Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-12-31
WAR WITH WATER,
The Great Conflict in the East Again
Demonstrates the Superiority
of Temperate Soldiers,

While all eyes are turned in the
direction of Port Arthur, il may be
well to remember that war has its tenn
perance lessons as well as peace Many
years ago the late Sir Benjamin Ward
Richardson declared: Never let this
lesson be forgotten in thinking of
strong drink: that the drink is strong
only to destroy; that it never BY any
possibility adds strength to those who
drink it,, emo his declaration has re
ceived the backing of athletes, noun
taineers, explorers and generals in ev-
cry part of the world. The old fallacy
that intoxicating liquors produce
strength and give endurance has been
exploded, and the men and women who
take strong drink under the delusion
that it will make them strong have
no evidence whatever in support of
their case. For almost without excep-
ton when a man of really remarkable
physical ability speaks upon the sub
ject ne presents totally different view
of the case, and when records are
broken and great athletic and military
victories are won it is almost. invari-
ably without the aid of liquor.
This is emphasized from both sides
In the present struggle in the east
The JapS are a very abstemious race,
and their bravery and endurance dur
Ing the present campaign have been
remarkable, and now there comes the
| intelligence that open indulgence in
| drink by the Russians has assumed APP
paling dimensions, and Gen. Kuropat-
Ii
hibiting the sale of liquors. This is
very significant It shows that the
general has read history to some pur-
pose For our greatest generals have
been unanimous in declaring that
drink is not only unnecessary but in
| furious to soldiers in the performance
! of their ardu0us work. Sig Evelyn
Wood. in 1882, testified. Throughout
the Crimea these were the best and
healthiest soldiers and sailors who did
not touch intoxicating drink" A few
years later. Lord Wolseley wrote:
There are yet some great enemies to
be encountered by the United King
dom. But the most pressing enemy
is drink 1t kills more than all our
newest weapons of warfare. and not
only destroys the body but the mind
and soul also" The Ashantee war.
the famous Red river expedition. and
not so long ago the series of brilliant
and decisive achievements in the
| Soudan campaign of 1898, by Lord
Kitchener and his troops, were accom-
plished on nothing stronger than
water. And have we not the authority
of the field marshal that those won
derful British marches in the south
African campaign were accomplished
through tho remarkable steadiness OF
ehs SsUSEef g. meeting held at
:5icemfoatefK, Lsr6 Roberts said: He
was proud TO be the leader OF the best
behaved army in the world. They had
fought splendidly. marched uncom-
lplainingly, and endured all the hard
ships of the campaign. The whole
army have been members OF the Army
Temperance association. Modder river
was all they had TO drink and some
times little of that"
Thus il is not surprising that Gen.
Kuropatkin should not have been slow
| to profit from the experience of his
contemporaries. For without Justify
ing DloOuSneu III the SilSnteSt degree
temperance reformerS can point to any
campaign from the Crimean war TO
the present struggle in the east as un
lanswerable arguments in favor of war
ring without drink, declares the Scot
fish Reformer THE old superstition
that grog is 2 good tking for men be-
fsqx. {SrfEs 81 after march has"
decsCTsS !srfs Ws!selCy, the command
er OF the Red river expedition. been
lproved by scientific men of all nations
to be a fallacy. and is only maintained
by men who mistake the cravings aris-
ing from habit for the promptings OF
nature" And this statement is truer
to-day than ever, and is receiving vol
ume and emphasis from every sphere
| nf .,h.r.inn1 TIL ,,n1-nl