Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-19
CHARGES OF VICE :
DENIED AT DIX
officers and Officials Resent
Accusations Rejecting
on Camp Morals
TEMPTATIONS LIMITED
By a star Correspondent

CAMP DIX wrightstown, oct. 10.
The statement made at the Presbyterian
synod at Atlantic City that the forces of
vice are already congregatfug around Camp
Dix" has brought forth indignant denials
by officers and oficials connected with the
camp. oficers were unanimous In saying
that the conditions around Camp Dix were
the cleanest and healthlest both physically
and morally, that they had ever known, and
that there was no vice problem TO deal with
here as yet. As one officer pointed out
the location Of the camp and all other fac
tors considered make preventive measures
rather easy and very effective. He said:
'1t is very evident that when the Gov
ernment chose TO build the cantonment in
! this rural community It was wise move,
for It left little opportunity for vicious char
acters to congregete around here The
small towns around here are populated by
people who have lived here for generations,
and except where the Government has
bought their property they are continuing to
| live on here. and they seem to resist the
| tendency TO expand. The only additions to
| the populations of these towns Is where
| officers have brought in their families
| and where some of the contractor officials
| have taken up their residence. II is impos-
| sble for the men to get liquor within five
| miles All the saloons within the fve-mile
| radius are closed, and in the districts out
| side most of the dealers have voluntarily
| discontinued their bottle business.
The only real liberty the men get is on
| Saturdays and Sundays and then most of
! them make a beeline for home, for over
| half the men in camp live within eighty
| miles Of the camp. They can't get out of
| the camp at night for there Is no place
| to go to and get back by taps II there
was a live town on the outskirts OF the
! camp don't think the men would frequent
it much for by night time they are tired
| and only too glad to hit the straw. Then
| too the Y. NJ {. A. here Is doing wonders
| in providing wholesome recreation and
| sports for the men. | have seen many army
! posts and camps. but the clean moral con-
dtions around Camp Dix are a revelation
| to me-"
J. H. Kelsey. prosecuting attorney oi
| Burlington County, also denied the ex
| istence of any organized vice around the
cantonment Mr. Kelsey is working with
a committee of prominent citizens of Bur
| lington County who are pledged to report
any violations of the law In Burlington
County. There have been several cases o.
incipent immortality in Mount Holly which
have been nipped in the bud through the eff
forts of this committee of home guards
followed by immediate banishment On'
example of this was the sale of bottled
liquor a couple Of weeks ago which develop
ed into a menace. The saloon keepers
we're promptly called together by Judg'
William Lppincott and an agreement wa
| reached that the sale of bottled goods wa
TO be discontinued. Mr.. Kelsey also ha
every member of the Grand Jury of th
county working with him and each jurymai
is assigned to definite part of the count!
Isand is bound to report all violations o
abuses that develop in that territory Spe
| ale INT
county The borough of Pemberton wit
population of 500 people has fund o
$500 for the maintenance of special OF
fcers
Another vital factor in vice preventio
here is the attitude of the people of tn
, community Not only the people of che i'm
mediate vicinity, but the people from a
| over New Jersey seem to plan all the tim
, for welfare of their sons in the camp her
and this cooperation and personal intereS
, in the camp in itself works as an antidot
to the development of vice.