Evening star., 1941-10-08
Wants Army Guarded
From Vice and Liquor
Bishop Common Coils for Drive
To Poss Legislation to Protect
Men Now in Troinins Comps


To the Editor of The Star:
About a year ago, to be exact on Sep
tember Is, 1910, the Conscription Act
was passed. 1t contained no protec-
tive legislation for the soldiers against
the liquor and vice trsfic similar to
that passed in 1917 by the active sup
port of President Wilson. After con-
sultation with Senator Sheppard q
resolution was introduced in the Ex-
ecutive Committee of the Federal Coun-
Gil. on September 20, calling upon the
President to promulgate resolutions to
protect our boys in the service from
the liquor and vice trafacs. But Moth
ing was done.
In the latter part of November, the
American Social Hygiene Association
declared that a careful survey revealed
that at least $4,000 women had been
organized to be distributed around the
camps, and the two-room trailer system
was inaugurated. Still nothing was
done. Gen. Marshall, chief of staff, in
a national broadcast, declared: "Estab-
lishments for the purpose Of selling
liquor are becoming increasingly active
in communities adjacent to the camps"
On December 3, the Council of Bishops
of the Methodist Church called upon
xt,A tzlx
will give protection similar to that in
1917. On December Is, the Federal
Council of Churches at it's biennial
meeting, called upon the President to
take action similar to that requested
by the Methodist Council OF Bishops.
Replying to the Council of Bishops,
the adjutant general wrote: 1T is be-
yond the scope of the War Depart
ment to regulate the sale of intoxi-
eating liquors outside of military areas.
The enactment of legislation on
this subject similar to that in effect
during the World War is a matter within
the province Of the legislative branches
OF the Government" Upon receiving
this official statement. prominent So
cial service workers conferred with SEN
ator Sheppard who prepared introduced
and had referred to the Military AZ
fairs Committee OF the Senate what Is
known as Senate bill $780, the purpose
Of which is to secure protection similar
to that adopted in 1917. Senator Shep-
pard died suddenly a few days later
The bill finally was reported out of the
Military Affairs Committee of the Sen
ate without recommendation, and is
now on the Senate calendar.
After the introduction of the Shep-
pard bill, the Council Of Bishops of
the Methodist Church. the general as
sembhes Of the Northern and of the
Southern Presbyterian Churches, the
conventions of both the Northern and
Southern Baptists. the convention Of
Womens Clubs at Atlantic City, the
Executive Committee of the Federal
Council and numerous other orsaniza-
tions passed resolutions urging Con-
gress to enact such legislation. But
Secretary OF War Stimson sent . let
ter to the Military Affairs Committee
of the Senate opposing the legislation
on the liquor trafic, thus virtually re-
pudiating previous statements by him.
In February he declared: Our finest
youth are being exposed to temptations
to which many of them are not ac-
customed." On March "a he wrote to
the House Military Affairs Committee:
The greater part OF this force is made
up Of young men who should be
surrounded by every possible safeguard
against unwholesome associations"
While the bill concerning vice finally
was passed. Congress has failed as yet
to pass legislation giving protection from
the liquor trafllc, which is inextricably
joined with the vice traffic, for 1t is
when young men have drunk sufficient
liquor to lose control of themselves and
become largely irresponsible that the
vice traf1c does its work.
Numbers of quotations could be given
from individuals and religious papers
concerning conditions about the camps
and cities where soldiers go on leave.
I simply quote one statement from Lib
erty mot prohibition paper on Camp
Morals august p: The camps have
attracted gathering of prostitutes lush
workers, gyp, carnivals, shady night
clubs, gamblers and bootleggers. which
would put a gold rush or an oil boom
to mortal shame. Their single purpose,
of course, is to play upon the boredom
of the soldiers, and thereby relieve them
of their monthly pay checks. On
last pay day (at Camp Blanding) q fly
by-night joint doped the beer of all it's
soldier guests, knocked them uncon-
scious and rolled them for every cent
they had. - In such isolated spots
the trailer girls have their pitches, and
their agents are competent at giving
directions for finding them"
This is the first major battle between
the church and the liquor traf1c since
1898. Which will win this battle? The
liquor traf1ic has the largest, best or
ganized group Of lobbyists I have ever
seen in battles with the traffic for 50
years. 1t is spending unlimited sums
to defeat the Sheppard bill or any sim
liar liquor legislation. The church is
the only agency which can secure this
protective legislation. AS one high-rank-
ing War Department official said: MY
suggestion is that the church people Of
America put up such q holy howl to
| Washington that Federal legislation will
have to be enacted" have preached
personally 95 times in various States in
| the past four months on this great moral
question, and the congregations enthusi-
/