The Minneapolis journal., 1901-01-01
CANTEEN A BENEFIT
Archbishop Ireland's Plea Before
the Senate Committee.
1T IS FOR THE SOLDIERS GOOD
Only Satisfactory Way to Eliminate
Dangers Is to Reduce Drink
ing to a. Minimum.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal
Washington, Jan. Archbishop Ire
lands recent plea before the senate COM
mlttee on military affairs against the
proposition to prohibit the sale of beer at
the canteens at army posts has been print
ed with the report of the committee on the
army reorganization bill. 1t has been spo-
ken or as the most forceful argument that
has been made before congressional COM
mittee in favor OF the canteen, and it has
been made part OF the senate commit
tees report to allow the sale of beer in
canteens. Here is the archbishop's plea
in part:
So far as the general method of dealing
with the liquor question is concerned il has
been my experience that it is useless to try
70 prohibit absolutely the use of LIQUOR and
the world, made as it is, men having the
tastes they have, if We are too severe and try
to do away altogether with the use of LIQUOR
men will find it in ways illegal and ways
more harmful than they otherwise would do
ana so far as speak on the question of the
army canteen, l have observed myself and
have heard it said, that the soldiers at Fort
Smelling, Minnesota, go far more seldom to
ST Paul TO visit saloons in st. Paul and
the saloons Immediately bordering on the mil
itary reservation, now that the canteen is
established, than they did formerly when no
canteen was established
l know some time ago-some years ago-in
most Infamous kind were established in the
name OF saloons to attract the soldier. Now
there is far less chance for anything of that
kind, far less chance for drunkenness, and
still farther less opportunity for immorali-
!, ties of a more serious character And
think for the soldiers that it would be better
If they were allowed a little beer.
Moderate Drinking.
There is no use in thinking that they will
become abStS Nnr fav Of
will become total abstainers. What those in
charge of their morals should do is to elimi-
nate danger and reduce their drinking to
moderate temperance. l say this although
all my life I have been a total abstainer, and
have worked for the last thirty years in the
cause of temperance, and have induced people
by moral suaslon in many cases to take the
total abstinence pledge, and have induced
thousands and thousands to do that. But
when l am dealing with the people at large
L am convinced that the only satisfactory
and successful way to eliminate dangers is
as far as possible to reduce drinking to a
minimum.
1 have advocated high license, gentlemen, in
st. Paul and in Minneapolis instead of prohi-
bition, and | have succeeded in reducing the
consumption OF alcoholic liquors by that pol
icy l am sure the same plan would work
better among the soldiers. The trouble with
the soldiers has been that there has been
no recreation in their camps or in their
forts. After drills the soldier is tired and
dull, and if he can go into the post exchange
and sit down and talk and take a glass of
beer it is far better than to have him go
out and take it in place where there is no
object in view but to rob him.
Senator Burroughs-Just one question, if
you please. Some excellent people make this
objection, and l would like you to answer
1t: That the young man who has not been in
the habit of drinking at all is tempted to
drink by the canteen and led to the place of
drunkenness later on. What do you say atnn+
that?
Archhishon Traland-Mv ancuor ;c +bo+ -, az
man in the army is rather rare article.
Senator Burroughs wanted your state
ment to go to the country.
Archbishop Ireland-And, secondly, if the
rare article does turn up, as it may, and he
has been able to resist the temptation to
visit the saloon in ordinary life, l think he
Will resist the temptation of the canteen.
Worse Than Drinking.
One thing is overlooked, which I allude to
myself, by many people who discuss the can
teen question. They only look at the mere
| drinking; but when a soldier goes outside
| to drink, outside the fort or reservation, he
is generally tempted to go farther. That is
the danger.
Senator Warren-And to gamble?
Archbishop Ireland-Yes; also to gamble
You will find soldiers arrested in disreputa Bile
places. They are arrested, and then We ask,
How did you get there?" The explanation
is that they went outside and got drunk in
some OF these vile saloons, and they were
induced to go to these houses from the sa-
houses
and they are there particularly for the pur-
pose of inveigling the soldiers into these
houses The houses that l refer to are on
the borders of the fort. If a soldier does
take too much drink in the fort, he is not
exposed, OF course, to this other and greater
evil. Outside those two evils go together
When the soldier gets drunk outside the fort
he is led to something worse And so | say
even il the drunkenness itself were not di-
minished, would rather that a certain de-
gree of drunkenness were to prevail in the
han IN hO al rod To -01I
But, on the other hand, my own convic-
ton is that the dangers are far less for
drunkenness in the fort, and, at any rate
the amount there furnished is regulated and
there is a certain esprit de corps among the
men that keeps them from abusing their
privileges by taking beer. 1t is regarded as
generally would not like to see the canteen
become place for getting drunk If the
man goes there too much, he is somewhat
tabooed.
Senator Hawley-And he is restricted in
his drinking? He Is not allowed to drink
too much?
Beer Not Sin.
Archbishop Ireland-Yes, sir; that is bet
ter yet. OF course, if people could do away
with all evil 1t would be better for the world;
but my policy is to deal with the world as
it is.
:. Senator Warren-It is straight PROPOSE
ton of choosing the lesser of two evils?
Archbishop Ireland-Yes, sir. Although a
total abstainer myself, 1 do not think it is
a mortal sin for a soldier to take a glass of
beer or for an officer to allow a soldier to
take glass of beer. believe in temperance
and in suppressing drinking as much as pos
sible, but cannot accept the statement that
has been made by others before this com
mittee, that it is infamous for the govern
ment to allow the canteen; that this is a ne
farious traffic, and that we ought not to
sanction it in any way l cannot accept the
principle that it is in itself a nefarious
traffic. w W, Jermape.