The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-09-17
WEST POINT BOYS MAY SMOKE.

For generations the cadets at West
Point have spent their four years in
the military school with the mandate
'uo smoking allowed hanging over
them, but now this is removed and
the use of the weed is allowed. Fur
Their than this tobacco and pipes are
kept on sale at the cadet store, and
now the future officer of the army
does not have to smuggle in his smok-
ing outfit and use it by stealth, but
he can buy it on the reservation and
use it freely and openly during recrea-
tion hours. Col. Mills, the superin-
tendent, obtained the consent of Sec
rotary Root several weeks ago, and
when the order was promulgated an
nounoing the change it is said that the
boys welcomed it with great enthu-
siasm and Immediately set out to en-
said that while the sudden freedom
caused an undue amount of smoking
at first, the army officers at the post
are confident the final result will be
good. Dol. Mills hopes tc lessen cigar
cite smoking by allowing pipes, for,
with the latter easy to obtain and the
former only be to imported with great
difficulty, it is argued that the smok-
ers of the corps will grow fond Of
pipes. Neither cigarettes nor cigars
are to be sold at the store.
There was no rule mere irksome to
the cadets than the anti-smoking regu-
lation, and those whose duty it was
to report attractions have been known
to go to the extent of 'skinning"
smoker because of tobacco odors de-
tected in the culprit's room The VIC
tim Of the report used to be placed on
punishment tours or made to walk
for hours with gun on his shoulder
for many days in succession, and not
very long ago the corps was given to
understand that the practice of secret
smoking had reached a point where
the authorities might ezpel the next
cadet caught in the act. The punish
ment tours" in each case were accom-
panied by demerits, and with the more
incorrigible smokers it often happened
that nearly all the leisure hours of
a term would be spent con the area
The only restriction on the pipe smok-
ers is that they must do their smoking
within barrack limits
Speaking of the change the New
York Advertiser says:
Secretary Root during his term of
office has accomplished many things
which will cause him to be remem.
bered in the army; but, in a small
way, perhaps nothing will more en-
dear his memory to our future officers
than the last order which he promul-
gated before leaving for Europe. This
order rescinded the old regulation
which prohibited the cadets at West
Point from smoking. Henceforth they
will be allowed to smoke during relief
hours in barracks; and pipes and pipe
tobacco can be procured by them at
the post. This very sensible act of
Secretary Root will put an end to the
absurd and rather humiliating practice
among the cadets of sneaking into
stray corners for surreptitious puffs at
a cigarette. after the fashion of
small boys behind barn and III the
long run there will probably be no
more smoking at West Point in the fu-
ture than there has been in the past.
This, however, is not the real reason
for Secretary Roots order. 1t would
be humiliating for the authorities to
permit smoking on the ground that
they are unable to prevent it, and
thereby to make virtue of necessity.
The common sense of the matter is
that the cadets are not children, but
men-sturdy, athletic, and spending
much time in the open air. They are
also exceedingly hard worked; and to
allow them the qualification of blow
ing fragant cloud once or twice
day is only reasonable concession.
Tobacco, rightly used, is comfort
able creature; and an occasional pipe
in barracks will alleviate the austen
ity of cadet life without in any way
impairing the value of its physical
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