The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-12-31
As To The
CANTEEN
a Correspondent
Gives Other
Side.
QUOTES SURGEON
GENERALS VIEWS
Insists That Health OF the Army
Is Better Because OF
Present Law.

Editor Advertiser;--In your leader.
"canteen VS.. saloon,' of goth mss, you
say. While soldiers have liberty in a
country where beer, wine and spirits
are sold. they cannot be kept from
drinking. The best thing that can be
done is to regulate their use OF stinu-
lants as did the post cantean." The
proof Of the pudding" Mr. Editor, lis
in the eating, and if you will allow me
shall be glad to call your attention
70 certain facts that seem to initiate
against your view that as men cannot
be kept from drinking .'the best thing
that can be done is to regulate their use
of stimulants as did the post canteen."
The report of the Surgeon General re-
Gently issued shows the eanteea in an
objectionable light. It mas not the anne
lucrative agency you suggest. The
health of the men is shown to be bet
ter without the canteen than with it.
The report shows that for the whole
army. the admission rate to the hospi-
tails has materially fallen OFF since the
canteen was abolished. The figures are.
for the calendar year 1900. the lagt year
of the canteen, 2.3l1.S1 admissions per
1000 strength. For the calendar year
1902 the admission rate had dropped to
1.791.59 per 1000. Not. only is this true
of the army is a whole, but il is also.
true of the troops in the Philippines.
Insanity has markedly decreased un-.
der the no-eanteen system. Page OF Of
the Surgeon Generals report shows it
to Nave fallen from 2.72 to LIE per
thousand Alcoholism has likewise di-
minished- Before the adjustment Of
annual rate for ten years of a2.06, while
for 1901. the first year of the anti-can-
teen law, the rate fell to 21.s2- General
disorder and lack of discipline as indi-
Gated by the returns of the Judge Ad-
vocate General have markedly deereas-
ed. Trials per 1000 of strength We're
in 1900, 1905; in 1891, 65.5; in 1902, SO
far as yet ascertained 61.3.
The United States and France have
both banished intoxieants from the.
canteens, so far with the best results.
England has not, The Rev. D. S. CO.
vett. Archdeacon of Gibraltar, quite re-
Gently wrote as follows:
in the army, regimental canteens=
tempt the men every night with music.
and the best ale at cheapest rate. These
canteens are instituted under the plaus-
ible. but mistaken. notion that without
them the men would resort to ginshops
and music halls. The fact is the
Archdeacon says, the canteens train
for the ginshops. AS certainly as weak
doses of morphine. choral and opium
fascinate and seduce to stronger doses,
so certainly does alcohol in mild form
lure to the indulgence in more potent
ones. The reverend gentleman ,furth-
er points out the unwistioIn OF Keeping
constant temptation before moderate
drinkers, so called, and ahstainers, for
the purpose of controlling the drunk
ards who burden the guard room, hos
pital or prison. requiring the services
of good men to guard or care for them.
II was e1nphaticaIiy predicted by the
United States liquor organs that the
prohibition of alcoholic beverages in
canteens would prevent enlistments,
and increase desertions. General Miles
states that .desertfons have decreased
and the recruiting stations ara throng-
ed
Allow me. Mr. Editor, word more.
have Just received a paper read by
winfield L. Hall, Ph.D. NJ. D.. Profess
sor of Physiology. Northwestern Uni
versity Medical School, before the New
YORK state Medical Alliance. entitled
.Ethyl Alcohol; It's Biology and Its
Relation to Physiology, to Fharmaeolo-
gy, and to Therapeutics AT page 81
the learned physician says, Alcohol IN
small as wen as in large doses IS mar
cetic whose typical action is preceded
by a pseudo-stinluiation. soiliiIltlitiiis
upon the experiments OF certain EURO
pean Governments 10 determine the