The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-11-17

. he has been fighting for the triumph
! of democracy. Men train for so slight
an affair as 4 college boat race. They
ought to deem themselves III the strict
est training for the whole time OF their
service abroad. 1t ought to be reat,
! lied that &c catch 8 disease in France
is more diSgraceful breach Of duty
| than running away on the field OF bat
| tie. General Pershing, after a lu!l
: talk on this subject, said to ME: Al
: though the practical side Of protecting
, our men from danger incident to care
| less conduct must be taken into &C
count, the moral side is also extreme
" important and cannot be too much
! emphasized"
Must Raise Ideals.
! To the task OF controlling this dan
ger there are many aspects. Part OF
; il has to be carried out in America
! and part in Europe. From the reports
that cross the ocean, 7 imagine that
! the War Department is interested IN
; the subject and understands its graV1-
! ". If the boys in every training camp
! in the United States understand be-
fore they sail where their DUTY lies
much will be- gained. II is in fact not
problem Of dealing with the ordlna-
~ impulses OF human nature. but rain
or with a bad tradition Of fashion.
The human factor is BY no means un-
manageable If tho right standard OF
what is desirable is thoroughly estao-
lishcd. Once get the right ideal &C
crpicd and the rest OF the problem Is
merely the suitable employment Of
leisure With this question OF leisure
the Young Mems Christian AsSocia-
. tion i. wrestling intcliEently. The
association has accomplished so much
in the British army that our associa-
ton has much valuable experience to
guide It, Moving pictures are of the
highest Importance. As an ideal there
ought TO be an opportunity for any
soldier 70 500 an interesting film
whenever he has time on his hands.
The great "huts." with the singing
and social life Of all kinds. arc the
confer OF the effort In Paris at the
present moment well-known men arc
being organized into groups and sent
TO tho camps 10 give talks on topics
that will interest the boys and at the
same time tend TO keep them rightly
o-iented. II is hoped to have rs many
weIl-knnwn and interesting doctors as
possible on the list Of speakers. Me-
cotiations are now on for the utlllI:a-
ton Of teachers in The schools OF the
villages In which our troops are quar-
tered. so that any soldier who wishes
to use his leisure in acquiring French
can do 50. Two Of the steps being
taken have to do witk Introducing the
right kind Of feminine influence, which
IS undoubtedly necessary part or
the creation OF q wholesome atmnS-
pherc and spiritual standards. One Is
to bring in a number Of intelligent
and experienced Frcnchmen to look af-
ter tho French girls in the villages and
prevent their becoming dcmOralizcd
BY tho new and unnStural conditions.
The other Is already successfully be-
gun. Il Is to have canteenS in charge
Of attractive American women. we'll
balanced. but charming u%uallv about
&c 10. IS wears old. selected for theiT
fitness 10 give tho boys Il p!raSIr;
social time while n tho Same tim
exercising on them unobtrusively III"
best kind of influence. In a way tn"
work will become rapidly more dill
cult. because tho Numbers to hr
reached will soon be- very much larger
than they arc at present
In so far as the effort 10 make lets-
ure' interesting succeeds. there will be
made possible the fundamental re-
form Of keeping the soldiers away
from Paris. unless indeed they have
such associations and interests there
that they can take their leaves OF ali
sence in the great city without iniU-
~ TO themselves. If it turns out 10
be possible to have thc boys. enjoy
themselves elsewhere. n big step
ahead will have been taken. Leaves
Of absence. "pcrmiSsionS" rs they arc
rightly called. rightly managed are
at I'll" very root Of morale. Some OF
the French put them ahead OF any
other consideration. The French ideal
is 20 have the soldier spend his per
mission with his family. and the l!.it-
ish for that part Of tho army that
comes from England. Scotland. Wales
and ireland ar" able to follow the
..arne plan. Probably tho principal
lrason that in matters OF morals thrrH
has been much moro ,trnubl" with the
Canadians and Australians Than with
the rest of the British army. is due TO
tho distance OF their homes At times
III" number Of colonials in thu huSpit,
ais with v"n"rral diseases has been
appalling: It is known that they have
done wonderful fighting, and yet their
casualties have been less in proper
ZION Ia their total numbers than those
of the Scotch. English and Irish. who
come in thai order. On" reason II
least for his sn:lll"r proportion Is
that the number unavailable has at
times constituted 50 serious Il PORTION
of the whole. AS the Americans have
not the homo TO rely on. III" aim
must hr 10 avoid the big cities and TO
make The villages and no country