New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-14
BY Rev. Elmer +. Clark. Lit. d.

10y iNCNs
We are accustomed 10 hearing that
var acts as regenerator OF the ma
.;onsl life. bringing patriotism, sscri-
go unsclfshneSs and devotion TO prin-
.;,,e forward TO such a degree as TO
-,oduce a more virile and devoted citi-
zenship.
Il may be that such a contention has
eertsin foundation in fact upon the
arc side. yet the most casual observer
- events in the great European war
INST be impressed with the fact that
IBIS struggle is breeding enough i'm
-orali.y and vice to Overwhelmingly
,oun,erbalance any such spiritual gains
nat may perchsnoe accrue. The war
lss bred yiciousnsss in an amazing
fashion. ana II America is forced TO
plvrre into 10 as deeply as her allies
have been dragged we may. expect the
situation 20 bear similar fruit on this
SIDE Of the world There is q demand,
therefore. for some very plain speak
ing and a frank recognition Of critical
condition. to the end of our social
.s.yaaon.
Vice Rampant Everywhere
To one interested In the problems Of
society ;he most apparent fact in con-
rec.ion with the war is the great in
crease IN immortality. In every Euro
peaa city vice is rampant. 1t stalks
the streets openly. day and night, and
with brazcn efrontery haunts itself in
The face O. Jaw, order and all moral
conceptions.
So Geplorable has the situation be-
come that there is small danger Of OK
ageerstinc ITS seriousness. While there
has been q decrease in what we usually
regard as the more serious forms OF
crime-burglary highway robbery, MUIR
dor and Che lkc-owine 10 the TACT that
The men who usually commit such
crimes have been placed IN the armies
r.i,bchayior Of the m0Ie unmentiona0le
TYNE has received the greatest impetus
ne have ever known. And to-day the
streets Of London. Paris. Rome and
other cities are vertable cesspoois OF
inigui.v. So mucn so. indeed, that the
soiourncrs ia :hese places feel as II
thew hsve abandoned all mora! re.
,,rairts and thrown TO the winds all
desires and attempts 10 preserve the
purity and the health OF their people.
In al OF these cities the streets are
.hror,ri with women OF the under
vo,ld- There are thousands upon thou
.aris of them, moving here and there
ia tho darkened cities and plying lhelr
trade with the utmost abandon ana
holiness. So prolific are they that IT Is
nothing unusual TO sec four or hVe
GIL accost a man simultaneously and
fsl 20 disputing among themselves as
70 which has the prior claim upon ms
attentions. and so bold are they that
thew FREQUENT constantly the lounges
and the tea rooms Of the best hotels
u.th perfect freedom and confidence.
Soldiers Their Special Prey
The courtesans have an especial pre-
Election for the soldiers, and these
mon. many Of whom have come from
rho distant colonies overseas and are
without friends IN the great centres OF
European population, fall easy prey TO
their Vaccinations. So alarming are
The propcrtions which the vice problem
has assumed on account of the war that
the casual observer is almost con-
strained TO believe that the whole
moral fabric Of the nations has been
Destroyed.
Tie causes for such state Of az
Fans are very apparent. In the hrS1
place. the problem is aggravated by the
thousands Of refugees who nave been
driven into foreign cities. These rel
urees have furnished large percent.
ago Of the immoral women. hundreds OF
them drifting 20 the street under the
pressure OF economic and social needs.
Then there are the wives and widows
or the soldiers who, in the absence Oh
the husbands. have become degenerate.
/. is d remarkable fact that nearly all
~ these women claim 10 belong 10 this
efas, have spoken 20 large num-
her Of them. and without exception
,bcy hive declared that their husbN\ds
are in the army or have fallen on ~
se,ds One may not Judge whether the
statements are true or whether the
women believe there is an especial
r.r.1e IN having a man with the colors,
On. +, rs we'll known that the absence
% the men is one of the largest factors
ID tho increase Of crime.
Soldiers Find Wives Gone
OF the seriousness Of this situation
then. can be- 10 doubt Hundreds OF
soldiers have returned on leave to
their homes to find their wives gone,
derrsved diseased or the mothers
Of ,uegitimato children. The law
courts. temperance societies ana an
social agencies have been forced
90 take cognizance of this deplora-
Bio sitYat,on. A corporal who was
declared by his officer 20 be the pest
tyue az soldier came home from
the Sonme TO spend Christmas WIN
his family and. when he found tnat
lne pubfc-house had caused Inc rum
Of his wife, he committed murder'
and, ir sentencing him 70 Jam, thc
Judge declared: "Such man. WIN
such character. ought not TO be WIN
Criminals you should make trenches
between our homes and the puoiie-
louise" exclaimed young soldler
whose home had been ruined TO
member OF Parliament who had urged
bis enlistment under promise that MS
family would be cared for.
Another man. returning from the
trenches. found that his wire had
committed suicide. preterring death 70
facing her husband after her shame
leaving three children, including the
one just born. 20 break the news 10
The father. Such happenings are so
common that they are no longer eN-