South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-06
BY w. G. Sterett-


and other material assistance .
carry on the war do il with feeling.
perhaps. that they are doing their
part. but doing II in vain.
7 have visited the camps at Bowie.
Macarthur and Travis visited
these camps with these reports N
my ears and with the determination
20 get down 10 the truth OF il, and
that truth / intended 10 tell.
whether IL brought satisfaction o.
dissatisfaction to the reader:
whether Il brought sorrow or hap
piness 10 the parent
Great Work i'm Texas.
To illustrate the character and
absurdity OF such stories a few may
be related The Fort Worth newspa-
pers on one day received many calls
from Dallas asking If the story in
circulation i'm the latter city to the
effect that an epidemic Of meningitis
existed at Camp Bowie was true.
For that story bore the news that
over 1000 Of the soldiers were az
thcted ana dying Of this disease. At
that moment there had been one
case of the disease IN the camp. Sui
another story was that on a certain
day nine boys Of the encampment
had been shot by military orders.
The fact OF this case were found %
be that soldier, meeting another
OF the streets OF Fort Worth and
discussing the conditions in camp.
stated that nine men Of his COM
pany had been shot" that morning.
The incubation OF a soldier is call
ed a shot" Nine soldiers had re-
ceived the incubation or shot"
That was enough, and the story OF
the placing Of these volunteers
against a wall and their death ut
the hands of a firing squad was all
over north Texas. The city marshal
Of Waco received telephone mes
sages from anxious mothers over
the report that there were 1900
cases and many deaths from pneu-
monia at Camp Macarthur, when
there was no ground for such a re-
port beyond the existence Of "A few
cases. The report OF the execution
of deserters is rife at all time.
when in fact that neither at Camp
Bowie, Camp Macarthur. or Camp
Travis, has there ever been an in
Fiction OF the death penalty or any
other severe penalty, for that mat
ter. for desertiOn.
This class of stories is disturbing.
but they are not as harmful as
those which represent the new SOL
diers as beset with venereal diseases
and rolling in drunkenness" These
last are those which destroy that
morale in civil life which is so nee
essary for the morale Of the army.
One can understand how idle an1
sensational minds or how hasty con
illusions can concoct and ornament
stories of the execution OF deserte-s
and ofh epidemics and plaques.
where there have been assertions OF
cases of sickness. but somewhat II
a elaboration for the accomplish
ment Of a purpose appears to DC
necessary TO fabricate such a story
as that Of our boys stricken with
venereal disease and rolling in
drunkenness at the three encamp-
ments in Texas. when only a partial
investigation will show il 10 be Ut
terly without foundation and. fur
Their. that the morals Of the soldiers
in these encampments. so far as
they may relate to health. are bet
ter looked after than they are or
ever were in civil life.
Booze Under the Ban.
As is known, the federal laws
impose. through the federal courts.
heavy fine and Imprisonment pun
ic me M
or sells n soldier any Intoxicating
liquors. The traffic in liquors with
soldiers is therefore prohibited. But
the prohibition does not wholly de-
stroy the traffic For there are peo-
pie who will run the risk of punish
ment for violating the law against
theft, burglary. arson. and murder.
In the three cities Of san Antonio.
Waco and Forth Worth. where the
camps are located. the military and
the city administrations work hand
in hand. Under an agreement the
city authorities turn over 10 the
provost marshals all soldiers arrest
ed for the violation Of city ordi-
nances. such as speeding. drunken
ness. disorderly conduct and the
like
In San Antonio the police force
numbers 202 men. To this force the
army attaches - soldiers. with a
promised increase to 100. as that
army's contribution 10 the munich
pal force. \ drunken soldier is
taken TO camp for punishment:
bootlegger is hailed before the fed
eral Judge. At San Antonio the city
pays So reward for the conviction
of a bootlegger and il is stated.
though I can not vouch for the
truth OF it. that the liquor retail
ers also pay a reward for ConVie-
ton. But il is a fact that this as
ISOLATION employs two detectives TO
assist the other authorities in en-
forcing the law against the sale OF
liquors 20 soldiers For the fear az
Fort Worth and san Antonio is that
If the law is not enforced the United
States or the state will apply pro
hibition TO those cities.
The police records Of san An
tonic. Waco and Fort Worth show
no arraignment OF soldiers for
drunkenness. They. however. show
arrests for bootlegging. Al san An
tonic there were as high as so ar
rests in October for this offense. The
offenders were MeNiCans. Negroes
and eonna uuforfunafa u-cr,,, T.