[ NOTE: IF YOU ARE READING THIS SERIES FOR THR FIRST TIME, IT'S BEST TO START AT THE BEGINNING]

Clyde's diary contains the following entries on the "Memoranda" page immediately preceding his diary entry for Feb.1, 1918 -

"To all good fellows like you." Wilbur D. Nesbit   

[Wilbur Dick Nesbit, also known by the pen name Josh Wink, was an American poet and humorist. He is most known for his poem, Your Flag and My Flag, which was popular during World War I.]

As I roam here and there,

ere my journeyings end,

May I always find friends

just as true.

May Dame Fortune in

kindness my daily path bend

To a bunch of good fellows

like you.

In this life I have found

that we get what we give.

We are done to, forsooth, 

as we do,

So my prayer is that I

may live while I live

With a bunch of good

fellows like you.

Feb. 1, 1918, Frid., Cold. Cloudy. Base hosp.

Don't feel very ambitious today. Wrote some. Read a lot. Miss Dureland other young nurse. Miss Holmes - older day nurse. No mail today. Feel pretty punk. Remember "Whisperin' Smith!" [The original Whispering Smith was a 1906 western genre novel written by Frank H. Spearman]

Feb. 2, 1918, Sat., Cool & Cloudy, Rain, Base hosp.

Rec'd mail today from Art & Elizabeth Scott, Margaret, Dad, Claude & Wally Richarson. Ans'd them. Mopped out ward this a.m. Expect to go tomorrow. Buckson shared box of cake with me at noon - so had some feed!

Feb. 3, 1918, Sun. Cloudy. Some Rain. Base hosp.

Sgt. Viele went out today. Read, smoked & wrote to Anna today. Am not going out today. 15 went yesterday - 3 today. Quiet ward tonight. Dave Shulty brought my clothes over last night. Cleared up in p.m. Fair

Feb. 4, 1918, Mon., Cool wind. Fair. Out of hosp.

Called into service one year ago today. Discharged from Base Hosp. today. Feel pretty good. Awful lot of mud. About 20 letters waiting for me. Am in last tent in St. now. Co. all changed. Toombs gone to Atlanta, Ga. Crowley, Patchette, Getman & Hayden in tent with me. Very cold. Tent cold.

Feb. 5, 1918, Tues., Cold. Cloudy.

Up for reveille. Laid around all day. Feel pretty weak, lungs mighty sore. Wrote a few letters. Attended auto-rifle school.

Feb. 6, 1918, Wed., Fair. Cool wind.

Attended gas mask school for 2 hours this a.m. & non-com school. Not drilling yet. Went over and called on Al, Toddy, Ed Varley & folks this p.m. Toddy now Top Sgt. Rec'd 6 letters from CQM - EMW - Anna - WR - G. Spoor - Aunt Nell. Ans'd some. Bed 10:30. Tired out.

Letter to Aunt Nell -

February 6, 1918

Wed. evening

Dear Aunt Nell:-

You letter of the 3rd came this afternoon, and as you didn't say "write when you feel like it" this time, I won't wait 2 weeks to answer, as I threatened to do if you said that again. Ha!Ha!

Oh! no! I've not sailed for France yet - and sometimes I think that this d -- d Reg't will never go! There's too many old 7th men in it! And - worse yet, I've lost all interest in the Co. - the officers, the men and life in general! I'm blanked if I give a darn any more rather I'm a Sergt. or a buck private! From now on, I've entirely laid down on the job - and won't do one single thing that I can dodge! I've lost absolutely all interest in my work and everything.

However, if I keep out of the guard house - I have been promised a 15 day furlough and may get it if I don't get in a worse frame of mind and get in the "brig" for it! Gee, how I dislike this whole damnable organization! But, there is a division memorandum stating that men who have been in base hospital at least a week are entitled to a 15 day furlough to recuperate! So, I may get home - even if I'm not an old 7th kid glove soldier!

As to my present condition, I am over the measles, didn't lose any weight, actually gained a few pounds - but got a lousy cold - and if I don't follow the medico's orders to pop in out of the cold & keep my feet dry - I'll get pneumonia. I've a deuce of a sore pair of lungs and rheumatism, oh man! All doubled up with lame hips, stiff knees and aching shoulders! Has about as soon be dead! D- -!

Now I'll tackle answering your question. No - absolutely no! I do not think, in fact I an absolutely sure that Sec'y. Baker, Pres. Wilson or any other officials are responsible for any defects in any part of the army administration, equipment conditions, or, in fact, anything - subject to criticism on the part of anyone. For these reasons. I know that the President, the Cabinet, the War Dept., the Ordnance Dept., the Q.M. Dept. or the general staff couldn't change conditions at all: - First, I am acquainted, not in a military relation, but in relations of a civil & official standpoint, with line and field officers in this division & attaches of this camp. They absolutely assure me that the cause of these defects in the whole system lie in the contractors and civilians outside of the mechanism of the administration. Then, secondly, I am in touch with one Congressman, two big officials making ammunition, one official behind machine gun manufacture, one inspecting official behind textile manufacture, several men in the big Remington organization, and a contractor of leather hides and leather by-products - and these men all tell me that it is not Washington who is at fault. In arms and ammunition - steel is scarce, trained mechanics are scarce and production is limited by factory capacities. In the textile business, wool prices hamper the makers, as they cannot make purchase prices meet contract figures and - the capacity in factories, machines and materials is inadequate for a production equal to the demand - and as for the leather market -my own investments are all in fur & hides - so I personally know the market - and prices are such, in hides, tanning costs are so high, on account of acids - and the demand for footwear is so great - outside of the army as well as the tremendous number of shoes needed in the army - beside the drain on the leather market for factories, saddlery, harness, etc - that this market can't help itself. Canvas is scarce - it's hard to get it's production speeded up - as proper machinery is limited - and as for factory space & facilities, the making of cots, wagons, stoves, utencils, etc is limited to the factory capacities. Then we revert to the woolen market again in the blanket question. What can be done - there's not enough wool for those millions of blankets needed - with the still greater need of woolen clothes. Then, for underwear, socks and other clothing accessories - it's hard to interest contractors at gov't prices. (N.B. - About gov't prices - they are fair enough - it's the lower profit percentage that deadens these contractors' interest) With hats, the hat makers are absolutely at fault, as they make hats that are so poor it would be foolish to accept them. In fact, I could state every phase of this game and hit the cause of its defectiveness squarely on the head - and prove to you that no-where is the gov't at fault in the supply game.

BUT - - training in the camps is progressing very rapidly; - every man has enough clothes, today, to keep him warm, dry and comfortable; - not a man has been sick here, or in any other camp, but has had absolutely competent nursing & medical treatment; - the hospitals are clean, warm, luxurious even, there are plenty of efficient nurses and the doctors are all good and with the experience they are getting daily, rapidly improving! 

In every camp today there are sufficient medical supplies, cots, bedding and operating facilities to handle twice as many cases as are in existence. The footwear question is not serious! There is not a man in the camps but has at least one pair of perfect shoes, and 90% have at least 3 pair while at least 95% have 2 pairs or more. All men are paid enough money so they can purchase rubbers if wet feet endangers their individually particular health. Every man here has either a raincoat or a rubberized poncho - some men both. As for overcoats - while the latest issue is not a good a coat - every man has one - and for those with the lighter overcoats, there are sufficient sweaters to make all comfortably warm. Gloves were scarce - but I believe the Red Cross met this scarcity all over the country at Xmas time. My only criticism of the whole army is this: "We lack instructors." England and France cannot send us enough experts to get our men in shape as fast as they are capable of being trained - and those two nations are the only means of a source of instruction in existence - consequently - the men get stale - and sometimes lose interest - as - being Americans - they forge ahead faster than the instructors in different branches are available for their advancement. This holds true with men, non-commissioned officers, all get stale, as there are awkward periods between the different stages of achievement - and it is all due to that one big defect. This, however is being remedied - and will soon be a thing of the past - so -I can truthfully say - yes, I'd swear that the one defect due to army administration is just lack of instructors - and reports of other defects are mostly untrue and such faults as can be charged must be laid at the doors of persons outside the administration bureaus, departments and boards invested with running of the war!

I must close and get to bed now - as everyone else in the tent is asleep, and I am keeping the light burning to their probable annoyance - and am pretty tired as I've worked on (?) a lot of reports, balance, etc from our firm, attended a gas mask school and assisted at an auto-rifle lecture.

I assure you that if I come home on "recuperation furlough" I will stop over & call on you, but I'm not decided as yet as to rather I take it or not.

Hoping to hear from you soon, and trusting this (?) on my scant knowledge of things will be worth something to you, I'll close, as ever

With love, / Clyde

Observations - Despite Clyde's negative statements about his current status, he goes on to make strong case for the War Department's efforts to provide them with their needs. I think his negativity was related to his illness, hospitalization, and discovery upon discharge that so much had changed in his absence.

Next up - More diary entries and another letter with more complaints!