The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-16
Cantonn,ent at Des Moines Must be
Free From All Curses Of Sol
dier Life, According to
Baker.
LETTER TO OFFICIALS
Both City and County Officials Are
Told They Must Look After
Moral Conditions Surround
ing Camp Dodge.


Keokuk men will soon be part OF
the twelve thousand Iowa soldiers III
training at the cantonment at camp
Dodge at Des Moines. 1t will be OF
interest to these men and their folks
at home to know just what steps the
government is taking to safeguard
them. The following letter Is from
Secretary Newton D. Baker of the war
department and tells just what Uncle
Sam will expect the city to DO:
an anticipation Of the military
training camp soon to be opened IN
your neighborhood, am sending here
with a copy Of the regulations recent
ly issued on the question OF the sup
preston Of prostitution and the sale
Of alcohol to soldiers in uniform with
in a given radius of militry posts ana
camps. These regulations, which are
based on sections IL and 13 Of the re.
cent army law, do not, believe, need
comment, and I am confident that
their enforcement will help create
wholesome environment about the
military camps
There are one or two matters, how
ever, In connection with the enforce
ment of regulations. to which l would
like to call your attention. In the hrst
place, the regulation is to put into ef-
feet sections IL and 13 Of the army
law recently passed, so that the army
itself can cooperate with the local
authorities if necessary in their en-
forcement.
1o{{ 10 ~ n q NV
lessen the necessity for police vigil
ance 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 To-
cal order, and am confident that the
war department can rely on you to the
utmost to see that the war regulations
are rigidly enforced.
Must Be No Resorts.
In the second place, while We have
fixed a tive-mile radius about the
camp in which prostitution is strictly
| to be put down, the war department.
will not tolerate evil resorts Of any
kind within easy reach Of the camp,
even though such resorts lie Without
/ the five-mile zone.
eff places of bad repute spring up
outside the five mile limit, but fairly
accessible to the camp, l shall not
hesitate to insist upon their elimina-
| ton.
"Of course it would be possible to
extend the zone, and I would not
eyade the responsibility in case Of ne
cessity.
| Clean Conditions Necessary.
cat the same time if the zone is
drawn with too large a radius, there
l. is danger that the number of soldiers
required to police it will be beyond
the ability Of the commanding officer
readily to furnish. In such case,
therefore, it might be easier and
cheaper to move the camp to more
desirable locality; provided, of course,
that clean conditions could not be Sc
cured through any other source.
Finally, let me say that the war
department will not tolerate the ex-
istence Of any restricted district with
in effective radius of the camp. Elk
perience has proved that such dis
tricts in the vicinity Of army camps,
no matter how conducted, are newt
ably attended by unhappy consequen-
ces. The only practical policy which
presents itself in relation to this prob
lem is the policy Of absolute repres-
sion.
Police Must be VisiIant.
II am confident that in taking this
course the war department has placed
itself in line with the best thought
and practice which modern police ex-
irerience has developed. This policy
involves, Of course, constant vigilance
on the part of thespolice, not only in
elimination of resorts. but in checking
the more or less ~clandestine class
that walks the streets and is apt to
frequent lodging houses and hotels.
II have appointed a commission on
training camp activities to advise with
me on matters of this kind and
through this commission I 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
/ hope you will not hesitate to get in
touch with me or Raymond B. Eos
dick, chairman Of the commission.
Meanwhile, l am sure the country
Is looking to US to cooperate effect
lively in this matter and to make the
surroundings of our camps worthy OF
the fine spirit Of the nation which en-
trusts these young men to us to be
trained for service in a great cause
Very truly yours,
Newton D. BAKER,