Baltimore, MD
April 14, 1949

Dear Billie,

I have sent you (after another arrangement with French Aid fell through) a box of �LifeSavers� to carry with you as a little gift when you go to Feves.

Four cartons of 24 5-cent rolls to the carton should ensure one each for all of the children and some others. I packed it with several packs of Kleenex and bars of soap just to fill the box - know you don�t want to carry much - Perhaps if the air people have commissaries you will know what to add if you wish to carry more.

Get names of people if you can - So we will know individuals. But without language, it is not easy.

Remember, of course, that it is �friendship� not charity or aid that we wish to stress. We can�t really help very much and before long they will not need us probably. The whole idea is for the people of the world to get acquainted and to realize that we are all a great deal alike.

I envy you your chance to travel. There is nothing I should like better. I hope you see the world and then come home to Morganville to help make it interesting. Or don�t you ever want Kansas again?

I myself like the people. I am quite happy there except for the climate. I think Kansas has a more extreme unpleasant climate than anyplace I have ever lived and that includes Washington. I hate especially the dry winds.

Cynthia is going to try to get to Europe next summer and I hope she makes it. Her college has a student tour arranged.

If you could get us the song �Sur Le Pont� and mail it back I would be quite happy. It is the song the Feves children sang to Mr. Todd when he was there.

In the May issue of Pageant, Morganville is mentioned in a story about Mr. Todd and �Operation Democracy.� Some 200 American towns now have �adopted� towns in Europe. Wichita has Orleans and they are having a big celebration there May 12.

I am at Johns Hopkins seeing about my eye - I�ve had two dermoid cysts removed and the thing seems to be coming back again. They can�t operate now though and suggest I come back later. I�ll probably go to Kosar however as the surgeons here seem to admire his scars from the last two. They murmured to each other like women examining a quilt. I was afraid it might be cancer but they say it isn�t.

Saw Ivan in New York visiting Anna - never called anyone else - too busy. I enjoy your mother and father when I see them. They are always so friendly and nice. I think your dad has been wonderful about playing for our benefits.

Has anyone told you there are Piersons in Feves? The mayor is August Berne. If you read the Tribune you know the other names.

Well, think of yourself as our ambassador and look at everything for us.

Pray the package arrives all right.

Sincerely,

Velma Carson


P.S. Someone has told you of course that Feves is in Lorraine, near Metz. It is addressed aux Moselle. It was bombed by us and the Germans.

Hope it is on the maps there. The bus from Metz goes there I understand.

V.