The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-07-27
THE CLEANUP.

THE CLEANUP.
Whenever invidiOus reference IS made
to certain classes, the best element is Ger
tain to resent it; in proportion to its own
conscience. it fears the slightest imputa-
ton of guilt.
For this reason We are not at all surprise
At the protest excited by Our editorial OF
Yesterday. entitled The Clean-Up,' among
the men at Fort Barrancas and the aero
nautic station We are. indeed, rather
pleased than otherwise, because the very
super-sensitiveness proves the high moral
quality of our military forces as whole
a favorite theme of ours
- After showing that the closing of the
restricted district was the smallest part OF
the moral regeneration insisted upon by
the war and navy departments, we made
the following reference-the passage that
has aroused, the resentment:
"Then YOU must know that this is
no idle fear-fOr the Young girls
mere chldren-WhO few weeks ago
'l'Nere PLAYING around in cotton dresses
surely YOU have seen how suddenly
ui6W. put on silk dresses. costly hats,
and Smeared their faces With paint to
parade the streets with soldiers and
sailorsS8,
.sssotIAvUroletters. reproduced in Our \ox
=fopHf1-cettmn, illustrate the feelings of
ffEe service men-the splendid element that
IrpgfRsYbW2aUtny and navy what they are.
In additr6n5 annumber have called in per
lSCii and aXpfessed the same idea-they
freely Acknowledged that there are indi-
lviduals in b6th branches OF the service who
-ShaFt~ef Its~Standard and ideals, who
Ihthe AeFnacular are bad eggs" and dis
grace to their fellowship, from which they
areyahrOAN4ai 50 soon as they are found
+ertrt-~~---=--~
afBdt tf1e statement was too broad. And
R'hy.piCk on the service men? Had not civ
EiarS been known to sin?
4 Js0doabta1ly, but the cleanup had been
tE+4creAE bta-esthe administration for the
benefit of the men of the military forces
nut tllrSiYiltapS, and, consequently. men
EOn 0f cfvffianS could have no relevancy in
aisesss4Hp sFEfeai$see at stake.
5==Aef=eas=a444zaHe consider the general
zatiQlq sWeepingrone in which reference
is N5taSd fSGpfi4ted children who parade
thS AtSsts ~ khC1soldierS and Sailors" The
on6s interpretation which can be put on
this is "Some SdIdiers "a few" "a dozen
RrEA& AsiRpI ia those who are seen on dre<,
p2Eade-Nlth= palnted CrntureS-not those
who live 1pchOpte lives, or those whose
sFa3pfsb5Giar9Nith the pure and the good
and the beautiful. The logic that could
stretch, meaning further could inter
polateI a~B6b lngersoll heresy in a TART
table or deeede grocery list into Ger
man nPesS8ge it would SANDER all
Womankind
That the passage fits some soldiers and
<1l'orsI We repeat, fortified by the assurance
Of soldiers and sailors themselvcs-the
better element-the best elemnt OF our
national life today-who nevertheless in
SYST that we owe them an apology. That
their feelings are hurt, we see full well.
and deeply do we regret it; but there can
be no apology where no offense is intended.
where none is implied. 1t is the gallant
lads themselves who are to blame-who do
themselves an injustice in thinking that
anybody could look into their frank faces.
sans peur ct sans reproche like Bayard's S.
and lmpute to the overwhelming majority