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

SUMMARY,
4. Tho Nmcrican Military and
Naval Forces in Europe are
splendid body of men. Taking
a. d whole they are 80 clean, 81
sober. and 80 efficient that they
bring feeling of pride tn every
American who SECS them, ana
who knows the record they are
making.
= The commanding officers
of the Army and Navy are deeply
concerned for the moral9 of the
men under their control. They
arc In full sympathy with thc
iav passed ny Congress for the
protect ion Of the solG9a"r~ and
sailors from Vice and intcmpcr-
ancc, aud are earnest and persist
ent in their efforts la promote
confluence aud sohrictt in both
uf1itxrs aud men, not simply by
prohihitors aud rcprc~siSc meas
ufvss, but hs positive efforts to
divert and occupy the time and
thought of tho men when OF duty
with social. rccrtationai. cdica-
tional. and amusement features
~ AN innocent ind etesatirtg na-
ture
3. The people Of the United
states have emphasized in the
most positive and helpful fashion
the duty of q nation to care for
the social and moral welfare of
It's ~eYsS In time Of war ny the
splendid contributions they have
made la men. women. and money
for carrying on the work OF the
v VI. {. \, and the y. w. &. y.
and the Rcd Cross, thus making
II possible for the soldiers tn
have In every city. town. and
camp, where they MAY TIC los al
ed. comfpgtahic meeting places,
where under the supervision of In
teiiigcnt. patriotic. helpful men
and women, social. educational
recreationai and rcii2 tous oppor-
tunitieS are offered. which are of
inCaicuiable pleasure and profit
to the men. and the surest pos
sible preventive OF drunkenness
and immortality. These great or
ganizations. working along with
the chapiains, strongly supported
and aided a. they are by the COM
HlaIlutuk WI s1tt Ivy atsRt
Navy. act as n great social,
moral. and spiritual tonic, per-
neating the great body of men.
4. While the American sailors
and soldiers taken a. "A body are
Doubtless far above the average
In clean and sober living, yet
there IL much drinking Of wine
and beer. very much more than
among the forces in the United
States and much among men who
had not contracted the habit be-
fore. There IL also very consider
able drinking of strong liquors.
especially brandy although for
hidden In General Order No. ~
In the seaport cities. in London
and Paris, and in all the larger
towns and cities. but decreasing
to n minimum In the towns and
villages In the fighting zone
There has been drinking TO ex-
cess" especially In London and
Paris and the port cities, which
has sometimes hsen SO great as
to cause very unfavorable com
ment, and To require strict repres-
sive measures to be taken by the
commanding officers. Such drink
ing has been accompanied. as Is
usually the case, with sexual Int
morality. rs II result of which
In some sections ''venercai disease
was reaching a percentage larger
than could he ignored" II ap-
pears that I'm proportion To num-
hers there has been II greater
amount of drinking to excess and
hss
than among the men. This APP
pears TO be due to the fact that
in creating such a large body OF
officers. II has happened. as might
have been expected, that many
have been commissioned who
have been lacking in discretion
and self control When freed
from the restraint of the pro-
hibitory law against intoxicants
and prostitution in the United
States, and given the freedom
which officers have I'm France.
such men have not restrained
themselves, but have INDUCED
their nppetitcs to the detriment
OF discipline among tho men I'M
der them and to the dishonor of the
American uniform, which. to the
praise Of the higher officers he Il
said, has resulted In their dis
charge from the navy and army
and their return to tho Unit6d
States.
s. General order. No. ~.
which was issued In order to meet
the unsatisfactory conditions ex-
listing. especially in the port towns
has been helpful, but while II has
checked, II has not controlled
the evils. The exemption Of light
wines and beer Is a distinct low
sEfng Of the standard set for the