Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-19
City in Bad With Govern
ment.

When it is possible for United States
soldiers in uniform to register at Rock
Island hotels with young girls it is
high time that some attention was
given the community with reference to
moral healthfulness. Yet that is what
happened in this city last week. Two
of the girls were Is years of age and
the third IA White slave charges
have been instituted against two OF the
soldiers, while the other is to be pros
ecuted in the local courts for rape.
The three couples are alleged to
have formed party that obtained
lodgings in a hotel and remained
there through two days and two
nights. They were served all the
liquor they were able to CONSUME and
pay for. The soldiers have been sta
toned at Rock Island arsenal. The
two charged with white slavery have
been cited before the United States
court at Peoria. The three girls re-
side in Davenport.
Despite that frequent warnings
have been sounded for the guidance
of Rock Island; and all the known
disorderly resorts have been closed, it
would appear that it will he neces-
sary for the government to go fur
Their in its efforts to make it safe for
its soldiers while, in this community.
Whether it would have been possible
for the six young people to have Sc
cured hotel accommodations in DAY.
export or Moline-and it is to be
doubted that they could have--is be-
. side the question. The fact stands
that here in Rock Island we are not
enforcing the precautions that we
should in the interest OF the United
StaAs army morale. Frequent warn
ings have been issued against the sale
Of liquor to men in uniform, yet they
manage to get all they want so long as
they possess the cash with which to
pay for it. 1t has not been proved
that saloonkeepers are violating the
regulations in this respect On the
contrary the belief is that the saloon
keepers. are doing their utmost to
keep drink out of the hands of the
men in uniform. But there are blind
pigs still in the city, and then there
are the alley operators, fellows who
load their pockets with bottles of red
eye and peddle it out at excessive
prices to the soldier with an appe-
tite. In one instance it was found that
"A porter connected with a saloon was
carrying on a profitable business in
liquor among the soldiers. Finally he
was arrested and fined
The city of Rock Island is in bad
repute with the United States govern
ment because it has been Indifferent
to the pleas that have been made in
the interest OF the boys who are in
service at the local arsenal, NJ whom
there are several hundred a force
that will be retained at those proper
lions until the termination of the war.
1t is not meant to imply that the de-
fance of Advertisements has been
general. for it has not been. At the
foundation of most of the bad atmos-
phere that hovers over Rock Island Is
desire on the part of a few 10 get the
money while the getting is good. In
most instances they are persons who
are riding the damp wave, taking it
for granted that it is only a matter of
short time until the city has been
placed in the dry zone, which will
mean that there will be tightening
all along the line and the free reign
that is now permitted will be checked.
The three soldiers referred to did not
have to seek accommodations at a ho-
tel They could have secured rooms
at dozens Of places In the business dis
trict that are nothing more than wide
open designation houses. The fact
that they were bold enough to ven
ture into hotel is proof that it was
rot the first time such conveniences
were had at supposedly .legitimately
conducted places.
1t would not be surprising-in fact
1t is limited that there already has
been discussion Of such a suggestion
II the arsenal authorities, in order to
insure needed protection, would pro-
hibit visitations to the city OF Rock
Island of soldiers stationed at NE To-
cal government post. 1t does seem
that people OF Rock Island owe it to
themselves, to their respect for their
home community, to guard against
repetition OF the latest scandal that
has been brought to light. 1t be-
comes the duty of each individual
who is in position to do so, to pre-
vent such occurrences.