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Somewhere in France, March 3, 1918.

Dear Mr. Bray:-
I have wanted to send you a line ever since I left the States January 20th, but if I were allowed to 
tell you my daily program here - sometimes seven days a week- you would surely agree with me that there 
is no time to write letters. I never knew what work was in camp at Fort Sheridan. Every effort is being 
made to whip every available man in shape in the minimum of time.

We are asked not to send letters to our home papers for publication, so I think it best not to send a 
letter to the Index, as I had intended doing. Probably it is just as well not to, for there is nothing 
I could write about which would be of interest, for I can't tell what we are doing, nor anything about 
what is going on at the front. And we don't have time nor the oppotunity to see much of the people or 
country, so you see there really isn't much to write about.

The Americans here are surely making a great showing. Every man is just itching to get at the Germans, 
we are all fed and billeted well and are quite content. Of course that doesn't mean that there are no 
hardships - we came over here expecting that. But it isn't at all bad when we consider what is at stake.

Conditions among the French people are much better than I anticipated. They have plenty to eat and are 
in good spirits, altho [sic] there isn't a home, but what has felt the call to arms. My, what they have 
gone through with. And they don't think it is over yet. It will take a great many more trained men from 
the United States yet.

I received my first letters from the States today. Had one from Mr. Link in which was a receipt for my 
dues at 366 Lodge, I surely do appreciate it more than I can now tell you, - am also glad you are going 
to have that service flag. Will you give this leter to Mr. Link? I should like to write him now, but 
will have to consider this a letter to all of you this time.

The French have customs very different from ours. Their ideas of morality are somewhat different too. I

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was very much surprised one day to see some men and women walking along a road one day, when one of the 
men stopped to urinate right in the road, and the others stopped and waited for him. That is a common 
every day occurrence here, and they seem to think nothing of it.

I have not seen Paris nor London yet, we were rushed right past both places. I think I shall get to 
see Paris after I have been here four months, for I will then have a ten day's leave and can go where 
I want to.

Must get busy now. Give my very best wishes to all members of lodge 366 and thank them for what they 
are doing for men in the service. Write when you can.

Sincerely and fraternally yours,
2nd Lt. Paul W. Barnett,
Infantry, U.S.R.,
American Expeditionary Forces.

P.S. About half the officers I have met are Masons. What do you know about the French lodge? I have 
heard that we should not visit them even if we had an opportunity.