Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-07

Special Correspondents df The Evening Star
ROCKVILLE. Nd, January 4, 1905.
Mrs. Anna R. Mass. wife Of Col. l.. NJ.
Maus, United States army, who lives in
Rockville, has addressed the following let
ter to Mrs. Kelton, president OF the Army
and Navy League, IN answer to a request
to sign a petition for the re-establishment
of the canteen:
Although many years have passed since
my last letter. it seems quite natural to be
writing to you again. and hope that you
have as pleasant memories of me as have
of you In the last five or six years have
been much In foreign lands, and so have
not been In close touch with the women of
my country have, however, never lost
sight of what considered my duty to our
soldiers. and it is of them / would write
you now.
For twenty five years the enlisted man
has been my charity, as you know Long
before the Y. M. C. AS were established in
army posts boughti pianos and organs, and
was assisted in some instances by the
league IN furnishing room where soldiers
might have books and music and a touch
of home. In these years l have seen our
army change very much in it's personnel.
Formerly 1t was largely composed of for
eigners-Irish, German, few French and
English. All of these men were past mid
die age. Now we have an army Of very
young American farmer boys. In many
instances they have grown weary of coun-
try life; and. .inots9 having cultivated the
quick wit of the city: lad they enlist. Never
in it's history has our army been more eff
cient or Its standard higher morally. and
believe this is due to the lack of tempta-
ton brought about by the absence of the
sale of fntoxicants at army posts.
"In years past ii. seemed necessary for
these old soldiers to dssipate There are
many brave, noble officers in our army
who are honest and conscientious in their
efforts to restore the canteen. believing
That the men will be saved from going
outside and, falling among thieves. They
take the ground that every soldier must
drink, and this was the case twenty years
ago. Out of a company of thirty men.
twenty would be in the guard house every
pay day The figures have changed, SO
that not more than per cent of the men
are dissipated, at the present time having
a new, young army, whose habits are not
formed.
"In furnishing convenient drink to the
very few they are placing temptation in
the way Of the many who otherwise would
escape, and who would never go outside
and spend their money. Many soldiers
have told me that the fact of their getting
credit was a great attraction; besides, all
the boys went there and they were made
50 welcome as long as their $40 lasted:
besides, they made so much noise there
that 1t was impossible to read in the Y. M.
c. A.. which, unfortuna tely, is usually To-
Gated next door to the canteen.
"All mothers will sympathize with our
soldiers, shut away from home associa-
tons, with an attractive bar open to them
have had rnanyylaupdresses tell me that
their husbands spent All their time as well
as their money, at the canteen, and one
delicate woman with hive children said she
had only 65 cents of her husbands pay in
three months Cuas1 i
Il believe there are few officers or ladies
in the army who know the soldiers as /
do. Since the war with Spain begun I
have been by the bedside of many thou
sand sick and dying men. and have heard
sad stories of blighteds1ives, made failures
by habits of intemperance l have no
boys Of my oH6.I biit 1 beg that YOU
mothers and fakh9rs >wiH think long and
well before placing .this temptation before
some other mothers boy"