The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-06-25

our own hands and declare every bar
and restaurant where the heavy liquor
was sold as loft limits" for our troops.
Our officers were directed to give
their personal attention to the enforce
ment of this order.
Vice in Army Denied.
About this time a cable was re-
ceived from Washington that some
publication at home had made sweep
ing charge of both immortality and
drunkenness against our men. No
such statement could be based on fact,
nor could it serve any purpose except
to cause unnecessary anxiety to par
ents and relatives and perhaps salts
fy on the part of some one an I'M
worthy desire for sensation. In reply
l cabled in part as follows:
There has never been a similar
body of men to lead as clean lives as
as our American soldiers in France
They have entered this war with the
highest devotion to duty and with no
other idea than to perform these du-
ties in the most efficient manner pos
sible.
Engaged in healthy, Interesting ex-
ercises in the open air, with simple
diet. officers and men like trained
athletes are ready for their task. For
hidden the use Of strong drink and
protected by stringent regulations
against other evils and supported by
their own moral courage, their good
behavior is the subject Of most IA
vorable comment, especially by our
allies. American mothers may rest
assured that their sons are a credit
to them and the nation"
Seek More chaplains.
My diary notes the following:
Paris, Thursday, Jan. 10, 1918.
Have appointed Maj. Robert Ba-
con to be colonel and A. D. G.
on my staff. Bishop Gwynne,
deputy chaplain general, British
army, and Bishop Brent were my
guests at Chaumont on Monday.
On Tuesday Brent and I dis
cussed increase in number Of
chaplains, which we both favor.
Bishop Brent had been selected by
me for appointment as chaplain with
a view to his being the chief OF the
chaplain corps which it was planned
to organize. The bishop did not ap-
prove of this idea and in Difference
to his opinion, and upon his sugges-
ton, permanent executive commit
tee of chaplains was appointed to
study the problems involved and make
recommendations direct to me from
time to time. Bishop Gwynne of the
British forces explained their system,
the methods of administration and the
control and direction of chaplain's
work, from which we adopted such
features as were applicable to our
service.
Custom in our army, arising from
lack of appreciation of the usefulness
of chaplains, had relegated them as
class to the status of handy men who
were detailed to write up boards Of
survey or run Libraries
Aviation Problem Serious.
Aviation questions demanded unre-
hitting attention, for in no other serv-
ice was unpreparedness so evident and
so difficult to overcome. Apparently
there was earnest effort at home, but
1t was too often misdirected.
On the part Of the allies, especially
hn NJ, 1oo of r,oonho nj on6 do
lay in procuring motors and material,
such as spruce, had given them set
back. Due to these conditions and
their own increased programs the
French and also the Italians were I'M
able to take more than small pro-
portion of our 1900 flying cadets who
were on the ground and who, under
agreement, were to be instructed by
them.
About this time the contract for
planes we had made in August was
formally abrogated, the French gov
eminent, being unable to meet its con-
ditions due to the delay in receipt Of
machine tools and raw materials from
the United States, possibility which
had been forecast in my cables to the
War department. In its stead we later
made an agreement whereby we
should be dependent upon the allot-
ment that might be made us accord
ing to the number of divisions we
might have in France.
Early in December I signed an
agreement with Lord Northcliffe Of
the British air board that we should
send $4,000 enlisted men to England
and maintain that number in training
in their aircraft factories and air serv-
ice stations. This plan proved to be
beneficial to both sides, as far as car
ried out, but especially to ourselves
in providing US with trained men and
saving us the necessity Of establish
ing extra schools for teaching them