Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-07-19
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G-1 49, 'N'hss iht' l W
be II military departure Ia prophylaxis
Ggninst vice AMI inteilperancc. The wastage Of
the lahish-Ahieficah war was from bad beef iu-
stead Of bullets, from mosquitoes In place of mis-
siIes, from flies and disease rather than from the
destructive force of the Spiniar,ls.
Science and sanitation trimnplctl over the
mosquito. Now ii remains for American army
moral sanitation to triumph over the ruthless enc
mics, booze and disease.
one can read in the draft law, in the rcgula-
tons and in the express actions of Secretary of.
War. Baker that he means this army Of 100000
clean young Americans to be the first army that
ever took the field and stAy~+4sln the field and re-
turned from the field untainted by the dual war
vices. Secretary Baker is determined that the
wnnnds Inflicted upon our army Of liberation shall
be those inflicted by the central powers, and not
those so hslbituaily Inflicted by the army upon
itself.
recreation il To take the place Of idlenesS
and indulgence. adjoining miasmutic swamps of
booze and vice are to be drained. Resort will be
had in garrison to ~healtlful exercise, to whole
some amusement, To ofI-hour activities, TO ath-
lctics, to play und 10 the devices that healthy men
indulge in N home.
Says Surgeon Major II. G. Howard IN Il recent
!"ar department bulletin:
Recreation will be of great value. lileness
is said to be the mother of lechcry. Wholesome
:musements and athletics will make the garrison
50 attractive thai the soldier win be inclined TO
spend his spare time In garrison. No present day
problem in military preventive medicine is Of
greater importance in relation to the physical
efficiency Of the army than that OF effectuul CON
troll Of venercnl disease
Thus boldly Is the issue stated, because thus
boldly does the secretary OF war propose to meet
mans worst enemy, which Surgeon Major Maus
describes as THE Great Red Plague"
Here Is the common foe of enbuttlpd mankind.
aid and comfort have been given this enemy by
the ili-advised and priulish censorship of social
science.
"We want no damaged goods in the American
army of democracy Capt. 4. h. Vetder Of the
United States Medical corps, declares. And, to
show how strictly does General GorRaS propose to
make the American expedition as clean as he
made Havana and Panama, the WasscrInann test,
AMI not mere height and eycsisht, III the supreme
STANDARD Of fitness for this war.
This 100000 army of select men. possessing
youth, physique and health, the war department
proposes to return to their homes. If they survive
mere shot and shell, as fit fathers of Il future race.
The distresstul {many returned men and officers
say the disgracefuD social conditions that OBJ
tanned on the Mexican border will not be repeated
at Plattsburg, ut niagara. at Fort Sheridan or In
Europe. The FL Pnso vice barracks, the hideous
diveS--this nightmare will not be lived through
again. 1t belongs TO the typhoid-nalaria age.
INC STtfl ttilitIi'uI SuhiN WI 'un''o'' wa A''
a vital part in the training of the soldiers OF the
army of democracy. When young America In
civil life is not at work 1t Is at the ball gane or
at the motion picture show or at play In some
form. The American expcditionary soldier VIII
play as fast as he will train for service.
This Is the dictum of n recreation expert who
knows the value of recreation, moral and educa-
tionai, and who also knows the philosophy OF
Messrs. Baker and Gorgns. My authoritative IN
formant continues with an enthusiasm that Is In
fictitious:
Good athletes take such pride in their physical
fitness (nnt good soldiers are necessarily good
athletes) that they will not abuse their health by
indulgences. But, aside from personal pr,de IN
fitness. play Is In Itself the great prophylnxis
against immoral abuses.
"Work Is a prophylactic agent against disease,
but play Is Its counterpart, If not Its peer. Play
means health. The play spirit alone is strictly
normal. Play is the preventive against physlcal
and mental and moral breakdown"
The rediscovery of play us Il social agent IS one
of the most vital discoveries of modern times.
Recreation is It's organized application. 1t has
been applied educationally. 1t has been del!D'
crately applied to redeem the city youth from
crime and degeneracy. But 1t lent itself natural
ly. unconsciously, to the adults, needs in the
marvellous development of recrcations other than
booze and vice.
Secretary of War Baker IL sensitive to modern
sociological developments. 1t went without saying
that. whatever might be his merits or dement's IN
practical military organization, he OF all men
Mould bring to the American army of democracy
nm opprcciation Of the sociological factors. A
system Of recreation for the enlisted man th"t
win supplant booze and vice will undoubtedly take
shane from the earliest mobilization. and VIII con-
tInue ia be a safety device for this uniquely pro-
tected army on the battle front.
One observes with keen interest that the war
deportment has engaged a number OF recreation
exncrts for the supervision Of recreation at the
large training camps. There Is here no mere
theoretlc attention to play, no paper application
Of recreation philosophy. no mere ph,lantnrorac
interest In the soldiers idle hour similar 70 inc
interest which a charitable gentleman wou'o '"ke
IN supplyIng tracts to a hospital. or books 10 ah
old ladies' home, or a bat and ball to a nephew.
Tho problem before us Is scarcely OF a pnr! WITT
sewing society work. However. to avoid any
gesture of scnsutionnlism, 1t Is well to foI'ow the
plain. serious words Of the war department Duly
fins 70 illustrate the vice side OF the prop!em.
Can't. n. b. vedder Of the United States Medica'
corps. In War Department Bulletin NO. D. "r''s'
substantially rs follows:
'Our sick report has been a reproach IN that wy
hive had more men on the sick report because Oh