The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-12-17
RECREATION PLAN
FOR OUR SOLDIERS
PROVIDING OF DECENT AMUsE.
MENTs WILL KEEP OUT VICE
FROM THE CAMPS.
CAMPAIGN TO OBTAIN FUNDS
Movement 10 to Safeguard the Men
Against T~hemselv and Against
Tempters and Drink Prohteers and
Make Them Better Fighters.
BY EDWAR D o. CLARK.

Washington.-A national conference
of men and women interested In what
Is called the war community recrea-
ton service has Just been brought to
a close In Washington. Its main OBJ
jcct was to discu IS means to provide
adequate recreati on facilities for TIN
American men-at- arms.
This convention of persons interest,"
ed ! n the matter was one of the most
largely attended, n of the most seri-
ous-minded, and one of the most effec-
lively disposed gatherings ever held
In this city.
The week Of N ovember 40 will be
devoted to a nationwide intensive
campaign to secuI re funds with which
to carry out the plans of the recrea-
ton service. Old soldiers who have
gone through year Of camp and bar
racks life under old conditions, say
the saving work of today should have
been begun generations ago and that
an army that has In II high-grade NOR
ais and low-grade munitions can lick
All army which has high-grade mum
tons and low-grtl de morals.
The soldier, army men say, Is no
whit worse In in tention than the civil
ian. The trouble is that the soldier
since before the day that the Israel
ties fought the I,hilistines has been .
mark for every kind Of q predatory
creature which the world has pro-
duced. The at acks center and al
ways have cent cred on the military
camps.
Plans 70 Keep Out Vlce.
A chain OF sen tinels Is to be thrown
around every American cantonment In
this country AMI In Europe to keep
vice from passin ~ the lines. To-day
there is being undertaken q work vir-
tually new to the armies OF the world.
The soldier Is to be s~afeguarded
against himself and age'nst those who
would tempt him to forget himself.
This Is no minor matter. There ara
soldiers hare, lien of high rank who
have served their country In every
field In which II has been possible to
serve 1t. who my that II the soldier
conquers himself he can conquer any
enemy that the world III put against
him.
An American soldier when he ID
back Of the Linz. wen In war time, ID
not overlooked. He has time on his
hands and II hh ngs heavy there. Tc
get recreation ha will seek 1t where
1t Is most readily to be found. Amnse
ments In camp viii put dives near tht
camp out Of b uSiness. This always
has been found to be true.
In the old d lays when some regi
mental and company commander
seemed TO give little thought to thu
morals Of their man 20 long az they
reported for drill and did not ~overstay
their leaves, there were some fev
army posts at which enlightened ON
GERS had provided amusements for TIM
enlisted men W han or duty. The con
duct reports OF cns Of the latter cnmpl
m compared To those Of oLs Of thu
former presented a contrast like thai
OF high moor to deepening night.
Everything that q hard hand can d.
to keep American soldiers from drink
Ing has been done. There ana othal
means Of preventing drunkenness u
the army than the prohibitory regula
lions and the certainttes Of punish
ment In gunrdhouse and at fatigua
The soldier has to be guarded from
the civilian LIN other words, 1t Is TIL
man without the Uniform who lack
the proper respect Cor the man In |
and has no regard for the well-beinl
OF the man who v not afraid to ngh
for his country. The tHmpter and tn
drink p~rofteers are the devils In tn
a
~ % Wine h Frsuca.
The United States government car
not overturn the traditions and tn
customs Of Francs. So Il = probahl
that Uncle Sans troopers or such o
them as care for Il. can get q daily o
weekly glass or two Of red wine o
white from I'd little storekeepers 4
the villages. 1t probably cannot b
helped. Howe yer. the attitude Of tn
American commanding officers 1
France. the division commanders a
ready In the field, toward the win
drinking Is sho wi In an extract fr0I
q French papt which ! have just N
ceivUd.
A French official investigator foun
cut that the small vendors e a til
American camps were diluting thei
wine. He was In q terrible state {
mind. He sat down, ~ the Frenc
Journal says, and wrote . letter of e,
PLANTATION and apology to Geners
s., comm nnding the American d
vision.
One can . the twinkle In the eye
Of the serious minded but humor To-
ing General 8 - whose name hard
can be disguised By the dash whic
follows the capital letter. when b
wrote his ami n q good We
Point French az he could comman'
IA answer which here II freely tram
lated:
dear Mr.. Inspector:
ssIf the wine merchants Will afa