The Washington herald., 1907-01-11
Over S7O,OO0,0O0 Provided
for Military Establishment.
CANTEEN PROBLEM DISCUSSED
Rule Brought in for Abolition OF
Grade Of Lieutenant General-BiIi
COdifying Penal Laws Reported.
FOFtiHcatsOns Appropriation Bill
Considered in Committee Of Whole.

The total was scaled down by the elimina-
tion Of certain items such as that for the
construction Of barracks for the Coast
Artillery. which the Appropriations Com
mittee claimed should be considered by
that committee instead Of the Committee
on Military Affairs
BY the aid Of the Committee on Rules.
the Military Committee had the House re-
insert In the bin the clause abolishing the
grade Of Lieutenant General Of the army
after 1853 This clause went out yesterday
on point Of order. The amendment
abolished. the grade was adopted by a
vote Of 81 TO O.
Late In the afternoon the fortifcation
appropriation bin was taken up and was
being cor yidered at adjournment During
the afternoon the bin codifying the penal
laws Of the United States was reported.
Mr.. Gaines, Of Tennessee, made the state
ment that he would raise the point Of no
quorum if there is not the required at
tendance when the bill comes I'D next
week.
While the army bill was under consider
/ alton there was an ebullition Of talk over
the canteen question. Mr.. Morrell. Of
Pennsylvania. wanted 70 amend the bill
by repeating the anti-canteen law. but
Mr.. Hull felt compelled to invoke the
rule Mr. Morrell said: Some years ago
introduced "a bin 10 restore the army
canteen. At that time the chairman OF
/ the Committee on Military Affairs assured
me that the military post exchange would
do away with any necessity for the for
mer canteen.'
Mr. HULL think the gentleman puts IL
+ too strong. 1 said L hoped il would
Mr.. Morrell-Weu the gentleman seemed
so confident I desisted from pressing the
bin. I would like % ask him what has
been the result?
Mr.. HulL-We are still providing post OK
changes and furnishing hot coffee, with
the hope that it viii do all that is de-
sired.
Mr. Morrell-Has drunkenness in the
army decreased proportionately with the
number Of post exchanges
Canteen Produced Temperance.
Mr.. Hull viii say frankly that the
testimony Of army officers is almost uui-
( form and universal that the cauteen was
a sood temperance measure; that its abo-
1 lition has resulted in deserti0n and
/ greater drunkenness. / am also informed
by letters. 10 20 Io5 d day. coming from
all over the country, that The canteen
would be crime against society, and
protesting against this re-enactment We
are trying 10 let the present line work
out and if the effect ultimately is bad
on the army the facts can be presented
TO Congress and they can be legisiated
upon
Mr. Morrell-If the present rate OF
drunkenness increases IL may become q
very serious matter in preventing men
from enlisting in the army. II by insist
ing on this canteen law we are going TO
drive men out of the army posts 10 low
dives instead Of doing what We expected
10 accomplish, We are doing exactly the
reverse. If an amendment is in order, I
would like To offer one repeating the anti
canteeu law.
Mr.. Greene. Of Massachusetts-Do YOU
mean TO tell this House that the reason
for lack Of enlistment is the adjustment
Of the canteen2
Nr. MOrrell-It may not be the direct
cause but 7 think ! can safely say that
it is the Indirect cause Fathers and
mothers do not want their sons 10 go into
the army. when their sons. who do not
wear straps on their shoulders, but on
the sleeves Of their coats. DO not have
the same privileges as the men who have
straps on their shoulders. This is an in
vidious distinction to make between the
officer and the enlisted men. I believe
the enlisted man is just as much 10 be
intrusted with discrimination as the Off
Ger, and I feel that that Is one Of the
things that deter a man from entering the
service. He feels that his rights are not
observed, and that he Is not given equal
privileges with the officer.
Minor Changes Made.
The business pending when the Com
mittee of the Whole adjourned Wednes-
day was the point Of order made by Mr.
Tawney. chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations. that the item OF s.. .300,O00
in the army bin. for barracks and quar-
tiers fer the Seacoast Artillery. did not be-
long IN the measure. being under the
jurisdiction Of his own committee. The
point was sustained by Chairman Cur
rier.
An amendment was adopted, on motion
of Mr.. Hull, appTOpTiati1g $50 900 for the
construction Of military roads, bridges.
and trails in Alaska.
On motion Of Mr.. Kahn, Of California.
$4,000 was included iu the bill to recon
struct the paper house of the hospital at
the Preside, San Francisco. partially
wrecked by the earthquake last April
The tuberculosis hospital at Fort Buyard
New Mexico, was ordered to be opened
10 officers and men OF the navy and Ma
rine Corps.
Provisions for range finders and 6tHur
Instruments for FIRE control in field bat
teries and for converting muzZle-loadiuE
guns for Salutng purposes went out on "a
point OF order made by Mr.. HuTs col
league Mr. Smith. q member Of the Com
mittee on Appropriations, on the ground
that the Military Committee had no juris-
diction. Without further change the bin
was reported to the House and passed
After disposing Of the army appropria-
ton bin, the House in Committee of the
Whole, took W the Notifications apprp-
priation bill, four days being devoted to
general debate. Speaker Cannon sum-
moned MIR. Mann, of Illinois, 10 the chair,
selection which evoked laughter and
applause. Mr. Mann has been a thorn in
the sides OF members having appropria-
tion bills in charge and others inter
ested in their contents. because he has
eliminated numerous provisions on points
or order.
With the bill still under consideration.
the committee rose, and the House ad-
joUrned till to-day
Typhoid Epidemic Decreases.