The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-10-22
G.. HOOD THOMPSON ON =.
ABOLITION OF CANTEEN

Editor Labor World:
You have often expressed desire
for something from my pen, but hith-
erto the spirit has not been successful
in moving me to the required task.
But the last issue of your paper con-
tanned one of those stereotyped pleas
for the army beer saloon, that are
going the rounds Of the papers at SO
much per line, that as I read it the
sparks flew, and althoug h j had only a
day or two before replied to similar
one in one Of our dailies I determined
to let your readers in on the inside
track. It is, or should be well known
that the war department has for some
time been in close touch with the
great and rich brewing interests Of
the country, and that much of the
sinews Of war for the return to power
of the present administration is sup
piled from that source. That the pro-
hibition Of beer in the army canteen
has been great blow to the trade.
1t would be well to remember the time
when our volunteers were encamped in
Chlcamauga and that vicinity. When
even poor water was a scarce article,
beer was sent in in train loads. This
can be corroborated by any of our
young men who so CALAMITY gave
themselves up at that time for their
country. And it is quite natural that
they (the brewers) are not going to
give up such bonanza as the army
canteen was for so long. without a
struggle, and without resorting to
every trick that Hell can devise. What
care they for the health or morals of
our brave soldiers and sailors, all they
want 1s their money. And the anti
canteen law has been the bitter gall
they have ever had to swallow.
Subtle devices are quite in accord
with our Lords words. The children
of this world are wiser in their GEN.
Grafton than the children Of light So
cleverly do they cover up their tracks,
as even to deceive the very elect, in
a large measure. have before me an
editorial of this nature, that by a re-
markable coincidence was inspired by
three editors and published in three
different papers very widely separated
by distance, on the same day word
for word" "jot and title" 1 send YOU
copy, which you may publish with
this If you wish. But fear it will be
treaspassing too much on your space
to ask you to do so. Also, one very
similar that appeared in the same
manner In two papers within five days
OF each other. The first appeared on
August 3rd in the Columbus Citizen,
the st. Louis Chronicle, and the Har-
risburg Telegraph. The other IN the
Manchester Union, New Hampshire on
Sept. 10th and in the Anaconda.
(Mont) Standard of Sept. Is. And
while it used to be understood that
the two words. officer and gentleman
We're very closely: allied, it Is to be
deeply regretted that there have been
tremendous number Of divorces be-
tween them of late years. It does not
require a very good memory to recall
a number OF very s>ungentIemaniy
things that havesbee done by officers
In the army Of the United States. And
that so many of them will lend them
selves to such contemplate subser-
Vience and trickery, as to send out re-
ports that they know to be absolutely
false and misleading mark the con-
trast between those of Duncan r.
Harrison of the brewers Bureau Of
information in. Washington" and that
of that veteran hero of the Civil War.
General O.. 0. Howard, then command
ing the department Of the East he
wrote in 1892 when the canteen was in
full operation in its best days. and he
was in a position to see what it was
doing.
Under the present (canteen) system
soldiers appear to be more generally
led to drink, and to offenses that 90
with drinking than under the old suit
Ter and post trade system. am
strongly convinced by actual experi-
ment that while a few drinkers are
moderated in their application bv
strong beer, the remaining soldiers
who fall under temptation are worse