Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1918 — LETTERS FROM BUR SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM BUR SOLDIERS

James Beckman Tells of Hun ’Devastation. Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Beckman received a letter Monday from their son James, who is with the Am. E. F., in France, the first letter they had received from him for more than a month. The letter follows: With the Colors, Sept. 24, 1918. Dear Folks. —This is just a few >Hneg because I don’t know how much I will be able to write for a while now, but I’ll send cards anyway. Also, I’m getting low on my green envelopes and I may have to have my letters censored here instead of at base. For some days I haven’t got my rpail from my old regiment and it may be a few days before I db, on the same account. I will be glad to hear from you out here in a land no one owns. For miles and miles not a single farm home is left standing, and it brings tears to my eyes to think of the millions made homeless. It looks like death Itself had stalked over the entire country. Germans and criminals are the same. One keeps meeting with new horrors which show the German to be a beast without any trace of humanity. No American could CofiCelve of doing what they seem to do as a matter of course. The devils won’t come this way again, and when we get "in., their land they will feel what they did here.

I like it here very much. The officers and men are fine and the work interesting. Intelligence and operation are the two sections that have to do with the conducting of the war, the battles, etc. I hope both of you and Dell are feeling fine. It is quite cool here and we’ve had few uncomfortable hot days. There’s no more I can write, unfortunately, but don’t worry about me. My love and best wishee to you. Your loving son.

JIM.