Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-10
LIES ABOUT ARMY
DUE TO GERMANS

lContlnued from First Page.)
teers against u wall and their death
ut the hards OF a firing .Quad was
oil over North Texas. The city mar
shall Of Waco received telephone mes
sages from anxious .nothers over the
report that there were 1.2G0 cascs and
many deaths from pneumonia at Camp
Macarthur, when there was no ground
for such report beyond the existence
OF few cases. The report Of the ex-
ecution Of deserters is rife at all times.
when 1t is q fact that neither at Camp
Bowie. Camp Macarthur. or Camp
Travis has there ever been An infliction
Of the death penalty or any other Sc
we're penalty, for that matter. sor de-
gertion.
This class OF stories is disturbing,
but they are not as harmful as those
which represent the new soldiers as
beset with vencreal diseases and roll
ing In drunkenness" These last are
those which destroy that morale In civil
life which Is SO necessary for the
morale OF the army. Ono can under
stand how idle and sensational minds or
how hasty conclusions can concoct and
ornament stories OF tho execution Of
deserters and OF epidemics and plaques.
where there have been assertions or
cases OF sickness. but somewhat OF a
elaboration for the accomplishment Of
purpose appears to DO necessary to
fabricate such story as that OF our
boys stricken with vencreal disease and
rolling" In drunkenness at the three
encampments in Texas when only a
partial investigation will show 1t to
be utterly without foundation and, fur
Their. that the morals Of the soldiers in
these encampments. SO far as they may
relate to health. are better looked after
than they are or ever were in civil life.
AS is known. the Federal laws i'm
pose, through Federal courts. a heavy
fine and Imprisonment punishment on
any one who either gives or sells a
soldier any Intoxicating liquors. The
traffic In liquors with soldiers Is. there
| fore prohibited. But the prohibition
does not wholly destroy the traffic.
For there are people who will run the
risk OF punishment for violating the
law against theft. burglary. arson and
murder. In the three cities OF San An
| tonic, Waco and Fort Worth. where the
camps are located. the military and the
city administrations work hand in hand
Under an agreement. tho city authori-
ties TURN over 10 ttlc UEONoSl
| all soldiers arrested for the violation
Of city ordinances. such rs speeding.
drunkenness. disorderly conduct and
| the like.
| In San Antonio the police force num-
! bers 2o2 men. To this force the army
| attaches sevcntyfive soldiers. with a
| promised increase to 100, as that
army's contribution to the municipal
! force. A drunken soldier is taken TO
camp for punishment: n bootlegger Is
hailed before the Federal Judge. At
| San Antonio the city pays s25 reward
| for the conviction OF n bootleggcr and
1t is stated though can not vouch
| for the truth of 1t, that the liquor
retailers also pay reward for con-
victIon. But 1t Is a fact that this
association employs two detectives -
assist the other authorities In enforc-
ing the law against the sale Of liquors
to soldiers. For the fear at Fort
Worth and San Antonio is that il the
law is not enforced the United States
or the State will apply prohibition to
those cities.
MANY ARRESTS FOR
BOoTLEGGING SHOWN
The police records of San Antonio,
Waco, and Fort Worth show no ar
| rainment OF soldiers for drunkenness.
They. however. show arrests for boot
logging. AT San Antonio there were
n oio