Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-11-26
Medical Inspector Thinks II Would
Reduce Drunkenness and DESERT
DEWEY FAVORS LIGHT DRINKS
SaiIormen, Forced to Total Abstinence
at Sea. Saturate Themselves and
Become Madmen When They Get at
the Vile Stuff Sold Ashore.

The recommendation made to the
secretary of the navy by l.. II. Green,
medical inspector ut the Brooklyn
navy-yard, that alcoholism among the
sailors of the United States navy
would be greatly lcsscncd by permit
ting the sale Of beer and light wines
in The cOmmisSary store there rs well
as in other navy yards. is one among
Il number of such recommendations
made to the surgcon-gencral of the
navy.
Surgeon Green is almost positive
that the ten cases of acute alcoholism
treated by him would probably not
have existed had beer and light wines
been on sale in the cOmmssary. which
corresponds 10 the cantcen of The ar
my.
The fact that the establishment of
beer cantccn for the navy is recciv-
ing Widespread attention among naval
officers. along with the unanimous rec
concentrations of the general officers
of the army that big mistake was
made in abOliShing the sale of this
beverage among the soldiers, will re-
suit in much official pressure in con
gross In disregard the petitions of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
and other temperance organizations
as to the best method Of furnishing
drink for the army and navy.
Beer Not SO Bad.
From the highest To the lowest Off
COS of the army, among men who have
commanded men. fought in wars and
| studied the habits Of soldiers all their
lives. the recommendation is that the
| M ho
| better man morally IL he is allowed
10 have b ,cr and light wines at the
army posts, the same privilege n man
| has in his own home. instead of hay
ing To buy il. as he is certain to do.
in the lowest of dives. among the low.
est of men and women. on the out
| skirts of the posts. The Woman's
| Christian Temperance Union places
lis judgment against that of the army
officers. So do the prohihtionists in ali
parts OF the country. The temperance
people declare that the government
reservations must remain sacred in
the matter of drinks even if the sol
der does go outside and get the vilest
whiSkcy and the vilest diseases. The
army officers say that if he is allowed
beer, with it's small amount of alec.
hol, the smallest of all drinks contain.
ing alcohol, he will he contentcd and
will not so outside for the dccoctions
mixed for him in dirty dives. Con
l'grcss will have to determine who
knows the most about it.
Cause of Desertions.
One army officer a few days AFRO
gave as one of The principal reasons
Of deScrtions from the army the fnil-
ure 10 have beer on sale at army
posts; and tho report of The surgeon.
general of the army shows that out of
every 1000 mon in the army at the
present time, 30 per cent arc treated
for acute alcoholism, while in the
German army, where beer is n bever-
age. and is drunk like water. the per
/ centagc is 90. The United States
therefore, ranks its army drunken.
ness $40 times greater that the Ger.
man army.
| Admiral Dewey is among the high
officials of the navy who believe in
| placing before the American sailors
The mild drinks and feels that he
will be contentcd with this as a sub.
stitute for The ardent ones. That
} beer and wines are placed on differ.
Ont footing in the navy from whiskcy,