Champ Clark letter to Bennett Champ Clark - December 24, 1918
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December 24, 1918. Lieut. Col. Bennett C. Clark, Chief of Staff, 88th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, France, Via New York. My dear Bennett: Sunday morning we received your letter dated December 3, from Gontencourt. Glad to find out at last where you are. We were very much delighted with the letter. I had always supposed when you went over you landed in France. First and last I sent you letters to General Pershing, Ambassador Sharp and Mr. Speaker Lowdres, and last week sent you a letter of introduction to Ambassador John W. Davis, London, thinking maybe you wanted to get a squint at Parliament. I enclose you a clipping out of the Baltimore Sun for today which also appeared in the New York Tribune today, about the Presidency. Of Course, I knew nothing about the publication of it until it was called to my attention, and have refused to give out any interview about it except to say “I never heard of it”. I also send you a copy of General Pershing’s answer to my letter to him urging him to let you go back to your regiment. My letter to him was written before the armistice. I also sent you a letter from Rufus Jackson
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No.2. Lt. Col. B. C. C. in answer to one I wrote him inquiring the foundation of his suggestion that you locate in Mexico to practice law. The Republicans are having a devil of a time about the Speakership. Of course Mann ought to have it mem. con, but Gillett has announced as a candidate and Old Fess, Hampie Moore, Nick Longworth, Mondell, Towner, Ohil Campbell and perhaps others are getting their names in the paper. I called Nick up to the Speaker’s stand yesterday and privately inquired what the status was and he said at the present time neither Mann nor Gillett could muster enough votes to nominate. He didn’t know whether there would be other entries or not, it would be perhaps a month before the sky cleared up. If they don’t nominate Mann they are a lot of base ingrates. He is nearly as much entitled to the Speakership as I was. He claims his health is good, although he doesn’t look well. It has poured down rain here eight days and nights in the last two weeks--raining now, coming down in in buckets full. Genevieve was wild for us to come to New Orleans and we both wanted to go but the House fooled along and kept holding sessions up until today, including today although yesterday and today we didn’t have a quorum and both days somebody raised the point of order and we adjourned. We are
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No. 3, Lt. Col. B. C. C. going to adjourn now three days at a time until the second of January. In the meantime I am putting in every minute possible shaping up my autobiography. We are both well. The last outbreak of the flu is mild—not many people died here but they are dying like sheep with the rot out in the country, especially in Missouri. Salts his filed notice of contest against Sam Major and they are talking about contesting Rubey’s seat and Nelson’s. Shack came here, stayed a week or so and lit out for home. I do not expect to see him very often between now and March. Decker has never put in an appearance yet. Wallace is out again. Neal is not certain that Mann will retain him and I think is a good deal exercised about it. It seems Mann has a colored brothers of his own who has been acting as his messenger, etc. Ben Johnson and his special committee are going after the National Security League which has slandered Congress so outrageously. Elihu Root is President (Honorary) and Allen B. Parker also honorary V.P. Henry T. West is Secy. - Tr. at $8400.00 per annum - paid principally by Rockefeller and Carnagie. I am depositing $200.00 to your credit in Con T. Co. - as Christmas and Birthday presents - also int. on your U.S. Bond. Your Loving Father, Champ Clark
Details
Title | Champ Clark letter to Bennett Champ Clark - December 24, 1918 |
Creator | Clark, Champ |
Source | Clark, Champ. Letter to Bennett Champ Clark. 24 December 1918. Clark, Champ (1850-1921) and Bennett Champ (1890-1954), Papers, 1853-1973. C0666. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
Description | In this December 24, 1918 letter to his son Bennett, Champ Clark discussed letters he had sent on Bennett's behalf and the influenza epidemic. Champ Clark, a long-time resident of Bowling Green, Missouri, was a politician in the Democratic Party. He served as a representative of Missouri from 1893 to 1895 and from 1897 to 1921. From 1911 to 1919 he served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Bennett Clark served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the 140th Regiment, 35th Division and as Assistant Chief of Staff for the 88th Division during World War I, and was Missouri State Senator from 1933 to 1945. |
Subject LCSH | Clark, Champ, 1850-1921; Clark, Bennett Champ, 1890-1954; World War, 1914-1918; Influenza |
Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
Site Accession Number | C0666 |
Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
Date Original | December 24, 1918 |
Language | English |