The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-12-30

sent the opinion OF a preJudlceO
witness, or be true for only a
certain area where problems are
less pressing than in other
areas. But weight of evidence is
important. In this survey the
weight of evidence collected
from many sources and in all
sections tips the scales inescap-
ably-this American army may
not be the best in the history OF
armies but it is certainly the
best behaved"
The touring Investigators made
first-hand observation of condi-
tons and obtained evidence
from commanding officers, Pro-
vost marshals, chaplains, COM
mupity leaders, mayors, U. S. O
directors, newspaper editors and
others.
This was cited as a random
example: Camp Crowder is a
signal Corps replacement train
ing center near Joplin, Mo
About 81, 900, 900 was paid out
to troops there on the Oct. 81
payday. That night the number
of soldiers arrested in Joplin
for drunkenness was 16, repre-
senting much less than one ar
rest for every 1000 soldiers al
Crowder.
On the same payday al
Biloxi, Miss, Ia soldiers were
arrested, five for drunkenness
Kessler Field, a large center OF
air activity, is near Biloxi
While the troop population is
somewhat smaller than at Crow
der, Owl said the figures al
both places plainly show that
Army ay-night is rarely the
Klondike brawl and blowout
that rumor make T."
SELL SOFT DRINKS
Coffee, milk, matted milk and
bottled soft drinks are the best
selling beverages around army
camps, the investigators found
At Fort Lewis, Wash, more than
100000 bottles of one popular
soft drink are consumed in a
month at post dances.
Experienced commanding Of
ficers all over the country
agreed that considerably more
than half of the troops under
them drank nothing stronger
than beer by choice, and that
many even abstained from
beer" the report said. Chap
lains, with one exception, con-
CURED in the opinion"
In this connection, owl said
sale of 80 beer on posts provides
soldiers with a mild relaxation
without iinpairing thc:r eff
cheney" and that "there is nd
indication that sale of beer low
ers the number of total abstain
ers." 1t cited these statistics al
Fort Knox, KY, as presenting "a
pretty accurate picture of con-
ditions as they exist in all
camps: more soft drinks are
sold than beers in canteens by
33 per cent.
LIST HIGHLIGHTS
Other highlights of the re-
port.
!. There is drinking in the
army; there will continue to be
drinking in the army. The ap-
proach of the military authori-
ties to the problem is not pro-
hibition but control. 1t is legal
for a civilian to take a drink in
this. country; it would be dis
criminatory to deny the same
right to the soldier who already
has relinquished many privi-
leges the civilian considers his
rights.
2. There seems to be a def
mite correlation between ade-
quate recreational facilities and
SOldler SODrlety.
3. To a considerable extent
the conduct of troops reflects
the morals of the communities
in which they find themselves.
Strict law enforcement by
civilian authorities and full CO.
operation with army authori-
ties means an orderly relation
ship.
4. Many communities have
cooperated fully with army au-
thorities, the cleanup of vice
conditions in Phenix City, Ala,
being cited as an outstanding ex-
ample.
S. Civilian agencies are coop
Grating 'reaconably well" with
army authorities, but "they
coL,d do better" In dry states
and states with local option, the
military "faces the problem of
bootleg liquor" The army, with