Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-24
:: THE ARMY CANTEEN.
Maj. -Gen. Corbin, Adt..Gen. u.
!. >. a.. Gives a True History
/, Thereof.

AAsA AtNlW NkAlN1AAlNs 4.
Maj..Gen. Corbin.. Adj. .Gen. U.
>. A., Glvcs True History j.
Thereof.
War Department, Adjutant Cen
erals Office. Washington, d. c., Aug.
22s.-To the Hon. William j. sewell,
Military Committee, United States
senate-Dear Sir: Replying to your
several inquiries concerning the post
exchange or army canteen, have the
honor to inform you:
n. That the sale of all spurious
liquors by the canteen is and has all
Ways been absolutely prohibited.
-. Only beer and light wines are
sold to either officers or men and these
only when the commanding officers are
satisfied that giving to the troops the,
opportunity of obtaining such bever-g
ages within the post limits will prevent
them from resorting for strong intox-
icants to places without such limits,
and tends to promote temperance and
discipline among them.
j. The canteen was established and
has been maintained in the interests of
temperance and bettermentof discipline
with most satisfactory results. This is
shown in fewer trials by court martial.
in the decreased number of assertions
and in the improved health of the men.
=. The exchange is a cooperative
store, where supplies are sold at cost,
or as nearly so as possible, for the benz
eft of the officers and mensofsthe army.
The eanteen is department of the ex-
change, constituting an enlisted mems
club. Rooms in or near the soldiers.
quarters are set apart for this special
purpose, furnished With reading mat
ter. billiard tables and other games, but
where every form of gambling is abso-
slutely forbidden. 1t is where the men
write their letters home and read the
newspapers and magazines. The gov
eminent has no financial interest what
ever in either the exchange or canteen,
the funds being supplied by the sol-
diers themselves Almost very com-
pany commander has reported in favor
of the exchange and canteen as an eff
fective temperance measure. One thou
sand and nineteen commissioned officers
have made special reports to TINS eff
feet. II may be proper for me 20 say
that in the beginning opposed the
canteen. but was brought TO its sup
port by the morale health and content-
ment of the service.
AS set forth in the report of Assist
ant Surgeon NIunson, U. S. A, who un-
der Instructions of the war department.
made a careful investigation into the
effect of tt escanteen upon the health of
lenlisted men. the result more than met
4 the expectations Of those most interest
! ed in the promotion of temperance in
4 the military service.
\ He further finds that the percentage
of desertion has been continually re-
4 duced since the introduction of the can
1 teen. Prior 70 It's introduction deser-
4 tions averaged from 10 TO II per cent
ANNUALLY. Since its establishment these
have decreased as follows: First year
10 7.T7;&the next year to 81; the next 81
then 6S; The mex, to Sc: then SIS; the
| next to IA and finally TO 30. Further
1.-the number of trials and convictions
4 for drunkenness and offenses original
i ing therefrom from the six years pre-
ces.ing thescanteen was 1925. These de-
creased during the following sin years
1 of its establishment to 1906 Further
that for the seven years preceding tht
4 establishment Of the canteen the aver
Il age number of men who deposited theil
4 savings With the government was 7.231
4 Fo, the seven years following its intro
4 duction the average had increased Z
4 $3.50
A at has been stated in the public
4 press that the receipts Of the exchange
4 are nearly all for drink. To meet :hi
4 statement have TO inform you tina
j the official reports OF the department
s SHOW that the receipts from sales o
beer and light wines are, and hay
been, less than one third of the gros'
q 5receipts, being in 1898 five-sevenths AM
= in 1899 Ssix-seNsnteenths.
Taking the amount of the gross re
); ceipts on account OF the sale of bee
q and dividing it by the total number o
i officers md men shows thatseach office
u and enlisted man for the year 1898 ex
lpended on account OF the beer only 2
. cents a month. or less than one gias
a week apiece for each officer and ma
in the military service. In 1893 the ex
81 penditure on the part OF each office
and man reached an average of 50 cent
3 per month. or but 1.9 cents a daA rhes
Y facts make il clear that in compariso
i with all other citizens the army of TO
-}Iday is the most abstemous body in gu
i own country. There is no commute
!, of which we have any report or knoWl
edge that will show SO small con
sumption of drink per capita. This av
erage should. in fact, appear muc
: lower, for the reason that citizens. en-
e ployes of which we have taken no &C
! count, have the privilege Of purchas
D from the canteen. The number 9
y i5clerks. merchants and teamsters en-
ployed with the army in the field is, g
you know, very large. This numbe
! however, is not obtainable. but you wi
!, agree. would very materially reduc
the average Of 2Oss cents month
IF there is any further informatio
that you desire from the records on TIL
9 subject the department will be glad I
n furnish il. You must admit that III
e anxiety Of temperance people outsid
g the army is unwarranted. AS con
q pared With those existing twenty an
thirty years ago-as we knew il then
or with any community at the preser
time anywhere in civil life, the army
model temperance society; q pract
cal one; one where reasonable abst
y nence is a rule. and where excesses al
"a to tn exceptions; a society whose pr
cepts are no less thanits example cou
= be followed by all people In safety an