The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-10-29
GEN. WOOD FAV0RS
RESTORING ARMY CANTEEN
Commander of the Department Of the
East Thinks That the Soldiers
VIII Be Better Of
With 1t.

4
and the finer points of the war game,
Major General Leonard Wood has sub
mitted an extraordinary report dealing
with the common places OF the enlisted
mans comfort The report was written
by General Wood as the commander OF
the department of the East, but was
submitted to the adjutant general after
he became chief of staff, and therefore
is taken as criticism by the active head
Of the army.
Within the sphere OF the enlisted man,
General Wood in this report touches
upon three points; the soldiers canteen
or post saloon; his uniform particular
ly his shoes-and the desirability OF es-
tablishing general service corps Of men
employed to do all the non-military
work. The crisp and blunt recommends
tion of General Wood that the army
canteen be re.established IL one with
which most every army officer would
agree but not one PROBABLY which all
would incorporate in an official report.
General Wood bases this suggestion upon
the assertion that the canteen Is for
the best interests of the army
/ 3NNfI0A NNhAn hEU tltt W. ~ - - tNAhA
other temperance organizations succeeded
IN putting through Congress an order
abolishing the post saloon, where the
soldier bought light beer, tobacco and
played pool and cards. Since then the
American soldier has gone outside OF
his post when he wished to buy liquor
As a consequence, the gates of the army
posts are now fringed with a series OF
green swinging doors on buildings, from
which sound the diseords of electric pi-
amos and in which the soldier Is not
limited to beer but is induced to drink
cheap brands Of whiskey.
The soldiers themselves are bitterly
opposed to these parasite saloons outside
of posts and in some instances have
wrecked them. Charges OF robbery have
been made against the proprietors OF
some of them. Many officers OF the
army now believe that it is far better
to allow the soldier to drink beer inside
a post than to drink poor whiskey out
side. General Wood openly declares him
self an advocate of the post saloon.
Discussing the dress Of the enlisted
men, General Wood lays great stress
upon the need of a more careful inspec-
ton of the soldiers shoes He goes so
far as to say that the present proper
ton of i'll fitting shoes among the pri-
vate soldiers Of the infantry branch Of
the army seriously handioaps their eff
cheney in field service. Reports OF feet
INSPECTION show very large proportion
of i'll fitting shoes says Wood, with
a resulting condition OF feet which would
quickly incapacitate these soldiers for
duty in case OF field service.
"This Is so common an occurrence as
to warrant the issuance of general in
structions to apply throughout the army
10 the effect that the fitting Of shoes
shall be supervised by an officer, and
that there shall be at least one monthly
inspection Of the mems feet by che med
zeal officers, with view to correcting
such conditions Of unsoundness as exist
and calling attention TO those cases
where it Is evident that the mems shoes
DO not 1T them. This Is a subject which
demands serious and constant atten-
ton"
The suggestion ID made in the report
that a third army reserve be established,
composed Of men who have been honor
ably discharged from the regular service
or the militia who could be paid nominal
salaries by the war department, They
would keep the department constantly
advised of their addresses. The only
duty for these reserves suggested by
General Wood ia that they attend a
yearly man@uvre. Thus there would
always be at the call of the army a re-
serve body Of men who in the past have
received military instructions, freshened
up every year with field manguvres.
Severe condemnation is made Of the
too frequent practice Of hauling a sol
Edier up for trial for some minor Of
tense.
ct indicates" says the report, ''an in
capacity on the part of commanding OH
GERS to understand the human side OF
command, and results only too often in
breaking down the self.respect of the
soldier and rendering him careless Of re-
SUITS General Wood says that he IA
vors the establishment of a system OF
discipline for unruly soldiers, looking to
their reform, as well as their punish
ment. He objects to the application OF
the term Convict to soldiers who are
dishonorably discharged from service be-
, cause of their having been convicted OF
, five previous offenses, which are in many
instances minor offenses. This, he says
is apt to destroy in a large measure
, their future usefulness as citizens
General Wood recommends frequent
travel for field officers in order that they
may observe the man@uvres OF we'll
: trained bodies of troops. He suggests
, that as many officers as possible be Civ
, en- an opportunity of observing the work
! of the European armies.