Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-19
BEER FOR THE CANTEEN
WoMAN'S ARMY AND NAVY
LEAGUE APPROVES MOVEMENT.
Want Bill Restoring These Beverages
to Soldiers Now Before
Congress Passed.

The woman's Army and Navy League.
an organization of the wives and daughters
of officers of the army and navy has
unanimously adopted resolution providing
for the restoration of the sale of beer and
light wines in the canteenS at army posts
and petition has been prepared to be sent
to Congress by the organization indorslng
the passage of the bill now before Congress
with that purpose in view. The action Of
this organization is regarded as important
as the members, through their daily con-
tact with soldiers. sailors and marines. are
probably in better position to judge OF the
actual effects Of the abolition of the sale
of beer in the eanteep than any other wo-
mans society or league in tie country.
The membership of the league at present is
almost a thousand, representing women
scattered all over the face of the earth,
each one of whom is taking an active in
terest i'll the work of the organization
Each necessarily comes in daily contact
with the soldiers and sailors and all are con-
sequently in a position to know what will
benefit these men better than persons who
nave little or no opportunity for close con-
tact Win the army or navy The matter OF
the canteen with beer has been agltaung
the organization for year or mare
The members of the league wish Il nm
derstood that the question before Congress
Is not one of canteen or no cauteeD Tie
canteen is an institution of the army post
under any circumstances and IL does not
depend on the sale of beer or wines for it's
maintenance. IL Is not generally under
stood, the members of the league say that
there Is canteen AT all post exchanges now
and there always Will be- The so-called
anti-canteen bill that became a law i'm Feb
fuary 1901, simply prohibited the sale Of
beer and light wines.
Interested in the Men.
Every army woman Is Interested in keep
ing our soldiers out of the liquor saloons
and degrading associations" "A member o:
the league declared. land every one of them
who are members of the league will sign
this petition. We already have a number
of names, all we could get at the meeting
when the petition WIS drawn up, but we
want to get all the army women who are
members to sign. and We will hold the petit
ton until after Christmas to give every
one an opportunity to sign. There l. NJ
question in our minds as to the advsabiiiy
ity of re-establishing beer as one of tins
beverages dispensed at the canteens. Al
the time the bill passed Congress abolish
ing the sale of alcoholic liquors Of every
kind there was no question as to what the
effect OF the bill would be. Congress.
through the War Department. sent letters
Of inquiry to officers Of the army stationed
all over the country and in the Philippines.
and 30 per cent of the replies were agains.
the passage or adoption OF any legislation
which would affect the status OF the can
teen as it was then. These reports were
official, and are now on file at the War De-
partment, where they can be sesn- They
were printed as public document at the
time of the committee hearings. and can
be obtained through Congress, if any one
cares to make an investigation OF the mat
ter. And since then. every year, there have
been few reports from division. department
and post commanders. heads Of staff de-
partments and bureaus that have not
.lal
peal of the act that has deprived the sol
dier's club of its beer. not only for the
benefit of the individual soldier. but for the
good of the army as a whole. and for the
good name of the United States
I'm the Woman's Army and Navy League
there are many women who would not per
nit liquors of any kind to come into thc;r
homes, who are total abstainers in the
strictest sense of the word but who.
through their study of the matter from its
practical side. from the side that affects
the soldier the most, indorse without rcser-
walton the proposition for the repeal of the
anti-beer clause in the army regulations.
All the army chaplains are IN favor of IL.
and there are few others who ever have
opportunity to see the soldier as he re ally
is who are not hearty i'll their Endorsement
The Woman's Army and Navy League has
had this matter under aGvisement for a
long time. We have not acted because we
did not think the recommendations OF over
90 per cent of the officers OF the army
would be ignored in SO important matter.
We do not seek subterfuge in bringing out
this petition. We are heartily and unquali-
fiedly in favor of the sale of beer in the
canteen. and every one of us is determined
to leave no stone unturned II secure the
repeal of what We regard an iniquitouS
law
Holding the Petition.
The petition is now in the keeping Of
Mrs Josephine =. Kelton. widow OF the
late Gen. John c. Kelton, adjutant general
OF the army Mrs. Kelton is vice president
of the league. She announces that she VIII
have the petition at her home. ISL X street
northwest until the reassembling Of Con-
gress after Christmas. and that any MEM
Der of the league who did rot attend The
last meeting and who has not signed the
paper can sign ii there. The officers of the
league are more than usually Interested IA
the accomplishment of the object they have
set before them and will give their undlVid-
ed efforts to secure the passage of the bill
now before Congress with that purpose in
view. The officers include President. Mrs.
George NJ SternDerg; vice presidents Mrs.
]. c. Kelton Mrs. b. III Buckingham; hon
orary vice president. Mrs. Frederick Towns
end; secretary, Mrs. II. Schreiner; ass slant
secretary, Mrs. j. NJ. Roper: treasurer, Mrs.
Eugene p. Stone; executive committee
army Mrs Adna r. Chaffee, Mrs. George
L. Gillespie Mrs. Arson Mills. Mrs. r. ~
Koerper Mrs. Alfred B. Taylor; navy. Mrs.
C. III. Davis Mrs. w. L sampson. Mrs. 7.
F. Jewell Mrs p. NJ. Rixey, Mrs. c. ID.
Galloway. Mrs. c. NJ. Chester.