New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-09
The Problem of Keeping Vice
Out of the Soldiers Reach

permit his men to visit that city. an act
which has precipitated the organization
of ''The Minute Men Of Seattle" in an
effort to redeem the city's reputation and
in general city quarrel ccntring around
Mayor Gill
Similar movements may be found the
country over. In Hoboken, TO six volunteer
policewomen have been delegated the
task of protecting'young girls, fascinated
with naval and military uniforms, from
going aStray. At the Great Lakes Naval
Training Station. at Chicago, visitors have
been barred except on certain days unless
they are guests of officers Flirting, it
seems, was the cause Of it all. The no
torious New Orleans segregated district
has ceased TO exist within the last month
Kansas City had an awakening when, be-
fore the expected visit Of thousands of
soldiers, word was sent to the police de-
partment TO "close things up Portland,
Ore, and Los Angeles have instituted
segregation for characters suspected of
being diseased. San Antonio has begun
a campaign to make the town safe for the
visiting soldier. In St. Paul ducking in
the river for all persons selling liquor to
soldiers and those responsible for i'm
moral conditions has been recommended
in a fashion to receive public approval
New Rochelle, n. Y, has had change Of
heart since charges were made that its
police openly winked at the most fragrant
violation of the rule against selling liquor
to soldiers and because of other ObnoX-
ious institutions alleged TO be in opera
ton there. Newport, which Secretary
Daniels has been accusing for the last
few months of being an immoral resort,
is again under the navy chiefs disfavor,
and short time ago a similar charge
against the region of the Philadelphia
Navy Yard resulted in move to clean
up that district also.
In short, the cleanup movement is
general.
Indeed, the campaign for funds to fur
nish clean amusement in army canton
ments has recently given so much public
ity to the care-for-the-soldier movement
that now the cry is raised that this coun-
try is coddling its soldiers. At least, so
thinks Sergeant Arthur Guy Empcy, now
lecturing in New York City. Attacking
the methods of both the Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union and the War
Camp Community Recreation Fund, he
said, at the Hotel McAlpin, that the "sol-
der doesn't leave character at home with
civilian clothes" characterized as false
the many reports going the rounds about
conditions in the army camps, and as
serted that many false statements had
been made about conditions in the armies
in Europe. In telling of past mistakes"
Empey continued;
"The Woman's Christian Temperance
Union put the biggest curse on the army
when It abolished the cantecn. And. al
though I never drink. I know what | am
talking about. When the canteen was in the
army the soldiers got first class drinks and
we're back at their barracks at a reasonable
hour The canteens were run well and were
closed at o'clock every night. When they
took the canteen away mushroom bars
sprang up around every army post and they
sold third class beer and other drinks.
Along with them came the disorderly houses,
] and they thrived together"