Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-24
City Regenerated
For Benefit of
American, Soldiers

Washington. Oct. 24.-Anerican SOL
diers refuse to admit that the word
Impossible" has application to their
problems. Moved by the same spirit,
Americans here at home have attacked
and solved certain problems affecting
the soldiers which hitherto had been
deemed impossible of solution. Once
that spirit became manifest in the de-
termination OF the war department
commission on training camp activities
10 safeguard men in camps. both
physically and morally. ways were
found 10 enforce laws before consid-
cred unerforceable. and to abate con
ditions before accepted as permanent
The case of Corpus Christi, Tex. as
narrated by Mayor Roy II. Miller. is
typical OF what has been accomplished
/ in that direction. Two years ago that
community. a city OF 1900, neither bet
/ ter nor worse than others in the land.
! became the base of the Texas brigade
| OF the national guard. 1900 strong. just
returned from sojourn in the mesquite
along the Mexican border. Tho the city
was dry" bottleggers piled their trade.
gamblers found their victims. and the
city fathers under charter provisions
maintained a Segregated district 1t
became apparent at once to the officials
| that something must be done for the
men in uniform. So an attempt to
clean up" was made: merchants were
pledged to charge no more to soldiers
| than to regular civilian customers. the
police were instructed to drive out the
gamblers and the illicit liquor dealers.
/ the regulations affecting the prosti-
tutes were frightened.
| Moreover. the citizens undertook to
provide in their homes and churches a
certain amount of social life for the
men quartered in Corpus Christi. But
there was nothing resembling an or
ganized program directed by experts.
The results satisfied the local officials
! and the army authorities in the dis
trict.
But looking back now" declares
| Mayor Miller. IT can readily see that
the whole arrangement was merely an
invitation to the men to visit undesir-
able places"
Then in May. 1917 the secretaries of
war and the navy were ordered to do
everything by them deemed necessary
TO. protect men in service from prosti-
tutes and liquor sellers. Barred zones
were created and the work OF enforcing
the new regulations was turned over to
the commissions on training camp
activities The result was the accom-
plishment of the impossible.
" certain regiment left for some
where in France a short time ago. after
being stationed here for nearly year"
said Mayor Miller Its personnel, both
officers and enlisted men, had become
a part of the city's life. Indeed the
attachment had grown so strong that
when they took their departure it was
like the separation of members of a
family. I doubt very much if among
the hundreds Of thousan ds Of American
boys who have gone over there there
is an organization composed OF men
better fit physically, mentally, and
morally, or in any particular which
goes to make up good fighting man.
That the atmosphere in which they
were trained had much to do with this
fact, have no doubt. During the time
: the regiment was stationed here there
was not a single death nor serious case
of illness among the men Of the COM
mand. The record of the regiment in
respect to intoxication and social dis
ease was remarkable This is the record
of achievement Of the law enforcement
division of the commission on training
camp activities. whose plans when first
announced were considered the ideals
Of few dreamers, but which have
proven the vital factor in conserving
the man-power essential to winning
the war"
Corpus Christi was entirely frank in
characterizing the cleanup regulations
as impossible when they were first pro-
mulgated. Mayor Miller regarded them
as running contrary to human nature
{ at least, to soldier nature.
But when the official order came.
he says, 81 conferred at once with ouI
chief of police and sheriff and told
S them that the district would be closed
: and that. Furthermore. it's inmates
r would be required to leave the city
I They were also informed that the order
would be carried out not only in letter
: but in spirit, and that the conditions
e heretofore tolerated in the city would
d summary cease. Within two hours
was advised that the order had beer
= carried out.
"At the outset the attitude Of my Off.
0 GERS was not enthusiastic since they
: did not believe it possible to make the
plan effective. But as they progressed
they took courage from the results
achieved. There began at once re-
4 markable exodus ofsail kinds of human
9 parasites and low characters. A few
: RAIDS and cases on the docket Of tbs
= federal court had most salutarv ef
2 feet. Well-known political ward
8 heelers'' left under cover Of night and
5 now operate across the river in Mexico
9 Meanwhile the commissions were
n working also along another line. Real