The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-04-18


regarding the moral and physical con-
dition of the American soldiers under
4 his command under date of March 25:
General Pershing sat at his desk in
a barracks office at his headquarters
in France. He looked very earnest,
very vigorous, very soldierly. When
| / told him Of some of the reports
which l had been informed were gain
ing circulation back at home as to the
condition of our army here in France
he was astonished. Then he smiled.
Moral Safeguards.
Anyone who has such notions has
been woefully misinformed," he said,
land should be set right. 1t has been
our endeavor to surround American
men who have come to France as a
part of the fighting forces with the
same moral safeguards that would
surround them in their homes.
These men have not come over here
in a holiday making mood but are an
mated by as high spiritual motive
as a man can feel, probably the most
serious which most of them have ever
felt. They are in a state of mind bet
ter than that usual to young men for
the resistance of such temptation as
may face them. This alone would
protect them even in a vicious envir-
onment.
add to these facts the further cir
cumstances that they are under rigid
discipline, in charge of officers thor
oughly informed as to all perils, moral
as we'll as physical. which may con-
front soldier, young or old, and in
stantly 1t will be perceived that all
the talk about the moral hazards
which beset Americas soldiers here In
France is without justification.
Compared With Home Towns.
II may add the concrete statement
that in this command there is at pres
ent only thirty-one hundredths Of l
per cent of communicable disease,
much. of which was brought from the
states. That Is condition not likely
to be equalled among youngsters in
their home towns. AS a matter of
fact / doubt if it is paralleled today in
the average American city, large or
small. In short the moral tone of the
American army in France is excellent
and has never been surpassed in any
army anywhere.
HOur IF hioh
age intelligence. They have come for
business and not for pleasure. They
have come to fight in good cause
and they are far too sensible not to
know that they could not fight eff
fectively if they did not maintain
high standard Of physical health.
After we have given our men full
and ample credit and only after that
we may consider further that they are
under discipline Of which medical in
spection, instruction and hygiene ana
care of health form large part. All
these are directed to the preservation
of our soldiers from especial dangers
Parents Need Not Worry.
Fathers and mothers at home need
not worry. as their sons are clean, and
every possible moral influence will be
brought to bear to keep them so. In
short the boy serving as a soldier in
the United States expeditionary forces
will be protected by environment
which essentially is good"
1 asked General Pershing if he felt
satisfied with the general situation.
when we analyze in detail what
has been accomplished" he replied,
I'VE find it very inspiring.
but nothing should be said which
might cause any person in America
to relax the intensity Of the war eff
fort which the nation Is now making
and for a long time to come must
continue to make.
Let those at home feel sure that
the army has full confidence that
nothing will be left undone which is
necessary to be done. We are in full
sympathy with the giant efforts that
are being made at home, and l strong
ly condemn the petty mind that woul
make political capital Of the unreadi-
ness for which the whole nation was
responsible
Woman's Influence at Homo and
Abroad.
"As to our women we know that
they WELD the most important influ-
ence on the preparatory work at home
and upon the morale and fighting spir.
It of our men abroad. They have beer
superb so far and it Is certain the!
will continue to be splendid.
1.-THE Influence which our womei
exercise upon the army's conduct II
this war can not be overestimated
They are the army's inspiration II
everything 1t does. The soldier fight
not for himself but for the woman n
loves-for her and her posterity.
1--WE must participate in the world
fight for the preservation and ad
vancement Of civilization. and this ap
peals perhaps more strongly to wome
than to men.
$50 the army's message to the Wo
$3.50 4 &1o% to bara for than, w