, av» MAY, 00!. 1, 1.1. '“Deaf'Motlxe r” A Letter‘ from a Nineteen-Year-Old SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE Dear Mother: Goshl I sure was glad to get the batch of ‘mail that's just come. It makes meafeel so darned glad that I'm over here thatl wouldn’t trade my place for anything. And let me tell you right here, mother dear. that you or anybody else at home doesn't know what real patriotism, real love of country, is. You haven’t any idea. Why, you can't imagine what a great, wonderful country the old United States is. You can't realize what she stands for and means to the human race until you get a good perspective. When I am standing retreat at night and hear "The Star-Spangled Banner” played, the first thing that comes to my mind is the Statue of Liberty; then our wonderful cities, New York, Chicago, San Francisco; then Washington and President Wilson and the Wonderful cause that all our millions of Americans are willing to give up everything for. Mother, we're lucky merely to have been born Americans. Talk about waves up your spine! It’s enough just to get over here in Europe and look back over miles of water at the biggest type of nation, based on liberty and justice, that can be conceived. Why, mother, that Statue of Liberty and the Amer- ican flag stand for EVERYTHING that is worth while in life. “Since I've got over here I feel more pity than anything else for the boys that are still at .home sporting silk shirts. I’d rather be hanged for murder than be in their shoes. I figure that I'm the luckiest fellow in the world to be able to stand up as a soldier here in France and be a part of the greatest country engaged in the most honorable thing a coun- try ever undertook. We have all waked up to what the words “United State's of Ameri— ca"~ mean. ‘ End of speech for tonight! Lots of love, DICK. Buy Liberty Bonds today ”' —to your limit! . Illinois Boy to His Mother Back Home Do you realize that this great awakening—this new understanding of Right—this dawning of genuine love of country, that has come to our soldiers over there—and to many of those left-behind, over here—has been made possible by you who have bought Liberty Bonds? ' By lending your money, you have carried our 'boys across the perilous ocean. You are clothing them—feed- irig them—giving them the weapons it is their duty to use against the ene- my of Truth. You have brought them into the soul-awakening experience of War for Principle. They must be kept there, equipped for this stupendous task, until the task is finished. And your support is the only thing th____at will d_o it. Show them—over there—that ygu have aWakened. too. This space contributed by The South Norwalk Evening Sentinel. . . fillv . , i #:3%
Norwalk Chronicler