Show LETTER TO PARENTS OF SOLDIER BOYS As a father ot of one of ct the soldier boys now la in the training camp I 1 am taking the liberty to make a few suggestions gest ions ious to the rest ot of the parents I 1 beleve it Is our duty to communicate with the boys often and make them feel eel that they are always in our oar thoughts and have our best wishes for for ati their ei r welfare there Is a nothing more encouraging to an absent one than a good cheerful letter from home but if that letter is followed up with something of a more substantial nature then the boys will have ample demonstration of our interest and thought of them one thing that the boys boya always welcome with open arms is a box of mothers good cooking something besides potatoes beans meat and the like which they get three times a day A b bos of pastry tor for instance and let me say that it should be a reasonably good sized box for there is more than one soldier in a tent and no boy would feel comfortable sitting off in ili a corner batin eating g good things from home wh while le his pals looked on A box ot of apples aou would id go very well also and would furnish the boys with desert for a number of days we have plenty of apples and it will cost only a few cents to express a box or two to the training camp I 1 am making these pointed suggestions for the rea reason 9 0 rl that I 1 have learned that the mess fund secured tor for the purpose of providing little extra delicacies for tj the i e boys has long since become exhausted and now the he boys are forced to get along with the regular army rations and what they care to purchase for or themselves I 1 believe the boys get good food tor for undo uncle sam provides in a generous manner tor for his soldiers but it often happens in an army camp that the cook drops his shoe in the soup kettle as attested by the peculiar odors which from the kitchen accidents happen in the kitchen here at home with only a small portion of food in the kettle and we can either eat it or throw it away in the army camp nothing is thrown away but everything must be eaten whether it is well cooked or not the writer has had a long experience in the commis ary department of an army camp and can bear witness that many times the finest articles of fresh food are prepared in such a way that it Is all but completely ruined and very very un abatable p ala table There therefore fare let us think of atour our b dy and deny ourselves some of the many good things which we tuck away in our own stomachs every day and send them to the soldiers in the training camp As long as the soldiers are in america it ought to be our pleasure to do all we can tor for them they have gone forth to offer their lives if needs be in our defense and in the defense of liberty and world wide peace all that we can do to make their lot happy and pleasant while they are away will not begin to measure up to the service which they are rendering to us and humanity kans hans 0 aard |