Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-26

Nearly al drunkenness at present can
be traced to strong liquor purchased
outside the post limits. The canteen
lessons the efforts of men to procure
intoxicants outside the post The fact
that the profits Of the canteen are used
wholly for the benefit of the men
naturally induces them to spend their
money there rather than elsewhere. To
prohibit the sale of beer At the canteen
would be a mistake. IntOXicantS would
be procured clandestinely; men would
visit resorts outside where other and
worse temptations would meet them;
there would be discomfort and the loss
fits: there would be more drunkenness,
immortality and characterization, and
innumerable drinking places of dis
reputable character would spring up
around each post; etc" This opinion
of General Merriam is that Of nine out
of 10 officers in our army, as expressed
in the, report. Some answers are longer
than his, and some are briefer and put
with much more vigor. They recognize
the fact that the army as well as the
municipality must deal with men as
it finds them. If men were perfect
there would be no need Of canteens, or
Of armies either, for that matter.
In the report is embodied an ex-
tended extract from a forthcoming
work on Military Hygiene and Camp
Sanitation" by Capt. Edward l.. Nun
son, surgeon L. :. A. He gives a his
tory of the canteen system and its
workings and sums up by saying:
The canteen is not only an aid to dis
cipline, but also to the health and
morals of troops" He supports his
position with an array of figures to
prove better health. less drunkenness,
and better conduct. with cantecn
than without one. For instance, the
average number of trials and convic-
tions in the army for drunkenness and
conditions arising thcrcfrom. for the
six years, 1SS6-1S91 before the cantccn
system was thoroughly established.
was 312: the average number for the
six years, 1S92-1S97. the same number
Of men being in the army. ana the
.canteen system thoroughly established.
was 16o. In other words there has
been less than half as much drunken
ness and drunken disorder in the
army since the canteen was es-
tablished, rs there was before. Take
the matter of desertions. For the six
years before the canteen was thor
oughly established. the percentage of
desertions was 9.1S; for the six years
following. the per cent. was 453. Here
also. is remarkable Improvement in
conditions, and ii is certain that at
least part Of the credit belongs to
In the matter of health, Dr. Munson
has most convincing figures to show
that the introduction Of the canteen
has reduced sick rates: for the beer al
lowed in moderate quantities at the
canteens does not cause the alcoholism
sickness and insanity which result
from the stronger drinks to be OBJ
tanned elsewhere. and which will in
evitably be obtained by soldiers. as by
other men Of their class, if the privi-
leges and benefits Of the canteen are
denied them. In speaking of the adj
missions to the army hospitals. Dr.
Munson says: For the decade 1878
1897 the average number of admissions
for alcoholism and its direct results
amounted to GAS per thousand of
white troops. This rate diminished
during the next ten years in proper
ton as canteens We're gradually estab-
lished at various posts omittinp
fractions, in the following ratio: A. 46
A, A, Al, 81. 81, %, 81, 80 On observing
the admissions for alcoholism for the
seven years, 1SS51S91, which imme1i- |
ately preceded the general establish
ment of the canteen system unon =
satisfactory basis. it is found that 2 /
yearly average Of 1,21IS men found II