World War I Collection

to be mail from you any day now. I dont know whether [Helen - crossed out] I told you in a previous letter that Helen sailed last Thursday on the Nanking for Manila. The ship did got get out on time, and when she did, the tide had fallen and she stuck in the mud, and two tugs could not budge her. She left about 10 pm on the next tide. She should reach Manila about Jan'y 1st.

We have had a horrendous rain storm Sat & Sun. The sheet hit Durneys & our place was a lake. Yesterday was fine, with a heavy frost last night, and believe me the furnace was the only thing. Mother was sick in bed last Friday & Sat with one of her bad colds, but Sunday she was quite well again. I kept the house warm day & night with the furnace and I think that helped her from taking cold on top of a cold as she usually does. Mr. Kink asks every night when we feed him "any letters from my master in France?" and then he stretches and sticks out 3 yards of tongue! Junior Medcraft came home Saturday. He says he was in an Officers Training Camp one month when the Armistice was signed. They were all given the option of discharge or Army Reserve Corps, and he took the former. The Lions were there, Roberta Lion & Wilfred Lion, so I did not have a chance to speak to him about what he said to Guthrie about Norman. I suppose Jos will be home within two weeks, so for Xmas we ought to have two boys home anyway. I hope you will, have a happy Xmas, and that the next one will be at home. Lots of love to you my dear old boy, and hugs.

Always your loving father HLA Bates

when you wrote them asking why they had disallowed the D.S.C. after you had been recommended for it.

Mother had a nasty accident the other day when that snout of the saw fish that Dick left, fell over and one of the teeth went nearly through her big toe. She is getting along all right and it is not very painful now.

Jos Bates and Les Bates are both well. Jos is losing his hair as a result of the "flu", but they say it will all grow in again. I dont think you quite understand the feeling in the U.S. about the League of Nations. The opposition to it is largely, that it is felt that peace terms should first be made in Germany, and after that a League should be made, but not under the proposed wording. Peace would have been an accomplished thing long ago, if the President had not obstinately been determined to have his own way, and now knowing that Congress will never agree to his ideas in a League, he is determined to make it a part of the Treaty of Peace. Even Taft who has been stumping the country for the League, says that the wording and conditions will all have to be changed. Every one endorses a League but not the proposed League. Yesterday I drove R. H. Bates, Mrs Lion + Lion to Hayward & back. It was too cold to be very enjoyable. It was very good of you to buy me a shaving kit, and Mother the perfume (nothing has yet arrived), but dont spend money on me Edward, but save it if you can. Mother is as proud over the lace you sent as she can be. She shows it to everyone. Heaps of love to you from your loving father HLABates Your picture is to appear in the Hitchcock prospectus.