The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-07-20
TWIN CITY NEWS
Protection of
Our Girls from
a Real Dan ger
Social Problem of Great Importance
Presented by New Mifitaristic
f. Conditions in Our City.

Having become something of mill.
tary center by reason of the establish
ment of training quarters, Minneapo-
lis has had forced upon her attention
one of the problems of the new stu
alton developed by our sudden transit
ton into militaristic community.
The whole country is actively in
terested in the work of looking after
the comfort and amusement of our
young soldiers during the preparatory
stages of their progress in military
training for the great task that awaits
them in the overseas theatre of actual
hostilities.
Very properly every effort is being
made to render the life of these young
men called to the colors as cheerful
as possible. They are the recipients
of public and private hospitality every
where. Conveniences are provided
for them and all manner of kindnesses
extended by well-meaning and enthu-
siastic citizens, individually and COL
lectively. The position of the youth
full soldier suddenly removed from the
peaceful pursuits and influences of
quiet domesticity and projected into
a mode of life and an atmosphere en-
tirely new and strange to them, has
particular appeal for the sympathetic
nature of women, whose activities in
behalf of the boys in uniform are
manifold and unremitting.
Now all this is very fine and COM
mendable when these enthusiastic eff
forts are kept within reasonable limits.
But it is very easy for this sort of
thing to be Overdone, and the receipt
ents of a too exuberant interest in
their welfare may be hurt rather than
helped by excessive attentions. It
does not seem to have occurred to the
kind-hearted promoters of these be-
nevolent movements that uniform by
no means transforms the instincts and
character of the individual wearing it.
Among the boys in khaki there is
the same university of manners and
morals and inclinations and habits
that prevailed among them in civil
life. The discipline of the army
changes and standardiZes the physi-
cal and mental qualities of those sub
jected to it, in certain ways, but it
does not affect their moral or spiritual
bent to any appreciate degree as ex-
perience abundantly testifies.
The point, then, that it is sought to
enforce is this: that the letting down
of the social bars, SO to speak, by the
indiscriminate and excessive endeav-
ors to make the lot of these young
soldiers more agreeable results in
more harm than good in many, many
cases. This is especially true in the
matter Of removing the conventional
restraints which ordinarily control the
forming Of acquaintanceships of young
persons of opposite sexes.
Now, it is notorious fact that the
observance of conventionalities in
this respect has become very lax
among certain classes in every COM
munity where soldiers are found in
considerable numbers. 1t too often
happens that they are waived entire
ly, and that young girls otherwise
quite proper in their behavior feel at
| liberty to form the acquaintance Of
strangers without any formality what
ever, simply on the strength Of the
soldiers uniform. .....-
Acquaintanceship acquired in this
way quickly develops into familiarity
exceedingly dangerous to all con-
cerned, but especially so to the girl if
she happens to be as innocent as she
is foolish On the other hand, if the
boy is the unsophisticated one of the
twain, he becomes the victim of cir.
cumstances. The government is ex-
erting extraordinary authority to pro-
tect it's newly created soldiers against
the wiles of shameless females.
But who is to save the silly, thought
less girls from the consequences OF
their own folly?