Frank came back Tuesday and I certainly was glad to see him. Today he took me to lunch and tonight I shall take him. Then I guess I’ll drop in to Streiffs’. I didn’t tell you that I went to Mme. Bellamy’s the other night. Her husband is home and in civilian clothes, so she is willing to have our lessons at her house now.
8 o’clock.
We’ve had supper and been round to the shop where the pretty girl talks English. Frank bought a map showing where he’s been.
There was some talk here a couple of days ago about the recommencing of the war. It is astonishing how people gobble up these things. I have never heard of anything as impossible as that. The armistice conditions make it absolutely incomprehensible that Germany can continue a bare existence, much less make war. It’s just propaganda, I think, not the least of whose aims is to combat the desire of Americans to go home.
Tonight I heard of a place where you can buy cakes and fruit tarts and other sweet things. Thing of that, in warbound, sugarless France. And yesterday the organization whose name appears at the head of this sheet (K of C) issued free to everyone in the company: 3 cakes Hershey’s chocolate; 1 box U.S. gov’t candy, 6 sacks Bull Durham, 1 tin of Tuxedo, 1 cigar, 5 packages of cigarettes, 1 cake of tar soap. The poor soldiers. We get issues about every ten days, though not always such generous ones.
Sunday I expect to go to Rheims. About six others are to go with me.
The weather is bearable again. Not a very important remark, but it means that I now get up in the morning. Not counting this morning, when I rose at 11:30. The army chow wasn’t so good last night —–!
The President is going home in a couple of days to return in about six weeks I think. While he is away I rather expect things will move in the Conference, because old man Clemenceau will have free rein. He’s for laying a heavy punishment on the Germans and getting through while Wilson is still playing around with the idealistic League plan. In the beginning I was strong for the idea but now I’m not sure that it isn’t just a shade above the world.
Do you remember Jim Bennett? He was a heavyset blond chap with a funny upper lip. He and another fellow and a lieutenant have been covering the Presidential party since its arrival. All Jim did was to carry the tripod. But they’re going back with the party. I don’t suppose they’ll be discharged. The chances are they’ll come back here again. Even if they do get out, I’m glad for Jim. His father has just died and Jim has to support his mother.
Next post February 23.
Letters from Sidney Friend During The Great War 