Francis Bowes Sayre to Woodrow Wilson

I expect to sail for France to help in the Army YMCA work a week from next Saturday on the "Touraine" of the French line. Because of your advice I have refused to go until I could secure some mature man to stay with Jessie and the children; I have just succeeded in getting a Dr. Wilson S. Naylor, who has travelled widely, written on Africa, lectured rather extensively, and is at present Professor of Biblical Literature in Lawrence College, of Appleton, Wis. Those who know him speak of him in the highest terms, and, on meeting him, I felt he was just the man for what I want. At present he is working in the YMCA offices here; but Mr. Brockman generously promised to lend him for staying with Jessie till Aug. first when Nevin comes. My mother will also be with her through the summer. This satisfies my own mind about Jessie during the three months I will be gone; but more important is the freeing of your mind from any anxiety about her. If this arrangement is going to cause you anxiety or worry, dear father, please send me word at once, and I will cancel all my arrangements to go, and understand perfectly. Please do not hesitate.

I took Jessie and the children to Siasconset last Saturday, and there they are most pleasantly established. Little Frank, who had never seen sand before, was at first afraid to walk on it. It was his first experience in a boat, too; he kept asking to get out and walk on the water. You asked for the name of the man in Williamstown who was heard to utter threats against the children. He is A. H. Rosenburg, living on "Bee Hill Road" (Telephone, Williamstown 68 - 3). So far as I know he has made no similar threats recently.

If it would not unduly bother you, would you give me a letter of identification (unless for some reason you feel it wiser not to) which I might carry abroad? I would not want to use it except in some emergency; then it might prove a life-saver.

I enclose a copy of the letter Kitchener wrote to his troops. I was wondering whether you had thought of writing a letter to our troops, which would be a letter still finer. So many stirring temptations await our soldiers in France!

I return to Siasconset tomorrow.

Address:
Siasconset
Nantucket Island
Mass.