Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-06-21
MADE int Germany Lies About Morals of
American Soldiers are Vicious and Wicked

To the fathers and mothers, Sis
tiers and brothers, wives, s~weethearts
and friends Of the men in the Amer
lean expeditionary force:
We hear that you have been re-
called with some alarming stories
about us of the A. E. F. and our
conduct here in France. In fact some
of those stories have been relayed to
us, and If they weren't so far from
the truth we might be inclined to
get really mad. But knowing the au-
thors of some of them-for some Of
the hysterical stripe have really
been over here-our first inclination
is to laugh.
But, after all, its no laughing
matter to be talked about behind
our backs in such a reckless and
irresponsible way by reckless and
irresponsible people, though no
doubt they have the best intentions
in the world and think that they,
and they alone can save us. (They
have probably told you that, and
asked you to contribute money to
their worthy cause, haven't they0
What hurts most, however, is the
thot that tho we know you are loyal
to us and have the firmest of faith
in us, perhaps those dire tales may
have caused you anxiety, may even
have brought you to believe that
perhaps, after all, we had become a
bit neglectful of trust, and that,
so believing you might have be-
come sorely, and unduly, distressed
in spirit.
Be assured that these sensational
stories are nothing but myths. alb
solutely nothing else. n we have
the facts to prove that they are.
Listen:
The percentage of veneral disease
in this army of yours is one tenth
of n percent-the smallest per-
centage on record for any army, or
any civil population, in hte worlds
history. 1t is a sober army, and a
we'll behaved me-. The statistics in
the possession of the judge advocate
generals department prove that
there have been in proportion, few
er cases OF drunkenness, fewer cases
of breach of military dicipline a.
mong its members than has been
the case with any army whose re-
cords have been preserved.
One Story Circulated.
Now, to take a specific instance
A certain self constituted board Of
morals" is quoted in a dispatch
feet that l,046 men from the "nortf
eastern states" were. locked up ir
the gaurdhouse following theil
first payday, for drunkenness.
That Is the story; here are thu
facts:
Since the troops referred to a,
coming from the NORTHEASTERN
states, came to France. the tota
number of their me- locked up II
the gaurdhouse for all offenses-
has been only 134 to date. In othe
words, the self constituted cham
pions Of sobriety generously mul
tiplied by eight. the number OF mel
imprisoned for all the offenses-
including as 1t does those punishe,
for infractions of rules. insubordi
, nation and the like-and passed
!. the enlarged figures on to you a
representing the number of me
! locked up for drunkenness alone
. No wonder you were scared q
they probably intended you shout
be.
. Just to refute them again, her
:. Is a quotation from the report of
r Protestant chaplain on active Sci
vice with these same maligne
$ troops from the 'northeaster
states Bear in mind, to, the
this particular chaplain has been |
the army but a short time, an
therefore brings a fresh and impal
r tial Judgment to bear on the prol
d lens. This is what he says:
g lin performing my priestly fun
lions 1t has been my privilege
travel considerably among tt
troops. and 1t pleases me immensel
to be able to state that / find NOR,
= conditions most satisfactory. TT
The military authorities are Wig
liant in removing temptation. "
have a clean army; and I am hol
estly convinced that the men
FGrance are in less danger moral
. than they would be In service
their own country"