The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-14

cOnOI anu the efficiency OF the ndLlOI-
al services, at which representatives Of
the naval. military postal. railway and
| legal professions spoke. The extraor-
binary growth of total abstinence in
| the British army and navy was espec-
tally emphasized; 10 per cent of the
army in India are total abstainers.
| This growth of total abstinence in the
army was attributed by the surgeon
general. to a very considerable degree
| made in the surroundings of the soldier
such as improved housing and food"
Canteen Is Needed.
| The annual report of Judge-Advo-
United States Army. just issued by the
war department, openly challenges the
effectiveness of the prohibitive law OF
February ,, 1901. which abolished the
official army canteen.
Judge Davis states that the convic.
| tions by general court martial for the
year ending June 30, 1909. in which
drunkenness was alleged as an element
of the offense. aggregated 6o7, as
against 1913 last year.
The report continues:
"The operation of the ct. prohibiting
the sale of beer, etc. in any post ex-
change or canteen. or upon any prem
ises used for military purposes, has un-
doubtedy caused the location near
military reservations of resorts for the
sale of Intoxicating liquors, which
pander to the appetites and passions
of those enlisted men who. largely by
reason of the prohibition in question,
frequent the same. These are beyond
the control of the military authorities,
and their presence near the military
posts is highly detrimental to military
discipline.'
That the vino distilled by the ma
tives of the Philippines is marked
factor in the canteen problem now be-
ing experienced by the army officials
in the Asiatic possession Of Uncle Sam
is cited by a quotation from the re-
port of the acting Judge advocate OF
the department of Mindanao, as fol
lows:
A Cause Of Trouble.
During the past year a record has
been kept in this office of the number
of trials of general court-martial
wherein the evidence, either directly
or indirectly, shows that the offense
| was due wholly or in part to the use
of intoxicants. The result was, that
out of 100 convictions, SO trials, or ).
per cent. could be traced to that cause
In addition to that number, there were
Enthusiastically others. where the fact
was never shown in evidence.
THE use of native drinks, such as
vino, tuba. etc, with their well
known demoralizing effects, has been
| a source of trouble in several posts
and determined effort to have their
sale prohibited should be made, with
severe punishments for any violation
of such laws.
ON account of the remoteness OF va
rious stations in this department from
towns Of any size, the ordinary diver
sions to which the soldier has been &C
customed are lacking. The result Is
| that, naturally. he goes to the only
public place of amusement-namely
the saloon-with the consequence that
drunkenness and other offenses often
| follow
Judge Davis believes that restoration
| of army canteens would be the best
remedy: but since public sentiment
seemed strongly against this policy. he
thought prohibition off the reservation
should be added to the present prohib!'
ton on the reservation.