J. J. Dickinson letter to Champ Clark - April 19, 1918
Transcript
Executive Postal Censorship Committee San Antonio, Texas. April 19, 1918. Hon. Champ Clark, Speaker of House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. Speaker: I cannot refrain from outlining to you a conversation I overheard on a Southern Pacific train a few days ago while I was traveling from my post here to the Pacific Coast. The conversation pertained to your splendid son Bennett and was carried on by a group of officers who had been attending the Officer’s Finishing School here with Bennett. These officers were freely discussing among themselves the character and capacity of many of their fellow students at the school. The consensus of opinion was that Bennett had displayed more of the essential qualities of the soldier, the officer and gentleman than any other member of the class. They said that he was one of three of the class who had been retained at the school to carry on the teaching of certain special features of officers training. I have had the pleasure to run into Bennett only twice since I have been here and then only for a few minutes. I do not know whether he is still here of not. The conversation was not inspired nor participated in by me. I did not even tell them that I had ever heard of young Lieutenant Colonel Clark before, and it was only after they had finished their discussion of him that I announced the honor of my acquaintanceship with him. I am sending this to you because I too am a father with an only son in the army. My boy has been
Transcript
in France nine months as an officer of engineers and has been doing a man’s part. I know, in that terrible smash-up that started at St. Quentin and is still going on. As a father with a son in our army I know how proud I should feel if I should hear such fine things said about my Julian boy. With good wishes to you and yours, Cordially your friend, (Signed) J. M. Dickinson. Give my love to Bud South, South Trimble and other of my fellow Kentuckians on your staff. JJD/MM.
Details
Title | J. J. Dickinson letter to Champ Clark - April 19, 1918 |
Creator | Dickinson, J. J. |
Source | Dickinson, J. J. Letter to Champ Clark. 19 April 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 April 19, 1918 letter to Champ Clark, J.J. Dickinson described overhearing a group of soldiers discussing Bennett Clark's excellence at Officer's Training School in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Colonel during World War I and was Missouri State Senator from 1933 to 1945. |
Subject LCSH | Clark, Champ, 1850-1921; Clark, Bennett Champ, 1890-1954; Missouri. National Guard; Fort Sam Houston (Tex.) |
Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
Site Accession Number | C0666 |
Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
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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 | April 19, 1918 |
Language | English |