The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-31
CORBIN AND THE CANTEEN.
The Adjutant General of tie Army
in LIS Defence.

The Adjutant General of the Army
ia Las Defence.
Adjutant General Corbin today r2ade
public the following letter 20 Senator
sewell of New dorsey, the Chairman of |
the Military Committee of the Senate, de- |
tending the Army eanteen system;
ftWar Department,
"Adidtant Generals Office,
Washington. Aug Is. 1906
Hon. William ]. Sewell. Military Com |
mittee. United States Senate.
Dear Sir: Replying to your several en- |
qulries concerning the Post Exchange, or |
Army Canteen,' / have the honor to in
form you;
First, That the sale of all spirituous
liquors by the canteen is and has always
been absolutely prohibited.
Second Only beer and light wines are
sold to either officers or men and these
only when the commanding officer is sat
isfed that giving to the troops the oppor-
tunity OF obtaining such beverages within
the post limits Will prevent them from
Tesorting fol- strong intoxicants to places
without such limits and tends TO promote
temperance and discipline among them
Third, The canteen- was established,
and has been maintained. in the interests
of temperance and betterment OF disclp-
line, with most satisfactory results. rms
is shown in fewer trials by courts martial,
in TIE decreased number of desertions. and
in the improved health of the men
Fourth. The exchange is cooperative
store where supplies are sold. at cost. or
as nearly 50 as possible, for the beneht
of officers and men of the Army. The
canteen is a department OF the exchange
constituting an enlisted mems club. Rooms
in o. near the soldiers quarters are set
apart fo- this special purpose, furnished
xryIfb billiard tables and
other games, but where every
forbidden II is where the men
write their letters home and read the
newspapers and magazines. The GoVern-
ment haS-no financial interest whatever In
either the exchange or Canteen, the funds
being supplied by the soldiers themselves
Almost every company commander has re-
ported in favor of the exchange and can
teen as an effective temperance measure.
One thousand and nineteen commissioned
officers lave made special reports to TINS
effect. II may be proper for me to ADD
that in the beginning / opposed the can
teen. but was brought to its support By
the overwhelming evidence OF its hene-
fcent result upon the morals, health, and
contentment of the service
AS set forth in the report of Assistant
surgeon MunsoR. United States Army,
who. under instructions Of the War De-
&
into the fleet of the capteen upon the
health OF enlisted men, the result more
than met the expectations Of those most
interested in the promotion OF temperance
in the military service He further finds
that the percentage of desertion has been
continually reduced since the Introduction
of the canteen. Prior to its introduction
assertions averaged from 10 Der cent to il
per cent annually, Since its establishTn ent
these have decreased as follows. First
year 10 II. the mkt year to 81, the xt
81 then So: ina next to Sc. then %:
the next to "a. and finally to %. Finally,
the Der of trials and convictions for
+ drunkenness ana offences originating
therefrom fer the six months preceding
the canteen was 372.5- These decreased
during the following six years OF It's a5-
Enlistment 10 1906 Further. thar for the
{ seven years preceding the establishment
OF the canteeu the average number OF men
! who deposited their savings with the Coz
erument %ss 1913 For the seven years
| following its, Introduction the average had
| increased 10 S.3S2-
1t has been stated in the public press
/ that the receipts OF the exchange are
nearly all fer drink To meet this state
nlent I have 10 inform you that the Off
/ cial reports of the department show that
! the receipts from the sale OF beer and light
/ wines are and have been less than one
/ -seyenteenths and in 1899 six-seyen-
! teenths Taking the amount OF gross re-
/ ceipts on account of sale OF beer and divid-
/ ing it by the total number OF officers and
! men shows that each officer and enlisted
/ man for the year 1883 expended on account
| OF beer only - cents month; equivalent to
! four glasses Of beer per month, or less
/ than one glass week apiece fog each Of
| ficer and man in the military service. In
D EE-npuifT1ITa RI of pb
officer and man reached an average OF IS
cents per month. or but 1-9 cents a day
( These facts make it clear that in COM
/ parison with all other citizens the army of
/ today is the most abstemious body in our
/ cwn country. There is no community Of
/ which we have any report or knowledge
/ that Will show so small a consumption CT
( drink per capita. This average should, IN
/ fact appear much lower for the reason
! that citizen employees of which We have
! taken no account. have the privilege ct
/ purchase from the canteen. The number
! OF clerks mechanics and teamsters en-
| ployed with army in the field is. as you
! know, very large. This number, however
is not obtainaole; but. you viii agree
would very materially reduce the average
! of 90 and So cents month
IF there is any further information
! that you desire from the records on this
| subject. the department will be only too
| glad to furnish it. You must admit r. II
! the anxiety of temperance people outside
| the service about the Army is unwarra- L
| ed. As compared with those existing
| twenty and thirty years ago-as We knew
it then-or with any community at the
! present time anywhere in civil life the
! Army a model temperance socety-a
! practical one; one where reasonable absti-
nenee is the rule and where excuses are
! the exception. a society whose DreceDts
no less than its example could be followed
| by all people in safety and sobriety
With great respect, sincerely yours,
| III C CORBIN.
"Adjutant General. Major General L S.
Army