The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-13
DEFENDED CANTEEN.
Macarthur Says It Should Not Have
Been Abolished.

Chicago Nov. 13.-While General Mac
Arthur was defending the army canteen
and pointing out the mistake made by
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union in having it abolished. the SOL
diers of Fort Sheridan were rioting. the
result Of whisky, procured in HighwOod-
All day and late into the night the fort
and Highwood were in an uproar that
surpassed any similar outbreak since
the adjustment of the canteen system.
1t was pay day, and unable to obtain
the liquor that the soldier GRAY es when
his pockets are full of meny elsewhere
than in the saloon in Highwood, the
men sWarmed into the village as soon
as they had received their pay and be-
gan an orgy which lasted throughout
the night.
Drunken soldiers reeled about the
streets, thronged the saloons. fought
with each other and with the gamblers
that visit the village every pay day or
lay prone in the cutters, overcome by
intoxication. Fully 500 soldiers were
about the town early in the evening,
and their numbers We're constantly in
creased by fresh arrivals from the post
Fights were numerous and the local
authorities, finding useless their early
efforts to preserve order, made no at
tempt to quell the rioting. Several en-
counters assumed serious aspects. and
two soldiers were so badly injured that
their removal to the post hospital was
necessary. Both injured men were nom
combatants, but in the fury of the fight
ing no one was safe.
when the members of the Woman's
Christian Temperance union made their
fight against the army canteen they did
exactly what the proprietors of the grOg
shops wanted them to do" said Gen.
Macarthur. He had Just arrived from
the east and came to Chicago to take
command of the department of the lakes.
Good women they are he continued.
None better; but they are like the man
III tHa hat Cd He
means we'll but the effects are just as
serious as if he knew that it was load
ed. 1t was awful mistake to take
the canteen from the army post. and |
am certain that the day is not far dis
tant when beer and light wines VIII
again be sold within the borders of the
post
Congress will probably take action
upon the question at the coming session.
and the canteen will be restored. When
it was taken away the soldiers were
robbed of one of their liberties which
their citizenship entities them to. OF
course. we have prohibition states where
the sale of liquor is forbidden. But
there is a difference. In the prohibition
sta ties the law is not enforced The can
teen law was enforced. 1t was a false
sentiment that prompted congress to
abolish the canteen- The members of
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union started their crusade. and there
was such clamOr that congress
thought there was genuine sentiment
against the canteen. But congress has
been convinced it made a mistake.
THE loss of the canteen meant the
loss of much of the discipline which
makes the army of the United States
the best in the world. Personally I am
very anxious to have the canteen re-
stored ! have always believed tha: its
abolition was a grave mistake. and now
am convinced of it. 1t was a false
sentiment, and the people now know it