The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-06-21
THURSDAY, JUNE 81, 1917.
Patriotism and ROwdyis1n.

Great Lakes have sought to send broad
east the statement that Kenosha people
are lacking in patriotism. The reason
for this action is the fact that Kenosha
police officers have insisted that men
who wear the uniform of the United
States navy conduct themselves as gen.
tlmen. Kenosha people have tried to
draw a line between patriotism and
rowdyism. Kenosha police Officers
have made an effort to insist that some
idea of compliance with the laws they
are sworn to obey, be instilled into the
minds of budding naval recruits. They
have insisted that the civilian has
rights as we'll as the soldier and that
the sailor is just as much expected to
respect these rights as any one else.
Kenosha has not sought to turn it's
street into a training camp for moral
training Of naval recruits. 1t has
simply insisted that recruit who comes
to Kenosha to spend his "time off
conduct himself something like gen
tleman. 1t has made liberal allowances
for the exuberance and enthusiasm OF
youth. 1t has turned its back on
minor infractions of the law on account
of the fact that the offending party
wore the uniform of the United States
navy. AS city it has opened its heart
and it's homes to naval recruits and has
shown them every courtesy. But-the
people of Kenosha do not believe that
q part Of the education Of the naval
recruit consists in debauchery or thor
ough and studied negligence of the
rights OF others. Captain Moffett at
the Naval Training Station has the best
interests of the boys under him at heart
and Kenosha should expect from him
the most active cooperation In its eff
forts to force these boys to be gentle
men rather than rowdies and drunkards.
If it is persecution of recruit to
saw that he shall not violate the law,
that he shall not become drunk and dis
orderly. that he shall not insult women
y
of prosecuting the recruits. 1t had
h,en our idea that it was the purpose
OF the United States government to de-
velop from these men the fighting men
of nation. A fighting man must
have youth and strength and moral
courage. He must have health to give
him these. He must understand how
to subdue his enthusiasm and his pas
sion and he must learn first Of all to re-
spect the rights of others. Kenosha has
asked nothing else from these men. 1t
has been willing to grant nothing more
There is nothing in the code of the
United States army or navy that makes
the men who wear government uni
form privileged class 1t is unfair
to them and unpatriotic to the nation
to demand that any such privileges be
accorded AS the soldier and the sailor
is expected to be brave on the fighting
front 80 is he expected to be gentlemanly
and law abiding in the piping times OF
peace. The trouble with the men in
command at Great Lakes is that they
are unaware of the things which these
recruits do Boys caught shooting with
a pea shooter in school deny their guilt
and insist on the proof and it is only
fair to believe that the naval recruit
arrested as rowdy will insist that he
is "persecuted. +" Let the naval train
ing officials send men with the recruits
to Kenosha that they may know where
of they speak before they seek to lay
an embargo on Kenosha. Kenosha s
parks and play grounds, It's wide av-
enues and shady streets, its theatres and
its picture shows and the homes of its
people are open for the entertainment
of men in the uniform of the nation
who conduct themselves in keeping
with the demand of such uniform. Its
saloons are closed to them. The City
of Kenosha will not be guilty of making
drunkards of these boys even though
it is to be accused of persecution. 1t
will not be guilty of permitting them to
make rowdies of themselves even though
it be called unpatriotic' by men who
speak with half of the facts in hand.
The patriotism Of Kenosha is of the
kind that demands that men obey the
law. Men who do not obey the law
are liable to arrest in Kenosha and it
matters not what uniform they wear.
Eickly sentimental patriotism that
humors men to be rowdies and drunk
ards just because they carry flag and
wear a uniform is patriotism misplaced
and patriotism misunderstood. Kenosha
wants to do its full share to contribute
to the manhood of the army and navy.
1t will not have any part in the de-
qradation and the debauchery of the
men who are in the service. If this be
persecution" then make the most of
it, Kenosha wants to entertain gentle
men Naval Recruits at all times. Ke-
nosha will not tolerate any other kind.
It welcomes the embargo which has
been placed by the men in charge of
these young men and asks that it be