Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-04
SOLDIERS KEEP CLEAN.

keep Soldier boys morally clean.
| Evidence of this is seen in the an
nounced determination to bar liquor
resorts and bad women from canton
ments adjacent territory and as far as
| possible from nearby cities. In cities
| with open saloons near environments
| strict measures are being taken TO
| make it as hard as possible for soldiers
to get liquor Women are barred fram
| camps and vicinity and cities near
environments have been warned that
they must shut up their red light dis
tr!sts and drive their inmates out OF
! town These facts illustrate what the
government is trying to do to help the
soldier buys keep clean. II is in marked
contrast to what the government diu
in previous wars, even as late as the
Spanish American.
But however much in this direction
tho federal and military authorities d"
it rs mostly q question Of individual
AOuuuSl " 44S1IISI Va iiOt 'A'> W
back home as clean and manly as
when he went away. If he lived
clean life at home the, chances are
he will away. If he knew the resort
and tilted the bottle in back alleys at
home he will do so in camp. After all
it IS mostly up to the soldier himself.
Experience in soldering and civil
life runs true in this respect. The
soldiers who We're good citizens and
law abiding, energetic boys before they
enlisted were good soldiers. Those
who were shiftless and no account be-
fore they went in, were no good as
soldiers and since then have been
equally no account. Soldering and the
life of the soldier under the ordinary
conditions Of soldering will no more |
renold the individual than will the In
fuenceS and environments Of civil lie. |
If the soldier boy was easily Influenced
by companions and the desires before |
ne went into the army he will be easily |
influenced by the new conditions and |
the new life. If he held himself IN |
restraint before he went away. he Will |
do so after he has gone. Be sure OF |
that.
The change will not remake the boy,
unless he is easily remade. Inc
majority will resist temptation in the
army as the majority resisted it while
spending every day at mothers table
and in mothers home. In most cases
the boy will come out triumphant over
the influences that are often TOO
common to camp life and soldering.
But the lid on policy Of the govern
ment will help. 1t will not give
countenance, nor aid to evil influences
and bad morals as it did in the Spanish
American war. There bad women were
fig united almost openly under military
protection. Yes armed guards from
camp policed the premises, and re-
gulated the hours of opening and clos
ing. No drunken man could enter. NO
rough house stuff was permitted. Yet
the government was first aid to the
establishment, and it was common
rumor that army surgeons were ex-
aminers of the women.
Near other camps large cities OF the
south Hung temptation in the soldiers
faces Scarlet women drove thru the
camp at Savannah scattering their
calling cards to soldiers as they
passed. Soldiers in uniforms were
common and welcome patrons ana
PLAYERS in saloons and wide open
gambling houses In these things
the government has learned. But
so has the country learned. Clean
living and correct living Is more OF an
asset in lifes balance sheet than it ever
was. Employees who buy labor demand
more of it. The public spends more to
cultivate it and lads are learning that
the debts OF sin which they owe are
listed now as leading liabilities IN
every business rating made of them