only make shout six or seven knots. At present the water at Hankow is about 44 feet a hove normal, or zero, four feet below the maximum for this year. "Large, ocean-going steamers go up to Hankow at all heights of water ex cept the lowest. In Winter. The coun try along the banks Is similar to that along the Columbia near St. Helens and Linnton. with occasional rsnires of hills in the background and here and there coming down to tbe river's edge. t'ORDKR TI DET OP BF.X. SON PIILITKI HMC SfHIIUL l- I. . . W It IT 9 OX WATLR. l.lxtea Mebalaa. Liston Stebblns is the son of Mrs. C. Stebblns and waa a stu dent in electrical -engineering at the Benson Polytechnic School until the day war was declared, when he enlisted In the United States Navy. In a letter which Je wrote recently o his mother he gives an interesting- descrip tion of some of tbe places to which thev have rruiaed. !On the fifth day of May' we .left San Diego,". he write. "an" 4, went to (iuatemaja. We did not get any noeriy mere, mo we nave not much to telL From there we went to Balboa. Panama, and I waa also in Panama City. It Is a beautiful place. In Balboa, we dry-docked and scraped the bot tom of the ship. It Is a wrcderfu! sight to see the men down on the dock and the ship aboveThe day we wsnt through the Canal waa a wonderful sight, too. The ship is pulled through by electric cars. We went on to Colon, where there Is one of the largest coaling docks. In the world. We took on more than I'joo tons. We were three weeks in iUo Jauetro." ? l- I. . . WRITKS OX T J WATtR. I I - - . : I V. ' . - : : a. a-. V - ' : .1 h Everything- along the banks Is arreen and so Is tbe Urn ah and. small trees on the hills. There are no large trees, as the natives cut them down before they get to be of, any size.' Almost all the land along the river la culti vated and some of It has been Inun dated for a couple of months and the water la Just leaving; It- The river is as muddy as oftee and about that color. "The Monocacy ia one of two flat-bottomed gunaoats we have which go up the Tangtse about 1000 miles above ftankow through two sets of mountain ranges and their gorges and rapids. The boats draw only about two fret of water and have their propellers in tunnels. "The boats are about ISO feet long;. I think, and carry two line officers and a surgeon, besides a crew of about 40 men I am 'second.' the C. D. bring a fellow one class ahead of me who has been up twice before as 'second.' Four Llrafraaat Kawla Short. Who Ia aa Guabant -Meaocary la China ratreltlaa; tbe Hirer ltaxtH. other countries -have boats of a similar type, but as they -have -been Interned ince 1SH. I ddubt If they will be able to get them in commission in time to get tbem up the river on this high water. Our two boats. Monocacy and Palo, are the fastest of their type on he river and ran do 13 knots. "During the Winter months in Chung King the only communication with the utside world is by mall, which ia car ried by native runners, and the mail rrives about once in two months, so will be pretty much of a case of nothing- to do and all Winter to do it In. "I would give 'anything to be back on the Atlantic, where I could see some service, but the Admiral told all of us ho put in requests to go that the de partment left us out here because they new where they rfeeded us most, so guess we will stay, for a while at east. I feel like a slacker when I see some of the British sailors out here 5o have been to the front, have been unded and then sent out here for uty, but I had rather be up here see- g some of the stations. If I have to av out here, than in Cavlte." Transport's Encounter With U-Doat Described, t Cheballs Roy Writes af Eirltlas; laeldeat aa I. . T. Baltic. flHEHALIS. Wash, Jan. M. (Ppe J cial.) How the United States transport The Baltic narrowly escaped being sunk by a submarine on the 28th of November, last, as It approached Liverpool on a trip from New Tork, Is vividly described In a letter received here by parents of a Chehalla boy who Is now "somewhere In France" serving in the aviation corps. The writer's name Is withheld from publication by special request. The Baltic sailed from New Tork with 12 other veesels about November !0. The weather was rough the first two' or three days out and the fourth day there was a heavy storm, many being sick. At 7 o'clock P. M. Novem ber Z. passengers on the ships were startled by a loud shot which had been fired by one of the three submarine destroyers which were guarding the Baltic. The other II ships in the con voy were also likewise guarded by other submarine destroyers. The gun ners on the submarine destroyer which bad fired the shot had observed a sub marine' and had fired at It. ' The submarine submerged at once. but came up again soon, gut the range of the Baltic and fired a torpedo in ts direction. The submarine then started to submerge, when one of the destroyers dropped a depth bomb close to it. and the submarine was blown to pieces, sinking at once. In the mean time the destroyer had signaled the Baltic, the officers of which had slowed up the vessel and succeeded in par tially turning its course. The torpedo struck the front end of the Baltic a glancing blow, but fortunately did not explode. However, it tore a large hole In the boat, following which the whistle signaled ail. aboard to' the life boats. ' w ' These were reached without disor der of any kind and all waited for the signal to .drop to the water. It was found, however, that the damage could be repalaed with bales of cotton and other articles and the real danger was over. The passengers aboard the Baltic returned to their quarters, but there was very little sleep that night on ac count of the excitement, of the early evening. Liverpool was reached safely the morning of the ISth. The writer spoke of the splendid re ception given the ' Anieriean boys .in France by the Y. M. C. A. and com mended that organisation most highly. The letter was written flora - Lyons. France, and when mailed the local boys there were in good health, goad spirits and enjoying splendid weather. Y. M. C A. Huts Always Full, Says Hood River Boy. Albert Glbbaas. tn la France, Wlaaea for Home Fralt. HOOD RIVER, Or., Jan. 26. (Spe cial.) Lynn Tauscher, of this city, has just received a letter from his friend Albert Gibbons, now a Sergeant of the regular Engineers with the American expeditionary forces In France, a former local boy, who de clares that one will usually find the Y. M. C. A. huta filled with soldier boys writing letters to friends and relatives. "A lot of fellows are here today as I write." says Mr. Gibbons, "and they come from every corner of the country. But they are a mighty fine bunch of men." Within sound of the booming; cannon, and. perhaps, within range of the big guns of Frltx. Mr. Gibbons thinks of the Hood River apple crop. ' "How is the apple crop thla year?" he asks. "1 would certainly like to have a feed of Hood River apples, as the ones we gtt ever hero are not very .... . I j A :- r : '-t ' -a : e . . s V"; . i , If.-. , 11 Lack of Holiday Spirit Is Noticeable in France. TO alter Tennessee, of Portland. 'Writes Interesttae; Letter Deal lac "Ilk Activities of America S. altera "Over There. WALTER TANNENSEE is a well known Portland boy and a grad uste of Lincoln High School, who with the 304th Company of the Quar lermaster's Corps "somewhere In France." He is a prominent athlet and an excellent football player and wrestler. , His mother receatly received a let' ter from him, which waa written on the day before Christmas. "I surely wish that I were going- to be home for Christmas," he writes, "so I could see all of my old friends. Is bard to aay what we will be doing tomorrow, as there are no holidays- in the Army. Christmas in this country is not like It Is in the States. Th people do not seem to take the interes in it that we do at home. Perhaps it i on account of the war. Everything I altogether different than I expected Everything here is about the same It was during the relgn of Napoleon No doubt the houses, streets and watering places have not been altered. The bouses are of a very old type, and one can tell how many rooms there are In tbe house by counting the chim neys. Most of the boys smoke as soon as they are able to walk; also some of the women. Believe me, they never can keep me here after the war. "We have one nice place to' go and that Is to the T. M, C A. It seems that no matter where you go there Is Y. M. They are doing a great deal for the boys In the Army. One can get practically anything there, excepting candy, cake, etc They are preparing rooms with several shower baths, al though It Is hard to say Just when we will have time to use the in. Our com pany is allowed 250 pounds of turkey for Christmas. We will have a re minder of home, we have plenty to cat uiu a guuu piace 10 Bleep. taking everything Into considera tlon this is surely some experience and I am glad that I enlisted." , Camp Lewis Officers Are Lauded by Soldier. -. Forrest L. Map, of Head River. Writes latereating Letter Regard ing Activities at Aorthwest Tr a la lag Camp. . Hwu ntiDn, vr., Jan. o. V spe cial.) Forrest L. Moe, formerly a nn tsTirwn , a , sergeant of Twelfth Company. Oregon Coast Artillery, stationed at Fort Can- by, Wash., in a' letter to his mother. Mrs. A. D. Moe, tells of the activities at tha recently established officers' raining camp at Camp Lewis, where he Is now engaged In intensive study. Mr. Moe writes: I think there are about S50 men in he camp 300 in the field artillery and iv in the inrantry. We are assigned to companies of 100 men each, and each company Is a separate unit, hav- ng Its own Individual officers, or in- tructors. Two companies eat in one mess hall, and the kitchen police, or waiters, are composed of negro Boi lers who are detailed for the work. Each company has two cantonment buildings, which provide us with plenty of room for rest and study. The build- ngs are equipped with electric lights. and we burn both wood and coal in the furnaces, two of which are. installed In each building. We sleep on iron spring- cots and are provided with a straw mattress, two blankets and a comforter. Each porti.am) boy with et.i m:kri tells of wklcome BY KRK.NCH CHILUKK.V O.V LAMHMi AFTER ' TRIP ACROSS WATKR. Siergeaat Leonard Maaam. . Sergeant Leonard Mahan, Com pany p. 116th , Engineers. 41st Division, enlisted as private on June 4 last and gained promotion to first sergeant. Mr. Mahan is a skilled locomotive and gas en gineer and machinist, and is re membered by many of the garage and auto repair men of this city. Following are extracts from his letters of recent date: "We had a comfortable trip across the ocean: to me it was one continuous vaudeville show. 'Not being sick myself, the antics and misery of some of the boys were amusing. I never saw any thing look better than land when we first1 sighted it. The first thing that caught my attention on shore was a Ford car bustling about. "It was a strange sight when we were greeted by the children -singing to us. How happily they sarin! Their wooden shoe and quaint garments were interest ing. "I have had frequent liberty and have been out in the coun try to a famous old castle, which well repaid me for the trip. In the town streets are very crooked and narrow. A great many wom en are employed in occupations usually filled by men. Women operate streetcars and work about the railroad shops, operat ing machines and doing other1 work. "Such economy as the French practice! I noticed them cutting down trees for fuel. Every limb, chip and root is saved and car T I V: ried away under supervision. Prices for general commodities re high, about double the prices as I remember them in Portland when I left. We are comfortable, well fed. and tbe Y. M. C. A. is doing a noble work In the way of entertainment and club facilities. We have had some snow, but not enough to cause any particular discomfort. Had a fine turkey dinner on Thanksgiving, and I see the signs of a good one for Christmas. We are all anxiously waiting orders to move to the front." : - -Y,;J: r Jt- - , X b 'SS i man ia provided with a chair, hut has to hold a auitcase on his lap to serve as a table or writing desk. We are very comfortable and well provided for. "This is an Ideal site for a large Army camp. The ground is level and has a good, natural drainage. The soil is a coarse gravel, and the hills in the distance are well supplied with fir trees. Within 13 hours after a heavy rain the water has soaked into the ground. The drillground comprises about 1000 acres, on which we can exe cute almost any kind of maneuver. "Our work programme is posted on a bulletin board a week in advanfe. and It is followed to the letter- weather permitting-. When the weather is bad we are given special lectures dealing with conditions and experiences of men on the firing lines. Our hours of work are the same every day, except Satur day and Sunday. ' -"Following is our programme: "At 6:4 5 A. M.. first call, at which we : Walter Tanaenaee, Llacola High School Graduate, Now la France - With the Quartermaster's Corps. roll out of bed: 6. roll call, at which we are dressed and in military formation; to 6:30, attend to toilet duties: 6:30, brtakfast: 7:10, Inspection of barracks by officers of our company; 7:30 to 8, physical exercise: 8 to 8:50, field artil lery drill; 9 to 9:50, lecture; 10 to 10:50, drill; 11 to 11:45, drill; 12, dinner; 1 to 0. lecture; 2 to 2:50, drill; 3 to 3:30, semaphore signaling; 3:30 to 4:30, prac tice march, hike; 4:30 to 5, read mail. daily papers, etc.; 5, supper; 5:30 to 7, we have this time for recreation and can go to the Army post exchanges or canteens to buy stamps, candy, tobacco, etc, or visit with friends; 7 to 9, study and examination period. Our officers are a keen bunch of men. Although they drive us at times, we can't help but like them because they are able, efficient and competent." Vancouver Soldiers Edit Paper in France. ' "What Do Yon Call If Has Name, but Is Live Wire. No rANCOUVER, Wash., Jan. 23. (Spe cial) "No one Iqves a Crabber. Smile, dammit, smile! You're lucky to be alive," is one of the pithy items In paper, published behind the trenches In France, by the aviators from this section of the United States. The editor has not found a name for his paper yet, and it is - now called. What Do You Call It?" and a prize is being offered for a name. Captain George F. Kearney Is bust nexs manager; Lieutenant H. G. Canda advertising manager; Harrison R. Tucker, Cadet, editor; John Jacob Niles. Cadet, associate editor; Austin J. Miller, Cadet, press manager; ar editor, J. William Shook; assistant pressman. Shepherd K. Nash, Cadet Rumor The Quartermaster Depart ment Issues air pockets to the cadets. Will they fly now? A toast in the A. R. C: ' Coffee, coacoa, smiles snd tea. Come from fair Miss Groth to we; May she always stay right here. 'Cause she cheers us when she's near. Late rumor U. S. Declares war on Austria. We can fight "Hungry" too How many soldiers partaking of the A. R. C. "Treat" Sunday knew they were celebrating the -Jewish festival Hanukah, marking the victory of Judas Maccabeus over the Syrians? Mrs, Morris Jacoby, of New York City, gave the funds for the feed through Miss Sophia Berger of this post. Life in a Hangar. 'The hangar leaks," the sergeant said; 'Tha rain drips down upon my head; Each night when bedtime comes to me, I look right up tbe stars to see. Cadets at night have no regpect For bow their bullets may reflect. Ah! How the chills -run down- my back. When those steel jackets go smack! smack I crawl down deep beneath the straw And hope the fight la called a draw; There Is no man with guts enough To call the sentry's cast-steel bluff. They may ba only damned cadets. But sure do spread bo coup bullets. T. M. C. A. plans. Jerry Reynolds, reader and song leader, from Paris, will stage a singing contest Friday night In tbe auditorium .at 7:30; movies will be shown Thursday and Saturday- Monday night of each week is to be Soldiers' Night" with local talent on the bill. A minstrel show for Christ mas night Is being rehearsed. Jubilant, . joyful Jazi jingles blend with, rich melody at musical. It was an event bringing gladness to all who were there, making them forget for the time, the "hort-os" of war. When Captain Ransome out-laudered Lauder, the boys applauded so heartily- they almost fell from their perches around the walls and windows. .The 500 seats were filled and 600 more needed. The outside room was ful of those who couldinot see but heard through 'the windows. Seductive strains on his cigar box ukelele. bringing a riot of applause, while the tinkling tunes of the Jazz orchestra resulted in four en cores. "The Old Family Toothbrush," rendered by the "Bo Cou Quartette," was the climax of the show. Jone Midgely and Irwin performed in their usual inimitable manner. SPEED IN SPITE OF MUD SHOWN IN KILNER FIELD GAMES SUNDAY (By Cadet H. L. Pinkley) Did you see tbem the 66 grimy, gory, grid giants battling through mud and rain on Kllner Field feunday? Seven hundred spectators cheered, the teams with all the pep of college stu dents back home. Bets were made; hats busted, and dignity lost. Every player was a star many were jnoons. Caojets Long and Woolsey, being small con stellations, handling the slippery oval with the skill of Ail-American heroes. As it stands the three teams repre senting tbe Cadets squadrons 52 and 54 have a look-in on the cup, each hav ing collected a game. ' The 52d won the toss of a coin which decided a nothing-all game with the 53d. which is still in the cup race. (The, coin re ferred to was a franc.) An all-post team is to be picked at the end of the season and men wbo make this team will be real "Grid Lizards." ' Wolbert, who injured his landing gear on a forced landing, was the only man hurt, due perhaps to the camou flaging of the players, who wore as borted. Q. il issueo.. j . . . French People Are Glad to ' See American Soldiers. Corporal K. P. Glaselr Writes of Ilia Obaervatlona "Over There," Ilonnea Are Odd, but tilrla Are Ciaod-Leoklna;. CORPORAL EUGENE P. GLAZEIR, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Glazeir, of 667 East Clinton street, was one of the first to enlist when the call for volun teers wis sounded. He Is a graduate of the Y. M-. C. A. automobile school and Is "somewhere in France" with the 76th Aero Construction Squadron. In a letter which was written to his family recently he says: "Everything is so much different looking here than at home. The houses are odd and the streets are unusually narrow. The people all seem to be Kiiu iu see us. xne grins are gooa looking, especially with khaki suits on. The people dress about the same as they do in the United States. The streetcars are about half as large as ours. The automobiles are different in design and so are the steam trucks. We did not have any trouble in getting our money changed. The pennies here are as large as half dollars, so it does not take much to make a pocket full of money. "There Is snow on the ground and some more fell today. We are living the same here as we did at Kelly Field, but it is cooler sleeping. There is plenty of good water and the fellows can get good beer and wine if they want to buy It. Things here are priced about the same as they-are in the states. 'We have some time in talking to the Welsh, Scotch, Irish, English and French and South Africans and making them understand us. Almost all of the shopkeepers speak English." Ambulance Driver Relates Experience in France. , Dropping- of Shelln and Artillery Duels Provide Excitement. ALBERT GENTSES ('17), who was one of the first Reed College men to enlist, is now serving in Section 60-10 United States Ambulance Service, with the French army, Amexforce, France. In a letter received at the col lege this week he 'writes as follows: I suppose this will reach you after Christmas vacation's l lurid of gayety and dances. The holidays pass here almost without recognition, for we have no legal holidays in the Army calendar, nor. any Sundays. Thanks giving, though, is a day that will be remembered, for we had a wonderful feed. Sometimes we are apt to forget that we ever did anything but act as ambulanciers or that we ever lived in any other -world but this one. Back home is something like another world. "My world at present is a little dug out about three-fourths of a mile from the front trenches and trips to the hospital in the rear with blessees and malads. Several of us live at the Dostes de secours for days at a time ahd are subject. to calls. We have our buuks and a living-room. We like it fine here because it's warm. When there are blessees we go up a quarter mile farther to a dugout where the trenches begin. "Life here never gets dull or monoto nous, for as soon as things seem quiet a shell drops or an artillery duel be gins. And we never get tired trying to figure out Just where a ehell is1 going to land when it starts drifting past, or wondering- whether it will drop when it whistles above. It is quite a strange sensation to hear- a shell whistling directly overhead. "An artillery duel occurs when all the guns on both sides begin banging away at each other. Since we have batteries on all sides of us, things get very teresting. Then, too, it means work for us, usually at night. Night driving on pitch dark nights without lights is Jus a bit of a strain. Of course all lights are put out a certain distance from th lines. All windows in headquarters back of the lines have to be covered at night on account of the airplanes. During- the full of the moon night driving is not so bad, even though the sky is overcast, for one can see some thing. "While I was returning- to the dug out this afternoon. . shell dropped be side the road near the car. It wounded four Frenchmen but didn t botber us. We move around frequently over here, in fact, we are due for a move now. About Christmas time we believe we shall be in a bad .sector, but fortunate ly delays in bad sectors are usually short." Oregon City Boy Tells of Christmas in France. Albert M. Scripture. Now With the Thirty-first Aero Squadron. Ia Anxious to Be "Up and at Them.' 0 REGON CITY. Or.. Jan. 24. S. Scripture, of Oregon City, is in re ceipt of two letters from his son. A, M. Scripture, who is with , the 31sf Aero FORMER OREGONIAJf CARRIER IS HIKING GOOD I L". S. NAVAL SERVICE. Charles A. Paulsen. From carrier for The Orego nian in the Montavilla district to pharmacist's mate in - the United States Navy forms part of the experiences up to date of Charles A, Paulsen, now at the Bremerton Navy-yard. Mr. Paul sen is in the city to pass an ex amination before the State Board of Pharmacy for a diploma as pharmacist. Last Spring he was a student at the North Pacific College of Pharmacy, when the war fever seized him, and in April he enlisted in the United States Navy and was sent for training to Mare Island, Cat. Last July be was sent to the base hos pital at Bremerton Navy-yard. r:.-: :i, mS i i: ? Squadron force, "Somewhere In Francp" that are of much interest. One of the letters was written December 14, and the other Christmas day, and were re ceived by the father this week. "Somewhere in France, Dec. 14. "Dear Father I have Just received a letter from Otis, and was sure glad to get it. It found me O. K. and feeling fine, and sorry that I did not receive your letter from San Antonio, Tex. "I have just received a sweater and a pair of mittens donated from the Red Cross. They were very much ap preciated. We also received lots of free contributions of tobacco, which we all like. "This Is some place for mud, espe cially when it freezes of -a. night. It begins to thaw out about noon, then you have about 56xpounds extra added to your ieet. it sure is a sucaer. "We are getting all kinds of good 'grub' here. The United States feeds Corporal Eaftene R. Glaselr, In Active Service With the British Expeditionary Forces "Some where In France." its soldiers four times better than the French and the English. . "Our camp is about' four miles from any town to speak of. We are cer tainly stuck off in the country, but then I like it, I don't know how long we will be here. I'm ready to move 'any old time' Italian front, Egypt or any old place, so as to keep moving, but as the "Tommies' used to say 'bloody well.' and you never know your luck. "There is a nice Y. M. C. A, here moving pictures and excellent enter tainments quite often. "Gee, I would like to come In on some of the 400 Jars of fruit that Sadie has put up. "Your loving- son, "ALBERT M. SCRIPTURE." "Still in France, Christmas Day. "Dear Father Just a line to tell you of a fine Christmas dinner we had to day. It was just a repetition of the one we had on Thanksgiving day lots and lots of turkey, pies, cakes, nuts, candies and fruit. Everything was just simply fine. Also received a lot of tobacco and other appreciated articles from the Red Cross. "We are having a regular Valley Forge stuff here uow. Everything has been covered with snow for ten days, and the thermometer hovering below zero. It makes me think of what Mrs. Gonnan, in the Black Hills, used to say. 'And this is a h of a Christ mas. "I am feeling fine and still retain Ing- my big appetite. "Suppose you all had a merry Christ mas with plenty of good eats. Well, don't worry about the Yanks not be incr fed over here. I think thev Bee where it will be up to us to do all the fighting, so they are handing it out, even if the whole of Europe starves. "The French say that the lanka are the life of the trenches. They all like to scrap beside a United' States uni form, especially the French and the Scotch. The Scotch are the ones that never take a prisoner, and are admired as the greatest fighters over here. Thev say 'going towards German fire is Just like going toward music tor the Sandies.' They re over me top ana on Fritz before he knows they're even started. Wishing- you all a happy New lear, I ara as ever, your son. ALBERT M. Sl.KlrTUKlS. Soldier 'Sleeps in Barn and Eats on Snowbank. Homer Leffel Says Wild" Rumors Are Numerous In France. EUGENE, Or.. Jan. 26. (Special.) The nearer the American soldier gets to the firing line, the less he knows about what is going on in the great world war, according to a letter from Homer V. Leffel, a graduate of the University of Oregon who is serv ne with General Pershing's expedl tionarv forces in France. Leffel, in letter to -Wilbur Carl, a freshman at the university, says this has been true since he arrived on the other side of the Atlantic. This is a great life," he writes. "We sleep in a barn, eat on a snowbank and work all the time. We have been here about five weeks and the more I see of 'Sunny' France the more I think ot the old United States. "We had a fine trip across. It took 14 days and there was good weather all the way. No submarines were trhted. but we were heavily convoyed. Even at that, it wasn't exactly a pleas ure trip. "Rumors are numerous here. One rumor is that we are, going to move to Italy. Another is that Japan has de clared war on the United States, and that we may be sent home. It Is also said that we may go down the line to erdun. We call these 'Latrinagrams.' We get very little news. The nearer one gets to the front, the less news ne hears. One thing we are sure or. we are gjing to move." Leffel was a member of the 1915 graduating class of the University of Oregon and is a member of Phi Delta Theta,. fraternity. . . - - ? - nw Viw IK A i .a -u i . . . tK$ -li? lift !- If 3 J iw s V A m k . I Sht It ,r ' " J,, 4 ' - - 1 t' "a tv ' li 4 . r 4 It I Sold iers in France Enjoy the Letters From Home. August Olin Says Cigarettes and Sweets Are Difficult to Obtain la War Zone BIk Dinner Feature of Christmas Celebration. A-LITI Jects LITTLE free discussion on the sub-i that are uppermost la the sol dier's mind is found In a letter frost -August Olin, who is now on the French front. Olin was employed by tha Schwab Printing Company and lived at iiiusdale. The return address .on his letter, which follows, shows him to be with Company D, First Engineers: "I don't find much time to write any one, so I will have to write to every body at once. A fellow can't write much here that will get by the censor, anyway; about all they will allow us to write is "Hello I'm well Good-' bye." "Since coming here I have been on the jump about all the time and finally landed with a bunch of regulars. Darn good company, too, and have quite a reputation that they made in the trenches. "It is pretty cold here. It has snowed all day and although I have been out, I didn't mind it much, for 1 am getting so hard that I can stand most anything. We don't have such a bad time of ic here. They treat us white and the meals are good. Wood is very scarce, but lately they have given us coal, so we can keep a fire burning in the even ing. "France don't make much of a hlfl with me. The country has gone! through some hard times. About all that is left is the old people and kids. They use the German prisoners to do most of the work, and they sure have enough of them. We have a man's job ahead of us here and the way it looks to me we will be here for quite a while. But if the people back in the states will wake up and give us a little help we ought to come out on top. The experiences I am going through will be worth all the hardships I have en countered. 'Our training here will be hard but interesting. We have gas lectures, have to lay out trenches, build dug outs, put up wire entanglements and many other things. vve can buy most everything we want here at about the same price as in the states. Good cigarettes are al most impossible to get. We can got some, but none of the good old brands. "Yesterday was Christmas and it was rather quiet one for us here in France. They gave us a big dinner and we did not have to drill. That was about all the difference from any other day. We have not received any mail from the states, so we are getting pretty anxious for it to reach us. Here's hop ing." French People Sad, Writes Sid Prairie. Eugene Boy Says Contrast With Americans Great. UGENE, Or., Jan. 26. (Special.) The countenance of France is sad and the faces of the people over there! offer a striking contrast to the happy faces of the Americans that the soldier leaves behind, according to a letter re ceived here from Sid Prairie, formerly an employe of the WestCru Union Tele graph Company in Eugene. His letter, which Is addressed to J. A. McKevitt. announces his safe arrival "somewhere in France." which he designates in tha -letter as "here." 'There is a great difference In the expressions of the people's faces here,' he writes. "Everybody looks sad, and half of the women are wearing crepe. I guess the people of the United States don't know therels a war going on." Prairie first landed in Liverpool. "You are only allowed two ounces ot bread a meal in England," he writes. "We were about starved out there." Soldiers Cheerful Despite Disappointments. Private Frank Story Makes Light of Hia Troubles in France. PRIVATE FRANK STORY. 30th Com pany, Fifth Regiment, U. S. M. C, is among the many who have failed to receive packages sent from this coun try to France. As an indication, how ever, of the cheerful spirit with which the boys accept their disappointment, he adds: "Everything is running smoothly." His recent letter to his mother. Mrs. M. Story, 1815 East Davis ftreet. makes light of his troubles: "Your letters of November 4 and 8 came Saturday, December 29. the only ones received for a month. I have not received the package as yet, nor have I received any tobacco from home. I spent a very enjoyable Christ mas and Thanksgiving; had turkey both days. I received a package, from. Aunt Rose, containing a sweater, hel met and three packs of cigarettes. I wish you would send my chamois vest, an it will come in very handy. I have been in the hospital since Friday. Ex pect to get out in a few days. "Dustin, from Coos Bay. was near me; in fact, was in the same camp. Now there is a big distance between us. Everything Is running smootniy. REPRESENTATIVE OF WELL KNOWN FAMILY IS IS COAST ARTILLERY. Neil Todd. I Neil Todd, son of Mrs. A. M. I Todd, is now in the Coast Artll- t lery service at Fort Columbia. J The young man enlisted before . "his 18th birthday. He is a half- brother of . Chester E. Boone, 4 whose great-grandfather was the f famous Daniel Boone. Mr. Boone j is now in France. Mrs. Todd, f mother of both boys, is a patriot ic worker In the Red Cross and In ind in a other war service en are interested other war service in which worn- : : If I WiMiWWM :