The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-18

powerful influence exercised upon ouI
men by the British and French troops
/ Training with them in the same camps
! hghting together for common caus'
there is tremendous pressure Il
yield TO their social habits and IL
drink as they drink.
ON February is. two months after
General order No. ~ was issued. wher
large numbers of our troops wsrs
moving through England. and many oi
them located In training camps there
General Pershing wrote to the chief
Of staff as quoted above stating that
he had called the attention of the
British authorities to the absolute pro-
hibition against strong drink in tht
United states for all officers and sol
diers in uniform, and asked their as
sistance in applying this as far as
consistent with their own lRwE and
customs to our troops serving with
them" thus indicating his desire for
absolute prohibition. but as yet addin g
no additional restrictions to those con-
tained in General order No. II.
The efforts of the commanding gen
ersl have been ably seconded by the
officers commanding at the various
bases The following quotations from
orders and circulars issued by General
W = scott in command of Base Sec
ton No. centerinR at Bordeaux are
fairly indicative of the attitude of the
commanding officers OF the American
sxpeditionary force in France and
Great Britain.
On FebruarS 81, General Scott is
sued memorandum No. IA. to officers
in base section. No. 2, in which il is
stated that some of the officers were
associating publicly with prostitutes:
that in future any officer found on the
street or cafe with a prostitute would
be court -martiaied for disgraCing the
uniform OF the United States army.
1t ia emphasized that steps will be
taken to ascertain regularly whether
officers are so conducting themselves,
and il is declared in the most positive
language that mo excuse will be ac-
cepted for drunkenness on the part OF
an officer or for association with a
woman OF immoral character"
one month later on March 81. Gem
eral Scott. issued general order No.
IS in which after quoting the para
graph of general order, No. II. con-
corning intemperance. 1t is strongly
emphasized that american officers,
soldiers. or civilian employees are for
hidden to drink, purchase. or receive
az gifts whiskey. brandy. Champagne
lioueurs or other alcoholic bever-
ages except light wines and beer "
Walking on the streets or holding con-
sations with women of immoral
character or entrance in to houses of
prostitution or designation by officers.
soldiers, or civilian employees ia a b.
solutely forbidden and violation of
the order concerning intoxicants and
i'm morality will he promptly followed
by court martial.
The order them states. THE con-
tinued violation of the laws of morali-
~ and dcceucy. and drinking i'm viola
ton of orders by officers. soldiers. and
civilian employees necessitates the
stringent methods of this order"
On March % a letter was addressed
TO officers explaining the necessity
for general order, No I6. issued the
previous day. The following extracts
are of interest as showing the desire
of General Scott to secure enforce
ment of the order. The many COM
plants reaching me from official
sources, and the comments and criti-
cisms of respecta bic French people
about the conduct of our officers and
soldiers necessitated the issue OF gem
eral order. No. l6. 1t be-
comes the duty of all officers who
maintain high standards to assist in
compelling those who disregard these
standards 10 live up to them. or he
separated from the service and have
their places filled by others who will
conform to these standards" Con-
tinuing the letter says Il therefore
request that YOU make IT part Of
your constant duty to aid in COM
peling officers who are disposed 10
lower their standards to live IN to
them by advising and encouraging
them, and when these methods fail
to report them officially and personal
ly to me. that disciplinary measures
may be taken against them. | advise
that YOU assemble all officers under
your supervision and make known to
them the contents of this letter and
inform them of the action you pro-
pose to take in case of their failure
to conform to the required standard,
and in case Of violation of existing
orders
TEMPERANCE.
ON March 25, General Scott ad-
dressed long letter to General
Hallouin, in charge of the French re-
gion around Bordeaux. on the subject
OF prostitution and Intemperance."
The letter first quotes the paragra phs
relating to prostitution and Intemp-
eranCe" in General Pershings orders,
Nos. 6, "a and II, and then proceeds
as follows;
2. IL did not seem possible TO con-
form entirely to some OF the require
ments OF the above quoted orders in
this Base Section in large cities such
as bordeaux, and efforts were made to
control the matter of prostitution and
intemperance without interfering in
any way with local conditions. 1t has
however been found that the spread
of venereal disease was reaching
percentage larger than could well be
ignored II was found that American
soldiers were drinking 10 excess liu-
uors secured in the numerous licens-
ed cafes and hotels in the various To-
caiities of this Base Section. An eff
forth sa been made since December /
to improve these conditions but with
little success. The French authorities
were requested to limit the sales of
liquors to American officers and sol
diers, except between the hours of
1900 and 90, and $50 and $50
y, Nj, The French were very con-
siderate and issued proclama tons to
this effect. 1t was found however
that the proclamation was ignored by
many cafes, hotels. etc. and drinking
TO excess became so universal that I
found il necessary to issue orders re-
the districts of prostitu-
ton, and also the matter of purchas-
ing and consum ption OF liquors
B. attach herewith a copy of
my general order. No. is, under date
NJ "a HHI