Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-01
PARIS YANkS
ARE CLEARED
BY PERSHING
Brands Crime Charges
Against U. S. Men as
Gross Exaggerations'

! washington, feD. I.-UeneTA
Pershing in an official telegram
to Secretary Baker today char
acteriZed the sensational re-
ports in French newspapers of
assaults and burglaries having
been committed in Paris by
American soldiers rs "grOss ex-
aggeratiOnS.7
The number of crimes committed
by American soldiers, he said, was
almost negligible considering the
large number of men in the vicinity.
He recommended that a full refu-
/ tation of the charges be put before
the American public.
Since the conclusion of the arm
, istice the report added, Paris has Of
fered attraction to men mischiev-
ously and criminally inclined and
this has resulted in minor disturb
ances, but the American military
police organization is excellent and
disorders are kept at a minimum.
Pershilg's Cable.
General Pershings cablegram
was made public by the depart
ment 1t follows:
Referring TO your telegram No.
2,570, a personal knowledge of con-
ditions and investigation since re-
ce!ving your telegram shows that
sensational reports as to assaults
and burglaries by American SOL
diers are gross exaggeratious
Crimes by American soldiers in
Paris are most negligible, consid-
ering the large number in the vi
cinity. The same may be said as
to conditions throughout France.
Since the conclusion of the ar
mistice Paris offers attractions to
men mischievously and criminaliy
inclined. Naturally. there are mi
nor disturbances But the Ameri-
can military police organization is
excellent and the disorders are be
ing kept at a minimum None of
them are traceable to faulty pay
systems.
Must Clear Men.
There are individual cases of
delayed payment due to a change
in pay system which took place
during hostilities. The new pay
system enables a soldier to get pay
from paymaster when money is due
him. Generally speaking, the pay
has been almost always correct.
The pay apartment has been seBd-
ing officers to find casuals at our
hospitals and elsewhere with d.
rections to pay men whose records
are entirely lost Full refutation
of the charges made regarding
crimes and disorder in Paris can
not be put too strongly before the
American public"
Paris, Jan. 24.-(Correspondence
of the Associated Press The Am
erican military policeman is about
the most all-pervading thing in the
city of Paris. The machinery of
registration in and out of the rail
way stations cannot be penetrated
by those absent without leave"
On the incoming platform at all
the railway stations a line of these
men distinguished by red hat bands
and black brassards bearing the
letters IN. P" herds every Ameri-
can along a designated passage, US
ually fenced in. to the registration
office There his travel orders and
Identification card are examined.
and he is given a little blue ticket
on which is written the period of
his stay in Paris. The soldier must
show it to other guards at the sta
tion exit and always have it ready
to produce on demand. for the M
p" is everywhere.
Must Show Permit.
In the most unexpected places,
and at the most unexpected times
the m. P" is likely TO step up TO a
soldier and ask curtly, Your per-
IN ssion. please"
If a permission is not exactly to
order, if its stamped limit for Paris
has expired. the offender is taken
to the provost marshal's office. One
of the M P. s" remarked: 1T sure
does work all right, and it is hard
to beat"