Evening star., 1942-12-30

nSSOSlolioli Vi AAlCl
In making the joint award, Mr..
also commended the way leaders in
the liquor business are attempting
to police their own people.
Recreation a Factor.
Chaplains and senior officers OF
the Air Forces reported that most
of the drinking is confined to the
first few days when troops arrive
in aviation centers. They attributed
it to Inconsistencies, self-doubt,
nervousness about taking to the air
Men of the Air Forces handle their
liquor ably" Stiff penalties help
keep down intoxication. Courts
martial for drunkenness at huge
Randolph Field, Tex, add up to
only one-sixth of l per cent of the
military personnel,
owl found a definite correlation
between adequate recreational facil
tiles and soldier sobriety More
drinking was discovered in sections
of tremendous troop concentrations
of the South and West where there
are no large cities within easy
travelling distance. Soldiers on lib
erty jam the movie theaterS, cafes,
walk the streets all night because
there are no hotel rooms.
The plain fact is that many of
these soldiers have nothing on their
minds and time on their hands.
One result of boredom is the pile of
empty bottles in the alleyway; an
other is busy week end for military
police. In the interest of good will
between camps and communities the.
Army in these localities attempts
to keep as many troops as possible
in camp. but there are limits.
Military police in these liberty
towns do the strictest kind of patrol
ling, sending any soldier back to
camp who shows any sign of in
toxication. This does not mean,
it was stated, that the man is stag
gering, disorderly or quarrelsome.
They are sent to camp to keep out
of trouble and protect the reputa-
ton of the uniform.
heOuce0 over FcT1O0.
Intoxication in these towns has
been reduced markedly. In one
southern town which often plays
host in a single night to as many
as 10000 soldiers the number re-
turned to camp by military police
has been cut from an average of
900 a week to about that many
month. Actual arrests for drunk
ennesS are even more favorable
averaging from So to IL of troop
population.
owl cited Camp Edwards, in south
eastern Massachusetts as an example
of where strict law enforcement by
civilian authorities and full CO.
opertioin with Army authorities
means an orderly relationship. In
the month ending November 16,
some 8,100 men visited nearby Buzz
ards Bay. Only IS were taken into
custody for drinking The records
in Hyannis and Falmouth were even
better.
A considerable amount of the
criticism of public behavior Of troops
arises from incidents on trains, it
was stated. owl attributed large
part of this to high spirits and
exuberance at furlough release from
the repressions of discipline A
cheek by military police headquar-
ters placed intoxication of troops on
trains at far under l per cent.
Followers Cleaned Up.
/ Military and civilian authorities
have made great progress, it was
said, in cleaning up the invasion of
, camp followers and carpet -baggers"
which Immediately followed the set
ting up of many Army camps and
boom town growth that befell
/ many communities. Many of the
/ dives have been closed up or placed
of limits"
Although San Francisco has
always been "a good time town" ="
/ the Owl said there were few re-
ports OF our troops really cutting
up there. In addition to having
four large camps nearby, the city
is one of the largest embarkation
centers. There is tremendous
naval establishment. The marines
now fighting in the Solomons had
! their last leave there. The chief of
police reported not one disorderly
| incident during their stay.
| The provost marshal in San Fran
cisco has II cities OF the bay area
in his jurisdiction. Eight months
/ ago his arrests for drunkenness ran
about $50 a month. Now such ar
rests are reduced to 2l0 month
! In summary. owl stated that
military police are doing IAN unob-
trusive and excellent job" much
better than in the last war" when
the average soldier regarded any
one wearing an armband as his
personal enemy. Civilian agencies
are cooperating reasonably we'll"
with the Army. though they could
do better, particularly in dry States.
Liquor dealers and tavern keepers
are cooperating to enforce Army
rules.
Problem in Dry Camps.
Low-alcohol beer was described BY
chaplains and military police alike
as providing soldiers with mild re-
Taxation without impairing their ef-
ficiency. 1t minimizes hard liquor
drinking. owl found conditions
generally much better than in the
last war when war camps were bone
dry, bootleggers did thriving busi-
| ness"
The case of a certain dry Texas
town was cited as the current exam
pile "of the unhappy results Of com.
nleta r,rohihttion IN ana aida of