LETTERS OP INTEREST FROM OUR SOLDIERS Imm Dr. Ales. W. Jaaea te Mr. J. M. mm W Ararat, n. c. .Sna«»h<r« in Franca,, Ovar noanlMn on the mI|« of Franca in a raat ramp, enjoying Ufa to the limit I am wandering this beau tiful morning bow all the dear ones are at the goad old home se far away. Wall t simpact bafora I format it all 1 had hatter tall yob something of my trip. S<> rang aa I atayed at Camp Jacluton I hod nothing to say, noting to tall only that I waa wall. But ainre laaving there 1 have aaan many thinga of intareat to ma. First wa landed in England. I found it far ahead of our country In capacity for ahipping freight etc. Many curious things were noticed—no aatoa, train cara about 10 ft. lang. horaea worked one ahead of another driver always leada never rides on the wagon, rrnase of the draying done by lcrga ofcm trucks and burn wood or eoal gasoline 3 to S dollars par gallon, roads every, perfect, and papa I wuh you could see the farming, there are not ax many weeks growing in all tha intry I saw aa there ia on a small farm in America. And we haven t one foot aa well and completely devel oped aa the* average farm. Wheat, potatoes, cabbage vetch and bay of alt kinda grew rank. Not a frame house to bt aaan, all stone, concrete and brick. Net a bit of vacant land, I don't guess there ia aa much woad land on the railroad from Liverpool to the middle of England aa you have, and of the cleared space I don't think I saw enough vacant land to lav a fence worm around on* acre. Just think of it, every foot of it in use. We croeaed several riven, some of them had beea too wide to suit the people, they simply built walla of atone, confined the water and used the apace where it was. I have teen aa many thinga 1 cant tall K all. "The ocean ia nature, Eagiand ia a demonstration of ronpleted develop ment as far aa man can do. Every farm and Held aurroanded by huge atone fencea. Oh, it ia a wonderful world. 1 just think God'a in every ept Kaiser Bill, and well ■ <d the ring. of transportation, etc., for inatance the hotel where I am stationed what we would term the lobby or front hap pens to be according to custom here a dairy, tha back of hotel, livery sta ble. But I am fond of goats milk and am rwring fat. The wagon* differ from oura, wheels about 6 feet high, hugs 2 feet in diameter, they have Bo hern ess, simply a big riny on hame, run shaft through stick in pin in end, but they gat there with the load. As for this war it teams that the people of America know nothing •imply nothing of the aacrifice of this struggle. Hare they have sacrificed their homes, thousands r.ad thousands ef them, sacrificed every thing to aid •t the front. Every body works, women and alt. Women do every kind and all kinds of work. The pret tiest girl I have seen yet was driving an ambulance truck to an army hos pital. The people have welcomed us all through England and thus far in France. There are many things yet untold the fact of H is I can sec much beau ty ia this world. So much to be nroud of. Even now here comes a beautiful child whose papa is at the front. She comes to kiss me spying in French good night good Ameriki officer. It all goes to make me ex ceedingly thankful I'm where I am. You see now why I cay I am aa content aa can be. It is not that I have forgotten you. Of courae I have seen many thingsl never would have seen at home, but that's not all, it U doing the duty which my country has assigned me that so enthusiasti cally prompts me to press on. Why trouble about where I spend my day. Furthermore I feel the stronjj arm of protection of an Almighty God same here as in America. Letter from Egbert H. Jone* to hi* Hitrr, who lives near Mount Airy. 1 Somewhere in France. Oct. 28, 1918. Dear Sister: Received your letter yesterday. I afn well. I am not in thrf.trenches at present. Don't know w%i wc will go to tits front again. We are camp ing in a French village at present, having • very goad tine. I went to a nbow today, saw four American girls. Believe me they certainly did look rood to ma. You said guess I would hAve something to tell you all when 1 return. You are right 1 will, for I have I earned quite a bU about war. We can hear the big guns this morn ing guess the boys are moving on. One thing is sure, there wiH be peace before much longer as wc have the Hun on the run and are g.lining nil the time, and I think before very long well have this job finished and be coning hone. We had a pretty hot time while up at the front. But we let the Germans know what we came over here t*r and when we fll rm to put up their hands they lose no time in getting them up. It is great fun to go in a German dugout aa wa advance and see wher«> he hns lived for three or four years. But the t*me has come when ne is getting out to let us In. Tail p«pa that a> the men in my butich have been rocommonded fdr a bravery itAr for Ikdr earvtan at lb* front, n I will nt om, ilv tad Mm I am faint to bring him a <H»venir I took off a Tic r man nflnr wa raptarerl. I have raeanad several cnpias of jTka Win Airy News, you all aant ; me. and I «ure wa* glad to fat them. 11 also fat mail from several at the hoy* ami girls in Virginia. Letter from Cheater Mr#ee to Ma father. Nr. The*. MeGee, of P) ana lie Somewhere in France. Sept. 27. Daar Papa: I writa you a few linaa to I at you | hear from. ma. I am wall and enjoy- i ing life fine. I am hare where all the big gunr are firing, hut they haw not got me yet but don't know when they will. I am not bragging for we are in the front linen. Don't j forget me in your prayer* and I know you will not. ^ tetter from R. B. Midkiff to hiV Mr*, J. W. Midkiff. ML Ary. Somewhere in Franco Oct. 29, 1918. i My Dear Mother: I received your letter a f«"» day* ago was ao glad U> get a letter from you thin leavaa me well. t haven't been Mck for a day I am thankful to my. I believe you aftken me to send you nomething from France I will in a few daya. I will ■and you a nice souvenir of noma kind, you eaa we are not m the linen now, we come out for a rent. I goes* we will be out here for Xmu. Well mother doa't you worry over me I will gat along Tine over nere I think and just think how happy we all will be whan thia war is over. Just think. Many thousands of mothers have sons over here fighting for their rights, if you could only be over hare and *ee what ! have you would be glad I am over here, and you would feel like going in the line* and fight ing youraalf. So don't worry over me. 1 am doing the bast think I could aver do. I know wall. IfMtr ffm ftrft flr^hae LnHt to hi* sister, Mrs. W. F. UaWrt of Brim. *. C. Sotoiswhere in France. Oct. H, 1918. Dear Sister: I am quite well and oat on a very much needed rest as I ha vent bad any rest since Sept. 24th and have been over the top Ave time* in this period. I have been over »ix time* in all. And have hid many • cloce call, as 1 haven't had the chance to write you or my friends any thing of interest. I will writ* just a few of my encoun ters and you can hand it to The. News if they would care to print it. Well in my first visit to the front I bad beard that all the Germans had fine watches so I decided I would get one, so the order came to go over the top, I went over loaded for bears with 200 rounds of rifts ammunition and a bag fall of grenades. Well the fun began and 1 began picking off the boihes, as I happened to be a good marksman every one I saw I counted him mine. I got two for sure and 1 don't know how many more, but the fight was soon over and 1 began look ing for my watches, but they were not so plentiful as 1 had expec'.ed, so the time soon came for anoUMr drive. I cant mention any places or dates for military reasons, well the hour | rtme for the biggest drive yet and {artillery began, the whole world •c.'med to be on lire and over we went. | We were soon among the boches, in my Platoon there wan one Lieut, and 1 two Sergeantr. besides myself, three in'all, five corporals and 41 men, so | we had gone but a little ways before two Sergeants were knocked off. one ; of them being my best friend, Ser- : treant Jesse Jones of Mount Airy. Well the Lieutenant and 1 were toge- { ther and a shell fell juut to our left snd wounded him, so that left me in | charge and I stopped long enough to get the maps and valuable papers off of the Lieut, and moved forward, the smoke was so thick it was dark as night but I led the way by the *id ] of a compass and map'from one] trench to another. We went at one , place. I had gotten iust a bit in front and came to a big dug out and called Tome out," and the Huns began com-! ing out in a drove. Well I didn't have | any men to spare to send back with { them, so I disarmed them and mo tioned them to the rear and they wen glad to go. So we moved onward, I | reached my objective with five of my men, two of them being wounded. ' But our support soon same up and we 1 moved ahead. Well I went to the place where the Germans cremate their dead.- They had a big boiler full of dead, ready I cut up, and a great pile of dead lay-! ing there ready. Don't let this get on your nerves, but it is true, for I I saw it, and hundreds of others were I present. Well I vrill turn to a bright i page. The day soon came for the next drive and as usual we went forward , taking every thing as we came to it. In the evening we came near a large town that was just to our right and an order came down from the Captain for my LieoL to send out a patrol to this town to see if it was occupied by Ithe German*. So it was Sergt. l^ewis to take eight men and go over In that town which was larger than Mount Airy. Holy onoke, 1 thought wail Lewie is MM now, bat tfcfte waa Bathing to 4a bat go. so I ealM carafe :r*d prist- there were fcunrfrrda nfTranrh W>.OMn jrut > htUlon. ami they ran to mm* as crying for jay Mid oar trip that 1 had 'bought se Marm tarn «i oat ta ha • fidt. Far they had bat coffee and win* and they just dragged ua in almost, bat wa wara not so hard to fat in aa wa hadn't had any thin* to Wt or dnnk liar* tha day before. So/1 posted a iruard aad mm would «o< while other, kept watch. So wa soon returned to oar company laaving the huppioet crowd that I ever -aw. 1 think they fatt hast like I will whan I gat back to aid Moaat Airy, N. C. Wall a* it ia ratting lata I guaaa I will the <nndla* oat of my bam and to bad. I haven't written what I would Uka to writo lis to go to bad. I haven't written 7" nut I will write mora soaa. I hare soma nica souvenir* and I captured a Roche with a ftne automatic pinto I and my Lieut, calla me Villa, because I wear the gun in the wild went style. All the boyi are we:! and in the beat of spirits, so giva my lova to mothar end the kids. I would be glad to hear from all the people back there. With best wishes to aU. v ^ J Letter fraw Early F. Gentry to kin Mother who Uvea near Dofcaoa. .Somewhere in Franca, i Oct 27, 1918. Dear Mother: I will answer your letter I received today. I aia well and all right. To ils y is Sunday and I'm not dome «n) thing aiul I liMvanl done anything much for the last week or mare, only eat and sleep. I am netting along well. I am in good heart of coming hack one of the He days. Liaten, I must tell you about helping a little French girl chum the other morning. Believe me ahe ia a blossom to. You said you would aend me Gar! address I had a letter from him some time ago he is wefl. Letter frem Grady Stone to bis Mather, Mrs. M. E. Stoae. of Rouad Peak, ft. C. Somewhere in France. I Oct. S. 191#. Dear Mama and all: I will endeavor to let you hear from me again T'm getting along just ! splendid. I'm getting plenty of some-1 thine good to sat and base plenty of warm clothing for winter, so you can M tw n«i» ^m i. »->■»— —* ear* of the bojrs. nn having an all around good time so don't worry about me. Letter from A. W. Tilley to friend, who Itn at Park Sorry Coaaty. Somewhere in France Nov., «, 1918. Dear Friend: I received your letters and was in- i teed glad to hear from you. Since I heard from yea last we have had some experience in war. We had one. of the greatest battles that has ever i takert place in Europe. We broke the Hindenburg line where it was thought j by the Germans it could not be brok en, but it could not stand before us 1 boys as we went through it like and captured several thousand pris oners. I am glad to say I was in it. L went throught without even a scratch. But there were a rood many of the boys wounded and some of | them killed. You can leave it to the I North Carolina boys to do their bit. I don't think it is going to be very lone until this war is all over and we I will go sailing across the sea home I again. You must excuse me for such | a short letter as we are preparing to j go to another place. Letter from J. G. Burgess to his ' father. Mr. W. D. Burgess, of Mount Airy. A. E. F. France, Oct. 27. \ Dear Papa: Will now write a few words and re- j late some of the most interesting ex- j perience that the buys from Mount Airy have had in heiping to drive the Huns from the wonderful Hinden- , burg line on September 29 last, which ' was very exciting. It was very cloudy on the morn ing of Sept. 29 when the boys started out after the Huns and they all wore a smile on their fares at the thought j of having a real chance at the Huns. I When they were seen coming with I that expression on their faces that is only worn by the American soldiers I and which the Huns are already very well acquainted with it made the blood in the veins of those Germans run cold at the thoughts of having to try nnd defend their strongest de fense against the attack of the Amer ican Soldiers. The American Soldiers being so eager to make History for themselves they went on to their ob jective and when the Australians took] up the chase where the Aifcericans! stopped there were a large number : of tnem that did not even stop but continued, to take ground from the enemy and when the Anal halt was called and a check was made there were some three hundred Americans that were lost, their officers knew they wore not captured or killed but just loot. A search was begun and one Officer met a crowd bringing in an A not nan who wes wounded and upon aaking him the question. Have you soon any Americans ha replied that he had and that they would nave to wait until the Austrians came as th* last time he saw the Yanks they ware going after tie enemy like the devil Thers was one Sergennt from Mount Airy "ho started oat with over (Continued on page 4) PRESIDENT WnjON U COM That He Ha* mo Dm. J.—To lMu4 fiMii formally kia purpna* to at Dvmocrata « the W— th* snn«unc*-«t with rWr. to, which .enaUr. Join*d; *• ■*" publicana war* sll**t almoat through oat th* addroae, **c*pt *♦»•" »• President referred to th* valor and efficiency of America'• soldiers %nA mentioned th* ««" of Perahing and Sim* Threatened interruption. by member? who disproved of tha trip •nd of th. President'. failur* to In rhuto » »«nmtor among th® do legates. how*v*r. did not maUriall** During th* &r*t hour of th* new ••ssion. Senator Cummin., of Iowa. Republican, introduced a raaulutwn to *end a committe* of right aanatora to Pari* to k**p th* s*nat* advisad of th* progress of th* ptw conference, and in th* hoeae Representative Bo denbiirg of Illinois. lUpublican. had offered a reeolotion proposing that th. Vice President Uke over th* *«• cutiv* function* upon thad epartur* it Mr. Wilson from tha country- S**1" ator Sherman, of Illinois, Republican, announced later that h* would «h mit tomorrow a reaolution similar to that of Repreaentetive Rodenbur* that it would declare th* office of President vaca*it. Th* President's annual addreaa wa« read before a crowd that filled the hour* chamber. He reviewed at leng th the country'! acrompli«h»«*U in the war, paying tribute to tha armed force* and to loyal worker* at home. He disclosed that he think* the prob lem of readjustment i» taking ear* of iualf without government On the railroad iu*stie«i. Mt. Wil lon said he had no solution to off*r. He .aid Mwas rwrfy U return the satisfactory arrant*--* •a^ ed to prevent a return to the old wj* tem under privat* management with out modification, and a»k*d Congresa to (tody the question. Recommendation» included a re newed appeal for women suffrage m recognition of women's work in the war a request for early and favorable action on the unratified Columbiaa treaty, and • suggeation t**t ity should b* given th* war trad* hoard or some other body to continue control for a time over eaports. The President concluded with the announcement of hi. forthcoming trip overseas. He Mid rtnc* the allied government, had accepted principles enunciated by him a. the bari. for pe*-e, he regarded It as hU para mount duty to go. Many Warikip* to Eaeort The President to Breat. London Nov. #0.—President Wilson on reaching European waters, in all liklihood will be escorted to Biest by only American warships b it by a formidable array of them, in view of the |ack of official notification regard ing Mr. Wilson's trip it i. understood that neither the French nor the Brit ish government* have been requested to aid in the naval reception The British authorities, however, unoff. cially are discussing f>lans to welcome the American President should he come here. Amcrivaii iiauir^iiipn tuuuiiBiiuci r, probsb'y all nine of them in the** wa ters, are understood to be holding themselves In readiness to proceej to a point 100 miles or so off Brest to meet the presidential liner, and the battleship accompanying it. It it probable that 24 American torpedo boat destroyers will Join in the recep tion. German Government is Starting investi gs tioa. London, Dec. 1.—The German gov ernment Is starting an investigation into the German crimes in Belgium, the deportation of Belgian workmen, the thieft of Belgian machinery and the murders of Edith Cavell and Cap tain Krymtt. Among tito*« held responsible, ac cording to an Amsterdam dispatch to the Exchange Telegraph company are General von Saofeerweig, the former military governor of Brussels; Gener al Baron Kurt van Manteuifel mill otnmander at Louvain, and Bar es van der lanckn, civil governor of Brussels at the Um of Mies Cavil's execution. CEJIMANY MUST PAT TO or MUt CAPACITY Lfori Cwn 9my TW Guilty Far < No*. 2»_-Dartf Uord Owt|», th« British prima mmiiUr, in ■p«»A at Wow fMb tnhy «atf tha Tirlnry of the cntanta *11U- had baa* <taa to tha raaaolaaa valor at t'.otr man and that tt would ho a lomton to anybody who la tfca fata » tkM< that' th»- aa th» Primaian wir- lmd» !>opo<l "rould overlook thi. llttla kalaad la thoir rarkoninff." I •it nuw R^priwninf uw peace > conference," the premier cnntinufd., 1 "The price of rlrtory is not nmiraiiri nor retribution. It la prevention, first of all what shout th<»people I whom we have received without quaa tion» for yaar» to our «hor»«; to whom w» give equal rirbts with our ' uwn Hons and daughters, and who ! abused that hospitality to betray the land, to plot afiinat security, to spy 'upon it and to gain such information ' a* enabled the Prussian war lorthi to inflict not punishment hat damage and injury upon the land that had re reived them as gnests* Never again!" , Mr. Lloyd George said the interests 1 of security and fair play demande<i that it should he made perfectly rlaar ' that the people who acted in this way me-ited punishment for the damage ttrey had Inflicted. The second quertion eras the ques tion of imiemnities, the premier add ed. In every court of justice through out the world the party which lost has had to hear the cost rf the 'itiga tion. When Germany defeated France she established the principle, and there was ao doubt that the principle | was the right one. Germany must1 pay the cost of the war op to the lim it of her capacity. "Bat I must use one word of warn ing,* said Mr. Lloyd Geonre. "We have to consider the question of Ger many's capacity. Whatever happens Germany is not to be allowed to pay the indemnity by damping cheap dyoa ua. ThatJa the oaljr not be all owed to pay for her wanton damare ami devastation by dumping cheap goods and wrecking our industries. "There is a third and last point. Is no one to be made responsible for the war? Somebody has been responsible for a war that has taken the lives of, millions of the best young men of Europe. Is not anyone to be made responsible for that ? If not, all I can say is that if that is the case, there is one justice for the poor wretched criar.nal and another for kings and i emperors." Mr. Lloyd George declared that there were two offenses against the hrw of nations that had been com mitted. "One" he said "is the crime against humanity in the deliberate plotting of the great war. "Hie other is the out rage upon international taw. It is a crime, a brutal crime, to devastate the lands of another. Whoever did that ought to be responsible for it. Ine >uD«»nn« wan*re nia noi mean only the sinking of ships but it was a crime against humanity in that it sank thousands of harmless mer-| chantmen. In th« whole history of wrfnre between nations that had i never been sanctioned. It is rank pi racy and the pirates must receive the 1 punishment. "I mean to see that the men who did not treat our prisoners with hu manity are to be made responsible. I, want this country to go to court with a clean conscience, and fh» will do to. There ii ,not a stain on her rec ord. Will not be afraid to appear before any tribunal. "Now, these are the things which we hav# to investigate. We mru that the investigation shall be an impartial one. a perfectly fair one. We alto J mean Aat it shall be a stern one.; and that it shall go on to the Anal reckoning. "We have got to to art now that j man in the future who feel tempted to follow the example of the rulers who plunged the wt,rtd into this war will { know what U awaiting them at the the end of K. We shall have to tee that this terrible war, which has in flicted so much destruction on the world; which has arrested the course of civiliaation and in many ways pot It back; Which has left marks on the minds, upon the physique and the hearts of myriads in many lands that this generation will not sea obliter ated—we must tee by the action we take now, just, faarleaa and relent lesa. that it is a rrtaae that shall nev er again be repeated In the history of the world." I tzjan TROOPS FOR CONVOY BACK MOM WarMaatMi. fUm. KCanarai *mr ■Mug haa doiylad far c— *oy of ti« United Statea a iota! of S*- • 4*1 Inn and 79.WU mot. HmtiI Ibnk MMiMol today. Tfca <■»!>■ pafctic. Iwludnl in ihoaa to raturn ara Ik* ftlowini aaura Mrutona, tfca Wtk, Dm 7flth. and Jt« 7*th i A rkanaaa. Lnuixna, M i-iMippi and Southam Alabama national army traapa. Ar kan«a«, Mia«i«»tppi and [yiviatana na ti mal guard trnopa.) The oth*r *-oopa rnaiyrta: artillery unit* and amy rorpa troop*. Revised Ci«u11 j Lieu. Oeneral March rave out amended a.ualty report! from Ge:ieral Persh ing giving the olllcial total to Novem ber 28 an 262,723. exclusive of pris oner*. The figure* on prisoner* were unintelligible in the cablegram. Gen eral March aaid the total number un der thi* head probably would be prac tically the name a* announced la.Tt Saturday. General Pershing reported the fol lowing official casualties to Novem ber 24: Killed • » *•*»«»» ""J) W Died of wound*, 12,101. Died of disease, 16,034. Died other cauaes, 1.980. Missing in action, 14,290. Prisoner* (unintelligible.) Wounded 18».ap6. divided a* fol low*: ' Severely wounded, 54.751, undeter mined. 43,108; (lightly* 92,036. Men Returning Fie an. The war department expect* to bring hack home in the mnnth of De cember 150.000 men. General March ■aid. To aceompliah that it trill use. In addition to army transport* and converted cargo beats, enangh eid battleships and cruisers to furnish transport *00,000 monthly when the demobilization is under full speed. Revised army estimate* for the coming year resulted in cutting the 19,000,000,000 of army appropriations to lass than three billions. General March announced. General Pershing ha* been directed by President Wilson to confer the dis tinguished service medal on General Bit** Lieutenant Generals Liggett and Bullard and Major General Dick man, Mr Andrews and Hrrbord. General March corseted an erron eous impression that tke 27 (New York) and M (Tennessee, North Car olina and South Carolina and Dis trict of Columbia troops) divisions, reported a* withdrawn from the Brit ish lines, had been designated for ear ly return to the United States. These two divisions, he explained have been returned to Pershing's ctrtnirifcnd and have not yet been assigned for trans portation home. WOULD SINGLE WILLIAM OUT TO BE PUNISHED. Argument be Cannot be Pun iit«d Alone It is Declared is Not to be Admitted. London, Saturday. Not. 30.—Dia russing plana for bringing to justice former Emperor William of Ger many, the Timet aaaerta that "if we had to kui(He one culprit for punish ment, he would be the person." The paper adds that the argument that he cannot be punished became there are others who also are guilty cannot be admitted. "By that argument" the Times con tinue*," a felon caught In the aat would escape punishment because there are others felons who have net ret been brought to judgement, and isither law or common Mil wmiW isten to such a plea. "Besides, it la not proposed to pna ah the kaiser alone. There are o*h >rs, too, who will be placed on trial. >ut he ia the chief becaune moat lighly criminal. "Tile one argument against doing irhat we can to bring thia arrh-crimi lal to justice is that at present he is > mer.n and contemptible figure, hid ing his head from the rain he brought mi his country and that If we proee rata him. we may somewhat impart Hgr.'.ty to htm "On the other hand • • • tow ■an reaym f«' international law im he fatur* ha bawd en the immunity 11 the principal offender against Ma irsriotsno la the pastT" M JP

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