The following letter was written by C. E. Richardson's youngest brother, to his mother. It is a good argument against rumors that the soldiers are not well fed and clothed:

Camp MacArthur

My Dear Mother:

I received your letter yesterday and was sure glad to get it but I can see by the tone of it that you are worrying.

Now I don't know what you may have heard concerning us here, but I do know it might be a whole lot worse. We have the best and plenty of food to eat, good clothes to wear and $33 per month, what more does a fellow want.

When I joined the army I didn't expect to find everything lovely, and you know Dad was a soldier once and a good one I guess, and I want to show him that I can be one too. Of course, the wind blows pretty hard sometimes and we have to wash the dust off, but we have plenty to eat (and I sure do eat some) and we don't have to worry about where its coming from. We have plenty of exercise, baths and the best of advise and influence that can be had to make a man good, clean and healthy, morally and physically. Of course it is not home, but a whole lot better than some homes, I believe.

We do not worry until we have something to worry about, what is the use? We may never see France, but if we do we will go with a spirit that never fails to win, they can't lick the good old United States. Now I don't want you to worry about me I'm all right and like it here, this is the only life for me. When I come home you will say so too; I never felt better than I do now. If a fellow will live the life of a soldier as he should he will come out of the army better than when he went into it and I mean to do it. Now cheer up. I am coming home some time and want to find you all well and happy. We will sure have some time, won't we? Well, good bye for this time, write soon.

From your son,

Willard Richardson
Co. D 128 Inf. U. S. N. G.
Waco, Tex.

Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!

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