June 30, 1918
Dear Ma,
I couldn't find any of the ship's paper, so I took this. There are 34 Y.M.C.A. men on board and you really ought to see them. If they all were women, they would be the old prudish straight-line variety. About three are really human and you ought to see them fight with the rest. One was given a couple of tablespoonfuls of brandy for seasickness and afterward advocated it for some other men who were still sick. Maybe he wasn't sat upon. I honestly think that if we were hit, some of them would rather get pneumonia from being in the water than touch a drop of liquor.
Our own little fights have developed some, too. Yesterday, two of the boys, and one this follow who is in charge of the unit, were hauled up before the colonel for laughing in his face at a boat-drill. Right afterwards, the rest of us got together and decided that we had better stick together and show that we did not like the way three or four of the follows had been cutting up, or we might all get sent home. So four of us went to the adjutant and told him that we hoped he would not hold the actions of these fellows as a black mark against the whole unit. We told him that we had been unable to cope with these three because one was head of the unit and could just laugh at us. He was very decent about it and gave the impression that the men in the unit would be considered individually if anything did happen. So blame will land where it belongs.
They
have put guards all over the ship now, and though we have no idea where we
are, I should say we should be pretty near land. We hope to be in London for
the fourth and I will cable then. I hope you will get it, but they
say it is harder than ever to get personal cables through. Anyway, you will
get the postal I mailed in New York before the boat left. Might send me some
pictures of the pool and flagpole. Hope it isn't too hot - it's awfully cold
and damp on here.
Harvey