Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-20
THE HOME CAhTEEM
Effort to Prevent Its Abolish
ment by Mr.. TaWney.
LETTERS FROM CHAPLAINS
Business and Professional Men and
Clergymen of All Denominations
URGING IT'S NECESSITY
Have Been Observation-Disclosures Gen.
eral Against Extension Of Anti.
Canteen Law to Homes.
LETTERS FROM CHAPLAINS
URGING

Representative Tawney of Minnesota,
chairman of the House committee on ap-
preparations, is making strenuous efforts
to prevent the extension of the anti
canteen law to soldiers homes. In con-
nection with his efforts in this direction
Mr.. Tawney has had published as sup
plement of the hearing on the sundry
civil appropriation bill letters from gov
ernors Of soldiers homes, chaplains Of
soldiers homes, business men. profess
sional men and clergymen of all denom-
nations protesting against the abolish
ment of the soldiers home canteen or
beer hail." as it is most generally
called.
One of the strongest letters is from
Archbishop Messmer of Milwaukee, who
asked that he be allowed to add his voice
of protest against the abolition of the
canteen at our military posts and at the
veterans homes, and who adds: Il know
from wide and most reliable informa-
ton that the canteen is very efficient
means to preserve temperance among the
soldiers. while the abolition has proved
just as powerful measure to send them
to the saloons, especially IN regard to our
veterans, there is an absolute necessity
OF providing place where they can get
stimuiants under proper and strict con-
troll.
IF not they will invariably go to places
where they are free to fall a prey to the
saloon and stall keeper who will rob them
of their last penny. Any one who has OBJ
is in conscious forced to demand the cam
teen for the good of the soldiers and the
honor of the country
All Chaplains Save One.
Of all the chaplains of soldiers through
out the country only one thinks it would
be better to abolish the beer halls in the
homes. and he, it appears, has had very
little experience with the old soldiers, be-
ing a new man in the position
Last year a provision inserted in the
sundry civil bill, as a compromise from the
prohibition position taken by the Senate,
that the law closing canteens should go
into effect, so far as soldiers homes were
concerned, on March 1. 1907. In the due
course of business of Congress it will be
necessary to re-enact this provision. Mr..
Tawney intends to prevent that action if
possible. and If he is successful in this to
make the fight on the general proposition
and to preserve soldiers home beer halls
of the veterans.
Almost all of the home chaplains have
written the strongest sort Of letters urging
the continuance of the canteenS for the old
soldiers and in addition dozens of promi-
nent business men, church men and total
abstinence workers have urged similar ac-
ton. Many of the latter start out with the
statement that the writer never uses Ii
quor in any form. but believe nevertheless
that 1t would be very wrong to extend the
anti-canteen law to the homes.
One letter is from the publishers of the
Catholic Citizen, for many years the organ
of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union Of
Wisconsin, which declares that lit is a
moral and physical danger for the inmates
Of the national home to go outside of the
grounds to frequent the kind of saloons that
cluster around the Institutions
U,I%4 v1HL s-I@
kee, says that he feels very strongly that
the abolishing of the canteen is a very
grave mistake, even from the point of view
of those who are trying to do it. The only
possible result will be to drive the soldiers
to the low taverns and dives outside the
grounds of the home where they are under
no restraint Of any kind. How any one who
knows anything about the conditions can
think for moment that any good is to be
accomplished by any such action 1 do not
see The canteen. with it's proper restric
tons. is the greatest possible help to tenn
perance in its true sense. / most sincerely
hope that it will not be abolished"