Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-11-29

Its Use Prevents Drunkenness
and Desertion

Ats Use ETeVeutb Uruukennehh
and Desertion
The recommendation made to
the Secretary Of the Navy by DR..
E. Fl. Green, medical inspector at
the Brooklyn navy-yard. that
alcoholism among the sailors of
the United States navy would be
greatly lessened by permitting the
sale of teer and light wines in the
con- missary store there as we'll as
In other navy-yards, lie one among
q numbsr of such recommends
tlons made to the surgeon general
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 commissarY, which
corresponds to the canteen of the
army.
The fact that the establishment
OF beer canteen for the navy is
receiving widespread attention
among naval officers, along with
the unanimous recommendation
of the general officers of the army
that big mistake was made in
abOlishing the sale of this beverage
am ng the soldiers, will result in
much official pressure on Congress
to disregard the petitions of the
Woman's Christian Temperance
Union and other temperance organ
izatiOns as to the best method of
furnishing drink for the army and
navy.
From the highest to the lowest
officer of the army, among men
who have commanded men, fought
in wars and studied the habits of
soldiers all their lives, the recon
mendaticn is that the American
soldier can be made a much better
man morally if he is allowed to
have teer and light wines at the
army posts, the sane privilege
man has in his own home, instead
of having to buy it, as he is certain
to do, in the lowest OF dives,
aEOng the lowest of men and
women, on the outskirts of the
posts. The Woman's Christian
Temperance Union places it's judg-
meut against that of the army
officers. So do the prohibitionists
in all parts of the country. The
temperance people declare that the |
government reservations must re-
main sacred in the matter OF
drinks even if the soldier does go
outside and get the vllest " hiskey |
and the VIlest diseases. The army |
officers say that if he Is allowed |
beer, with its small amount of
alcohol, the smallest of ali drinks
containing alcohol, he will be con-
tented and will not go outside for
the decoctions mixed for him in
dirty dives. Congress will have
TO determine who knows the most
about it.
One army officer few days ago
gave as one of the principal
reasons of desertion from the army
the failure to have beer on sale at
army posts; and the report CT the
surgeon-general of the army shows
that out of every 1000 men in the
army at the present time, 20 per
cent. ere treated for acute alcohol
ism, while in the German army,
where beer is a beverage and is
drunk like water, the percentage
is 90. The United States, there
lore, ranks its army drunkenness
100 times greater than IN the
German army.
Admiral Dewey is am ong the
high officials of the navy who be-
ievss in placing before the Ameri-
IAN sailor the mild drinks and
feels that he will be cOntented with
his as substitute for the ardent
,nes. That beer and wines are {
placed on different footing in the l
navy from whiskey, as they are I
everywhere else in world but in {
he United States, is shown by {
he fact that theee drinks are 6
permitted to officers on board ships
While serving at sea.
The same privilege, though, lie !
lenied the sailors, who are kept in q
! general state of dryness on board q
hips. When they reach shore J
hey fill up on every imaginable a
rink a bartender passes over the
ounter and they become the most I
drunken beasts on the face IF the .
arlh. Admiral Dewey is satisfied '
hey would have little inclination a
o do this if they had gotten what :
hey wanted in the shape Of mild /
Irinks while at sea. q
Decoy for Squirrels