The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-07-16
TAFT'S AND ROOSE-
VELT'S SONS NOT IN
OUR ARMY AND NAVY
By GEORGE r. KIRKPATRICK,
Author Of "War-What For?"

The foul stencil from the moral
filth in the standing armies and navies
of the world should serve as effective
warning to all mothers and fathers
Of sons. And this sickening odor does
indeed warn those parents who know
the facts. Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt
knew; Mr.. and Mrs. Taft knew They
had full information, a multitude of
facts, so big and bold and terrible
that no son of theirs was permitted
to join the American army or the
American navy and there stew for
years in the putrid slime oozing from
the open sores of militarism.
Why not write to Mrs. Taft and
Mrs. Roosevelt about this matter? Ask
them for facts. If they are honest
and fair to the mothers of America
these distinguished women will re-
spond promptly and Loyalty to every
letter from a mother who wishes to
protect her sons as these presidents
wives have protected their sons. If
they do not reply, then you may be
justly suspicious; if they do reply,
COMPARE WHAT THEY TELL YOU
with OFFICIAL REPORTS OF FACTS
made by the war department and the
navy department. Here are some Of
the facts (and there are very many
more such facts):
l. Over per cent Of the men and
boys in this countrys naval service
at the great Norfolk, Virginia, naval
port had the most hideous of all known
diseases, syphilis; over 6 per cent
had chancre; and almost 20 per cent
had gonorrhea. The navy department
was then proposing to furnish boys
in the navy with package Of drugs
to be used by the boys when they
patronized diseased prostitutes. (See
report of Department of the Navy,
1911, pages 437, 441.)
g. In 1912 the department of war
IiCpottC N1ecpOII' Po6cS Il, 1o) Iho'
in the matter of venereal diseases the
American army was the most de-
PRAYED and loathsome of all the arm
les in the civilized world.
8. In 1909 the war department made
a list of the ten diseases that are
most disastrous to American soldiers,
namely, venereal diseases, tubercu-
losis, malaria, rheumatism, tonsilitis,
dysentery, diarrhea, bronchitis, meas
les and typhoid fever; and the report
says (page 10 that venereal disease
wrecks more soldiers than all the
other nine diseases combined.
4. President David Starr Jordan,
of Leland Stanford University, writes
as follows in his latest book, War
and Waste" page POS: THE white
slave traffic of today is an outgrowth
of the standing army. acquisitions
(for girls) have been published, signed
by commanding officers, and frankly
drawn on associations of pimps."
Unquestionably-no doubt what
ever-Mr and Mrs. Roosevelt, Mr.,
and Mrs Taft and the leading bankers
and their wives, the most prominent
preachers and their wives, and the
leading lawyers and very prominent
merchants and manufacturers-an
their wives-everywhere in this coun-
try are thoroughly informed on the
morally rotten and befouling condi-
ton in our army and navy; and these
PROMINENT, INTELLIGENT, SELF
RESPECTING fathers and mothers
are loyal to themselves and to their
sons, and therefore do not send their
ruin the bodies and curse the charac-
tiers of their sons.
You should do as these prominent
people do-get the facts, get the light,
and protect yourself and those you
love. Visit your neighbor, attend your
club, your church, your day school,
your Sunday school-and DISCUSS
THESE CONDITIONS; inform your
neighbors, especially your working
class neighbors. You can at least
bring to their attention the OFFICIAL
FACTS given above in this article,
Mark this article. Lend the paper.
Get it back and lend it again-and
again.
No wrong can live long if we all
discuss it.
Defend yourself and your sons and
daughters.
And do this work NOW-while mil
lions are interested in war.