The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-14
NEWS OF THE CITY
SOLDIER ELOQUENT
FOR ARMY cANIEEN !! | !! \
Smelling Sergeant Makes a
Strong Argument Before
w. c. T. U. - S.

Conmissary Sergeant Jerry Machle,
veteran Of twenty years service, took
the breath of argument away from several
members of the w. c. T. u. at recep-
ton held at the home @efs. Mrs.aaDelia,
Mandigo, 722 Selby. avenue, when the re-
establishment of the canteen came uf, for
discussion. Hard headed soldier, know
Ing more of war and men than of the
parry and thrust of debate he spoke so
elequently and presented such an array
of indisputable facts thatas the ardent
workers of the w. c. 7. U. for a moment
found themselves faltering in their long,
standing belief that the canteen at army
posts is an abomination.
1t is reported that at the. conclusion Of
the arguments several of the women open
ly agreed with the soldiers spesitions on
the question, and while none of them
wavered as to the general principle I'M
voived they admitted the weight of the
statements Of man who had had twenty
years of experience in army life. sets..
Mrs. Scovers Argument
Mrs. B. l.. Scovel, president of the state
W. G. T. u, made the argument. against
the establishment of the canteen sys-
tenn. Her statement was to the end that
the government should not carry on the
sale of liquor; that the W. c.. 7. u. was
accountable for the introduction of the
bill that wiped the traffic out of existence,
and that eventually she hoped that the or
ganization would succeed in having bill
passed prohibiting the manufacture of
brewed and distilled liquors.
Commissary Sergeant Jerry Machle re-,
piled and took issue with Mrs. Scoyel on.
the adyisability of opposing the re-estab-
liShment of the post canteen.ei He saidaf :
"The ladies were undoubtedly sincere in
getting the Cante0n ahnliShPd hrt the
actual working of the present law is very.
bad. Mrs. Scovel makes the point that
the government should not go into the,
liquor business nor share in its profits. I
would call her attention to the, fact that
under present circumstances the money
spent for liquor goes to enrich the keepers
of the money spent for beer and other
liquors was used to purchase better food
for the table of the enlisted men.
am not a drinking man myself and
believe that a majority of the soldiers of
the army would favor a law to prevent
the manufacture of Intoxicating drink,
but from my twenty odd years expe-
rlence in the army under the canteep sys-
tenn and since it's abolition can say with
certainty that the operation of the anti
canteen law is unqualifedly bad
DesertionS are SO per cent greater
now than when it was possible for the
soldiers to get beer at the post exchanges.
The reason for that being that many of
the soldiers who desert get leave to be
then under the influence of bad liquor for
get the hour at which their leave ex-
plreS and overStay it. When they realize
what they have done and that court mar
tial stares them in the face they simply
desert.
Cared for by comrade
Under the canteen law this would not
happen, for the soldier who drank too
much at the exchange was usually taken
to his quarters by a comrade and put to
bed, thus giving a deserving man per-
hapS a chance to mend his ways and at
the same time avoid a court martial for
being absent without leave,
Gems Miles, Funston and Carr and Col.
Sweet, who Is in command of Fort Smell
ing, are intelligent men and fully ac-
auainted with the conditions of army life.
and each of them desires the e-esta bliSh-
ment Of the post exchange.
Il would finally call your attention to
the difference that exists between the
quality of the liquor sold the soldiers by
the dive keepers and that dispensed ia the
canteens. The canteen liquor was as
nearly pure as could be purchased and
that of the dives so impure that it often
led to insanity
Mrs Mandigo, at whose home the re-
ception was held, said:
enjoy hearing such "a clear .argu-
ment as that expressed by Sergeant
Machle. and while it was merely "a plea
for the establishment of the post ex-
changes, founded on grounds of expe-
dlency, 1T stated it about as well as pos
sible.
..The organization of the w c. T. u.
believes that the liquor traffic swrong
and that it should be suppressed and the
soldier agreed entirely with. the, general
principle.
II would not care to speak. concerning
his talk even for myself and could not do
so for the w. c. T. U. Besides did not
hear it all"