Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-14
FOR GOOD MORALE
At CONTONNENT
Mayor Strange Receives Letter
From Sec. Of War Baker
CALLS ATTENTION TO LAW
Soldiers Under Instruction Must Be
Protected la Every Way Under
The Regulations


War Newton III. Baker, calling atten-
tion TO the Federal regulations reIa-
tive to the enforcement of the law
pertaining to the moral atmosphere
in connection with the Army canton
ments, and also particularly as re-
CARDS the sale of intoxicating liquors
to soldiers in uniform. The letter in
question bears upon the army camp
now in course of construction at Ad-
miral, this county, known as Camp
Meade Copies of the letter have also
been sent to the Mayors of nearby
cities. and other executive officials,
and reads as follows:
August 10. 1917.
MY dear Sir:
"In anticipation of the military
training camp soon to be opened in
your neighborhood, ! am sending
herewith copy of the regulations re-
Gently issued on the question of the
suppression of prostitution and the
sale of alcohol to soldiers in uni
form within a given radius of military
posts and camps. These regulations,
which are based on Sections 10 and
13 of the recent Army Law, do not,
l believe. need comment, and I am
confident that their enforcement will
help create a wholesome environment
about the military camps.
"There are one or two matters,
however in connection with the en-
forcement of the regulations, to which
I would like TO call your attention.
In the first place, the purpose of these
tions II and 13 of the Army Law re-
Gently passed, so that the army it,
self can cooperate with the local au-
thoriyies, il necessary, in their en-
forcement. The regulations do not
in any way lessen the necessity for
police vigilance on the part of local
authorities. The presence of large
bodies OF troops rather increases the
responsibility of those whose duty it
is to preserve local order, and / am
confident that the War Department
can rely ON you to the utmost to see
that the regulations are rigidly en-
forced
I'm the second place, while we have
fixed a five-mile radius about the
camp, in which prostitution is strict
ly to be put down, the War Depart
ment will not tolerate evil resorts of
any kind within easy reach of the
camp, even though such resorts lie
without the five-mile zone. If places
of bad repute spring up outside the
five-mile limit, but fairly accessible
to the camp, / shall not hesitate to
insist upon their elimination. OF
course, it would be possible to extend
the zone. and shall not eyade the re-
sponsibility in case of necessity. At
the same time, if the zone is drawn
with too large a radius, there is dam
ger that the number of soldiers re-
quired to police it will be beyond the
ability of the Commanding officer
readily to furnish. In such a case,
therefore, it might be easier and
cheaper to move the camp to a more
desirable locality: provided, of course,
that clean conditions could not be Sc
cured through any other course.
Finally, let me say that the War
Department will not tolerate the ex-
istence of any restricted district within
an effective radius of the camp. Ex-
perience has proved that such dis
tricts in the vicinity of army camps,
no matter how conducted, are newt
ably attended by unhappy conse-
quences. The only practical policy
which presents itself in relation TO
this problem is the policy of absolute
repression, and | am confident that
in taking this course the War Depart
ment has placed itself in line with the
best thought and practice which mod
ern police experience has developed.
This policy involves. of course. con-
stant vigilance on the part of the
police. not only in eliminating regu-
lar houses of prostitution, but In
checking the more or less clandestine
class that walks the streets and is apt
to frequent lodging houses and hotels.
Il have appointed a Commission on
Training Camp Activities to advise
with me on matters of this kind, and
through this Commission / shall keep
constantly in touch with conditions
about all our army camps. If you
have any questions relating to the en-
forcement of the enclosed regulations
| trust you will not hesitate to get in
touch with me or with Mr. Raymond
B. Fosdick, Chairman of the Commits
sion. Meanwhile am sure the coun-
try is looking to US to cooperate
effectively in this matter and to make
the surroundings of our camps
worthy of the fine spirit of the nation
which entrusts these young men to
us to be trained for service in a great
cause.
Very truly yours,
NEWTON ID. BAKER,