The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-01
PROHIBITION FAILS.
Secretary Root Advises Return
to the Canteen.

Washington, Dec. 1.-Elihu Root, secre-
tary of war; is convinced that the army
canteen should be returned to. He speaks
plainly about it in his report to congress.
He said:
Referring to the operation of section SIS
of the act of February 2 1861, which pro-
hibits the sale of beer and light wines in
post exchanges, 1 said in my last report
that a great body of reports had been re-
ceiyed which indicated that the effect of
the law was unfortunate. but that 1
thought sufficient time had not elapsed
to give the law fair trial, and that the
observation and report of its working
would be continued during the ensuing
year.
"A great number of additional reports
have now been received and they confirm
the impression produced by the earlier
ports 1 am convinced that the general
effect of prohibiting the use of beer and
light wines within the limited area of the
army post is to lead the enlisted men to
go out of the post to frequent vile resorts
which cluster in the neighborhood, to
drink bad whisky to excess, and to as
sociate intimately with abandoned men
and more abandoned women; and that the
operation of the law is to increase drunk
enness, disease of the most loathsome
kind, characterization and desertion, and
moral and physical degeneration. These
reports are ready to be sent to congress
whenever that body desires to consider
the subject.
"A good example of what can be done
in the way of joint maneuvers and exer-
else by regulars and militia, to the great
advantage of both, in preparation for
general military service. has been fur
nished by the concentration and exercise
of troops at Fort Riley in the latter part
of September. Three regiments of regular
infantry. two regiments of infantry of the
National Guard of Kansas. a battalion OF
Colorado infantry, a regiment of regular
lf7e,x yolr five hat nf ell ar
tillery, battalion of regular engineers
and detachments of the regular signal
corps and hospital corps were corcen-
trated at that point and engaged for from
five days to two weeks in pra cticing field
operations, involving work from the sim
plest outpost and patrol duties up to and
including maneuvers by brigade and di-
vision.
"A large number of National Guard Of
ficers besides those commanding troops
ty different states and two territories,
were present large number of Nation
al Guard troops of other states would
have been present had there been any ap-
preparations to pay their expenses. Both
the officers of the guard and of the reg
ular army unite in the opinion that both
branches of the service received great
benefit, and the good understanding and
friendly feeling established between the
two classes of officers who were present
at the maneuvers are most gratifying.
Jealousy superciliousness. or a suspicion
of it, and bad feeling between regular
and volunteer officers have been some of
the most fruitful causes of dissenson and
hindrance to general military efficiency
in this country. The best way to put an
end to this is to bring the officers to-
gether and get them to know each other
and work with each other with a COM
mon purpose
1T is to be hoped that before another
autumn the passage of the militia bill
will enable the war department to facili-
tate the attendance of greater numbers OF
National Guard troops for repetition OF
these naneuvers on a larger scale