Morality and Mars.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 355, 15 February 1917, Page 5

Morality and Mars.

STREET SNARES AND PITFALLS.

THE HARPIES OF THE MALL

[AUSTBALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSN.)

London, Feb. 14. In the House of Commons Sir H. Craik called attention to the evils caused in the army by the increased incentives to vice in London and the smallness of the. penalties inflicted on keepers of disorderly’ houses.

Sir George Cave (Home Secretary) said that- he was fully alive to the evils. Many difficulties hampered drastic police action, but he was introducing a bill increasing magistrate’s powers and penalties. Interviewed regarding soldiers’ perils in London, General Lloyd says that public houses ought not to be abused so much. Many publicans were playing the game. He regretted that he had not the power to deal with street harpies. He would like to see juvenile offenders birched. While our soldiers were

dying at the front we were afraid to lift our hands against the criminals who haunt the streets to prey on men on furlough. General Smith-Dorrien declared that men arriving in London at night time were confronted with appalling dangers if not taken care of. The numbers lost to the army might become so great as to seriously interfere with the progress of the war.

THE TRAFFIC EXAGGERATED.

THOUGHTLESS ALARMIST RUMOURS.

It is only natural, writes an officer in the “Daily Mail,’’ that when the manhood of a nation is taken from its peace-time vocations and mustered to arms something in the upheaval is bound to reflect upon the national morals.

The worst of it is that the few good folk who are the mainstay of vigilance movements and anti-some-thing-or-other groups give tongue to alarming rumours. These folk are those who can nevei- hear the word “soldier” without mentally coupling it with the adjective “licentious” and imagine that a regimental canteen is a place of alcoholic, saturnalia.

They are only a handful, but they have the jiower, as every irresponsible individual has, to start mischievous and groundless rumours and to spatter the honour of the Army.

The Press has done the country excellent service in dispersing these calumnies and in bringing forward the evidence, the clear facts about the moral standards of our soldiery, and the public as a whole know exactly what value to place upon the misguided individuals who were responsible for the vapid clamour that was raised.

PURITY PROPAGANDISTS The medical man and the expert in social problems are both aware of the types of mental instability from whom the self-styled “purity” propagandists draw their supporters, and both will tell you frankly that these campaigns do more harm through their suggestiveness than would result from the matters they combat if left alone. To treat the soldier as a man oi evil life to hedge him about with restrictions and make him feel that so long as he wears uniform he is an oidr a.st from the ranks of respectable people—that is not the way to strengthen his moral as a warrior. Yet the cranks talk and publish unph nant little brochures about the segregation of numbers of young men in military areas and the need for careful supervision over the \oung women of the neighbourhood. Tnis -is exactly what the Germans want them to do. Anything that contributes directly or indirectly to lowering the self-respect of the British soldiers is sure of German support, and you may find names identified with these obscure movements and propaganda that were before the war equally well identified with policies of disarmament and rapprochement with the Hun. A VERY HIGH STANDARD From time to time rumours spring up and go the round of clubs and gossiping circles, and you hear it whispered that such and such a set of oyer-seas troops are drunken and undisciplined ; that such and such a London terminus is a terrible sight when the leave train pulls out. Then all the nasty tongues start wagging with tales of soldiers’ wives, of love children in quiet villages, of scenes of drunkenness, and all the unpleasant cases they can remember or in- 1 vent. i

In an army of millions of men it cannot be expected that every individual will wear the halo of a saintly life, though even the meanest dare not abuse their honourable death upon the field of battle. The average man knows that the Army is fundamentally sound and does not bother to look up exact facts, make inquiries, or investigate statistics. It is only the “antis” who do that, and rake together, omiting and suppressing the vast and much greater mass of good. The facts are astonishing, a lasting tribute to the sterling qualities inherent in the race.

Drunkenness, crime, and immortality in the Army have come down to a percentage so low that no civilian community could rival it. The standard of military good conduct is exceedingly high, framed as it was in the past for a regular picked Army. It has not been lowered or modified in any way to meet the freer standards of the vast crowd of citizens now entering military life. Indeed, if one takes into account the severity of military discipline when overseas upon active service it will easily be seen that the (standard is a higher one than civilians have ever had to live up to.

Taking a general census of opinion throughout all ranks and classes you will find that the Army training and Army life have effected a wonderful reformation in the morals and customs of these very civilian*' who, the muekrakers feared, would be denied by emit act with the 11111 form 11 jou need to know whaf effect this national training lias hail upon lhe ordinary crime average compare the. Old Bailey Sessions for this year with their forerunners of the years before the it ar. They show an extraordinary, almost unbelievable, itnproi ement. SAFER AM) BETTER CITY. In order 10 get absolute information with regard to the general behaviour of lhe troops in the most unfavourable circumstances, I wat« allowed to look into the mechanism of the Provost Marshal's control of the London district. The Provost Marshal himself spoke highly of the general conduct of the men and the willing ami good hearted co-operation of the various trades, such ais the licensed victuallers and theatre managements. I was also shown the various police reports for the districts, a pile of returns practically unanimous in their statement that the public houses were well conducted, the laws were not infringed, and no help given to those who desired to assist convalescent soldiers to evade the drink prohibition. It was allowed to choose my own time and place to go round with thmilitary police, or stand, if I cared, on picket duty watching the London streets for any sign of bad behaviour. I chose nn evening in the centre of all things—Piccadilly Circus—and everyone who knows London will admit that the beat from the Hippodrome to the Pavilion should show the largest proportion of sin. The purity pamphleteers themselves would be lost without this area.

I was fortunate in picking two fine, bright nights ; one in the middle of the week, the other at its end Through this congested area poured the evening crowds: I saw the closing of the various bars and cafe restaurants, saw the soldiers come out into the streets perfectly sobei and wander along to a cheap seat at a theatre, or kinematograpb show.

I entered vrious resorts and admittedly hunted for “drunken” or “licentious” soldiers. It was pure waste of time ; the place was “stiff” with soldiers; but they were not drunk and not, to the unjaundiced eye. more licentious than when they were civilians in 1914 and went to church in place of church parade.

I watched Piccadilly that evening for two solid hours, and saw only one man slightly vociferous. Thousands of soldiers passed and two were halted by the picket, in each case for some minor inaccuracy in the adjustment of their uniform. At midnight I played my trump card and paid an unexpected visit to the cells and guard-room of the military police. They had only one guest, an absentee who had been arrested in a dairy. To sum up the whole thing, the behaviour of the British and overseas troops is little short of marvellous in its excellence. Take note of it for yourselves, and having seen it, pride yourselves upon it as a feather in the national cap. London to-day is four times a better and safer citv than it was three years ago. Wfien you hear talk of “purity leagues” and campaigns remember the people behind them, the subtle German influence and the madbrained. unpleasant folk who see dirt where no dirt is. The nation is nroud of its soldiers ; let us, then guard their honour from such underhand attacks.