29/3/17
My dear Father
I had your postcard a few days ago but have delayed writing hoping more news would be to hand. However nearly 3 weeks have passed since Cyril’s wound occurred and if you have no further message of any kind that in itself is distinctly favourable, and we will all hope for the best. I am highly delighted at his promotion, Major at 26 is very good indeed and I’ve no doubt too that he’ll be a very good Major. Probably the rank is “acting-local”, in which case he would revert to Captain. If he had to leave his battalion permanently – but if as I hope, it is permanent, a transfer home wouldn’t affect his rank. Anyway he gets the pay and allowances due to that rank while he holds it, and evidently as far as his battalion is concerned they will keep him to that rank if they can. Mela will have been having a most anxious time; I hope news, and good news, will soon come through. I’m sure her anxiety will be mitigated by the news of his promotion.
I had a little change today, some Canadian Foresters had to be visited in connection with a case of cerebrospinal, so I took the opportunity to motor out with the sanitary officer. The camp was due south from here, nearly 40 miles – so we had a long run – part of the road through forests, but most over dull farming country. I noticed that ploughing was much in arrears in most places. We left in the morning, had lunch at Conches, our destination, and after doing our business had a quick run back, but on such muddy roads that we were well sprayed with mud. I’m having part-time help in the lab now from another MO here, and if that continues it will be a great advantage. The Adviser in Pathology is here as a patient just now, and I think that he’ll learn a good deal about the amount of work that has to be done here, and the conditions. We are trying hard to get a laboratory put up here, in the hospital – it would render work much easier – our necessities are much greater than those of any other hospital in this area – and we keep expanding.
I am in hopes that the late season may enable more acres to be got into cultivation than would otherwise be the case. I follow the accounts of the food situation very closely. It seems to me that most good will achieved by publicity campaigns, influence of public opinion and efforts of local savings committees, rather than by the proposed “smelling out” of food hoarders. Hotels and eating houses can be rationed more easily, but inspection of kitchen cupboards by police or others would I should think cause a tremendous lot of irritation everywhere; also the real hoarders would hide the stuff under the bed or the floor. Some control of the retailers might be practicable and probably necessary.
I see in The Mail that state purchase is again being mooted. I believe that by November when malt stocks are used up practically all further malting and therefore brewing will be prohibited: I doubt if a sufficient number of the Brewers Society have up to date quite grasped the situation, and opposition now to state purchase may lead to very heavy losses all round. I think at least those firms who are prepared to come to terms with the state might be bought out. If others cared to rush it, that would be their look out. Later the state, or rather the electorate, may refuse to buy a dead dog except on very poor terms.
The Russian situation is hardly cleared yet. I hope the moderate views of the Provisional Government will very soon hold more definite sway. Doubtless the Germans are hard at work by means of the extremists, trying to prevent useful participation in the war. If one knew anything of Russian temperament the situation might be easier to gauge. As it is we are all very much in the dark.
I must write to Mary now. I hear the photo has arrived and is very nice. Thank you very much for it. I hope my chance of seeing it will come someday. It seems far off just now.
With love to all
Your affectionate son Arthur
