The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1919-10-16
AN UNJUST REFLECTION
ON AMERICAN BOYS IN EUROPE
Reports Now in Calculations Place
Soldiers Still Over There i'm a
False Light Mt Home

For the information of the public.
we quote from a letter addressed to
The Herald editor under date of
October IA, 1919, which treats of a
matter of general interest and of per-
sonal concern to all those who have
sons still with the American forces in
France:
1T seems from letters gotten from
some of our boys,mwho are left in
France, that the report has gotten
circulated in the United States that
these boys are kept in France be-
cause of venereal diseases. Here is
an extract from letter just receiv-
ed from one of our boys in France,
and 1t can be said without doubt that
this boy is one of the purest boys
that can be found in the United
States:
There seems to be a report cir
culated in the United States, and we
are told that the War Department
started 1t, that every man still in
France is kept there because of VEN
ereal disease. The report is abso-
lutely false and has caused lots of
boys, who have the misfortune to be
kept over here and yet, just as clean
as they were when they left the States
to lose their sweethearts and the re-
spect of their parents. Mother has
never said anything to me and hope
she has never once thought that /
would disgrace myself and all those
whom / hold dear to me, but the
question has been put to me by a
girl of Punta Gorda. You cannot
know how 1t hurt me and yet, how
can / prove my innocence, when ac-
cording to the War Department there
is every reason to believe me guilty?
Naturally, / would tell her that /
was innocent. There are three
thousand miles between us and / can
tell her anything and get away with
it, at least for the time being. Can
you not see what predicament we,
are left In? 1t Is certainly an in
justice done to us and something
should be done.
we are also told that soldier
wearing one or more gold stripes is
looked down on by society and should
be avoided as it is very probable he
has venereal disease
Nov Mr.. Editor, 1t would seem
that somebody is doing our boys in
France an exceeding great injustice
and this matter should be investigat-
ed by Congress, as you can readily
see from the quotation above that
there is absolutely no defense or
proof that our boys over there can
give for their innocence except their
word. And in such cases one ex-
poets them to do nothing but deny
such charge. We as citizens of
the United States should rise up in
arms at such disgraceful charge
made against our innocent boys. 1t
Is hard enough for our boys to have
% stay over there so long after hos
.ilities have ceased, but when 1t
zones to tearing their heart strings
oose from the girls whom they have
eft here and to whom they have been
rue blue, it is cowar rdly--an unman-
y trick to imply that they are guilty
If such disgraceful practice, yet
hey are powerless to prove their in
locence to these dear ones, and l
would like for you to tell me how
hey are going to prove their inno-
ence in the face of such reports.
This matter should be brought be-s
ore the citizens of our country thru
he press, and such reports ground
nto the dirt in the mouths of such !.
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