Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-05-22
DRUNK ENNESS IN
UNCLE SANS ARMY
Gen, Brooke Calls for Report on
Result of Canteen Abolition
OFFICERS THINK 1T Is BAD.
Say That IL WIN show BEYOND Cavil
That Intcmperancc Has Largely
Increased Uuder New Regime.

New York, May 22.-The Times says
Gen, Brooke has sent an order to all
commandments OF posts in the depart
ment Of the east to send to him on Sept
LIST a complete report OF the results
which have ensued on the abolition Of
the army canteen. Officers say that
these reports win show beyond cavil
that intemperance has largely increased
under the new regime, and II Is predict
ed that the next Congress viii give SER
lous consideration to the real sltua-
ton as It has developed.
Seven priyatvs absent without leave
from Fort Ethan Allen. Vt, have just
been locked W in the military prison
at Governors Island which is the head
quarters Of the department They dis
appeared from their post Immediately
after pay day Of this month and their
troubles are attributed by officers to
the abolition Of canteens.
a reporter interviewed a number ~
officers at Governors Island and every
one OF them was saying Il told You
so when the cases of Fort sheridan,
Fort Smelling and Fog. ethan Allen
were called to mind The officers there
regard ii but as matter of a short
time when the public sentiment of the
nation will demand the re-establIsh-
ment OF the canteen.
Capt Adams, who was acting adju-
tant general at Governors Island In
Gen, SherIdan's absence. said that since
pay day there had been unusual
trouble In nearly every post IN the de-
partment and he understood In other
departments also, lie understood that
the number Of men arrested had been
larger than usual and there has been
noticeable number arrested for in
toXcatiun He was not prepared t.
say just what the percentage Of in.
crease was.
Trouble Is reported at Fort Hamilaon.
Fort Schuyler, Fort Wadsworth, Fort
Hancock and at Wilett's Point.
Pay day at Fort Tolten, Wlletts
Point, Long Island Sound. came last
Wednesday and the i9l soldiers station
cd there drew about $40 per man Since
that time there have been wild and hill
ariuus times In the saloons of White
stone, the nearest village to the reser-
walton, and IN the half dozen road
houses that are situated at intervals
along the road that leads from the fort
to the village.
The records at the fort show that for
the first twenty days OF this month
there have been seven court -martidis
on drunk and disordcrly" charges and
! T. for absence without leave The n
| absenlces ana the u men now In the
| guardhouse win add considerably To
| those figures. There have been since
| the last pay day as many as ten men
| absent without leave at one time from
one company OF less than 100 men.
Commenting on this Maj J. W Black
! the commandment of the fort stated that
| the number was unprecedented in his
| recollection.
Maj Black, Adjt Howell and every
officer and soldier interviewed
at the fort, gave without hest
tation the opinion that change for the
worse In the general discipline was due
entirely to the abolition OF the canteen
and the turning over ut the soldier
| with his monthly pay IN his pocket 10
the tender mercies OF the outside sa-
| loonkeepers who thrive In the vicinity
Of military posts
The force now at Fort Totten CON
sists OF four companies of the Second
battalion OF engineers. the nucleus II
| three companies Of the new Third bat.
| TALON OF engineers that Is being re-
cruited and the Elgh'y-second COM
pany Of the coast artillery, with few
| exceptions all these men are veteran
soldiers Ut the highest branches Of the
service and in character are we'll ur
IN the general average Of the American
soldier