Evening star., 1899-04-17
Defense of the Army Cnnteen.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
1 wish to reply, through the columns of
your excellent paper, to an article written
by Edward H. Jones, Grand Chief Tenn
plar of the l. O. G. T. of the District Of Co
lumbia,'' and published in your issue of
April H. 1895.
While 1 do not question the good inten-
ton of Mr.. Jones in advocating the closing
of the army post exchange, L do question
his knowledge on the subject, and think If
he will carefully read the following facts,
which can be easily proven to him, his
views the subject will be materially
changed.
If the post exchange of today was what
many people are led to believe, place for
carousal and drunken brawls, l would join
hands with Mr.. Jones and bid him God
speed in his efforts, but any man who
has had any experience with the post eX-
change knows, and he should not condemn
without knowing, 1t is a very different sort
of place
In the army post exchange the only liquor
sold IS beer, ard the bar is conducted in a
strict and orderly manner. In connection
| is reading room, where all leading papers
and periodicals are furnished, free of
| charge and also a lunch counter, where a
good lunch can be had at the lowest possi-
BILE price. The place throughout is orderly
and neat. The profits of the exchange are
| divided among the various companies or
batteries. goes into the mess fund and the
! soldier enjoys many a luxury from this in
| come that he would otherwise be deprived
| of, thus getting the profits of his trade
| himself, instead of leaving it in the pockets
of some avariciouS advocate of canteen
| abolishment on the outside.
Just outside the government reservations
| are gathered large numbers of dives, fire.
| quented by INSCRIPTIONS men and licen-
| tious women. whose sole purpose is to get
| the hard-earned wages of the soldier by the
means most convenient to themselves.
| Their liquors are of the poorest kind and
i the companionShip of the lowest possible
| character. large number of soldiers en-
| joy a glass of beer after a hard drill, and
are going to have it, if possible, and they
go to the canteen, get their beer, eat a
lunch read the daily papers and return
feeling refreshed and none the worse for
their trip. If the post exchange (canteen)
was driven out these men would go to these
dives" spoken of to get their beer and
/, would be beset every hand by vices of
| the worst kind. Which is the better for the
| advancement of the moral condition of the
| enlisted man? We ask you the question,
| and think any unprejudced mind can
| quickly answer
| tion of the army is the object of Mr. Jones'
| efforts, let them be directed toward these
''dives'' and houses of ill-fame that sur
| round US and which we have no jurisdiction
| over. Drive these places out and then talk
| of attacking the exchange; but to drive out
| the exchange first would defeat the very
object You wish to obtain.
Our President and his advisers under
| stand our situation and know what is best
| for us. Mr.. Jones and his colleagues do
not, and We would respectfully ask them
| to leave our moral advancement to these
officials, where 1t has always been carefully
| taken care Of, and hurl their lances against
| the dives above mentioned.
| THE REGULARS AT FIT. MONROE, VA.
| Per Frank d. Smith,
Corporal Battery E, 4.h Artillery.
Fort Monroe, Va, April 16, 1899