The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-01
u S. SOLDIERS
DECEIV BY
FRENCH MAIDS
Patriots Misunderstood
Their Intentions

LEAYENWORTH, Kansas, Feb
Below American soldiers who
went to save France from the invad-
ing hordes of the Kaiser were Sc
duced into committing rape and
other attractions of military dis
cipline, by French girls who were ig-
norant of the customs prevailing in
America is painfully brought out
here before military board Of in
quiry set up to review the cases Of
the soldier prisoners in this Federal
bastille.
That the bark of a rape charge is
sometimes worse than its bite is the
frank statement made by one official.
AS for the charge known assault
with intent to rape that is usually
the great joke of the season. This
is how it happens we are informed
by the publicity department of the
united organizations that are putting
up fight to secure the release of the
military prisoners:
"A soldier will meet a French girl.
The latter with the purest of motives
and ignorant of the moral code pre-
vailing in America will accompany
him to break the monotony Of his
life and out Of gratitude for his SER
vice to France will go a long way
In the direction Of making up for any
discomforts his patriotism has
brought him.
The soldier being experienced in
the worldly ways of American women
who act in this benevolent fashion
mistakes the French maids inten-
tions. However after the girl I'M
limbers a vicious hatpin the soldier
desists, realizing that the girl is re-
spectacle or in other words that he
was mistaken in his guess.
"The girl brings a charge for at
tempted rape, and yet the soldier is
innocent of the charge his attempted
intimacy being the result of ignor-
ance or mistaken identity; ignorance
OF the difference in customs between
France and America and a woeful
lack of judgement in his method of
approach. Instead Of the soldier be-
ing found guilty of attempted rape
In a case like this the girl should be
placed in the dock for leading the
warrior into the path of sin, by I'M
willingly acting like an American
prostitute in her preliminary canter."
The officials words appear to car
~ the color of truth judging from
the experience of one William Secore.
His military record was excellent,
he has a wife and two children and
had a little bank account. But he
fell Immediately after the armistice.
LIS quite painful He met. Nine, !
Louise L'Ercott in a public park. He
was unprotected and the bold female
asked him to go for walk. He did.
She led him to a quiet place. He
made the mistake which the official
referred to. He thought she was
what she declared she was not. A
struggle ensued ending in defeat for
the soldier. Secore on his own testi-
mony attempted a strategic retreat
but it would appear that all avenues
of escape were blocked. A witness
was in the vicinity. The injured
maiden cried. Secore was arrested
charged with attempted rape. Louise
admitted she was physically I'M
harmed but morally wounded. A
court martial sentenced Secore to life
Imprisonment, but on the pleading Of
his wife it was whitfield down to
twenty years. Outside Of that he is
alright. No charge of radicalism
was ever made against him.
Such cases as his often draw tears
from grizzled officers now engaged
in salvaging wounded patriots in
Leavenworth prison.