atriotism were sound. We believed we were entitled to a speedy getaway
for home. We accepted the promise with pleasure. We felt friendly toward
the Detroit's Own Welfare Association for its efforts and the efforts of
others. We could have wished that there had not been so much excitement
of needless fears and incitement of useless outcry. It cost us hard
earned money to cable home assurances to our loved ones that we were
well and safe, so that they need not believe the wild tales that we were
sleeping in water forty below zero, or thawing out the cows before we
milked them, or simply starving to death. We could have wished that
returned comrades who tried to tell the real facts and allay needless
fears--the actual facts were damnable enough--might not have been
treated as shamefully as some were by a populace fooled by a mixed
propaganda that was a strange combination, as it appears to us now, of
earnest, sympathetic attempts to do something for "Detroit's Own," of
bitter partisan invective, and of insidious pro-bolshevism.

For the cordial welcome home which was given to the Polar Bear veterans
in July, our heartfelt appreciation is due. Veterans who marched behind
Major J. Brooks Nichols between solid crowds of cheering home-folks on
July 4th at Belle Isle could not help feeling that the city of Detroit
was proud of the record of the men who had weathered that awful
campaign. It was a greeting that we had not dreamed of those days away
up there in the northland when we were watching the snow and ice melt
and waiting news of the approach of troopships.

At Economia we assembled for the purpose of preparing for our voyage
home. To the silt-sawdust island doughboys came from the various fronts.
By rail from Obozerskaya and Bolsheozerki, by barge from Beresnik and
Kholmogori and Onega, came the veterans of this late side show of the
great world war. With them they had their mascots and their War Brides,
their trophies and curios, their hopeful good humor and healthy play
spirit.

Who will not recall with pleasure the white canvass camp we made on the
"policed-up" sawdust field. Did soldiers ever police quite so willingly
as they did there on the improvised baseball diamond, where "M" Company
won the championship and the duffle-bagful of roubles when the first
detachment of the 339th was delousing and turning over Russian
equipment, and "F" Company won the port belt and roubles in the series
played while the remainder o