The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-10-25
RESTORE ARMY CANTEEN SAYS
 GENERAL WOOD
Abolition of Post-SaIoons Has Been Bad For Soldiers Ac- cordiug to Head of Army Other Changes Suggested by Wood
Limited Press Associationo-


 V-ashington October 24-Dropping from the heights of tactical naneu- veg1 and the finer points of the war game, Major General Leonard Wood has submitted an extraoridanry re- pOrr dealing with the common places of the enl- -sted mans comfort.
 The report was written by General Wood as the commander of the De partment of the East but was sub mitted to the Adjutant General, after he became Chief of Staff and there fore 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 sold- ier's 4eanteen or post sa1oon;5 his uni orTfa-paFtieularlsrz his -shoes-and the desirabilfty of esta blishing general service corps of men employed to do all the ron-militarY work.
 The crisp and blunt recommends ton of General Wood that the Army canteen be re-estabIished is one with which most every army officer would agree but not .one probably which all would incorporate in an official re- port. General Wood bases this sug- Gestion upon the assertion that the canteen is for the best interests of the army.
 Several years ago the w. c. T.. U. and other temperance organizations succeeded in putting through Congress where the soldier bought light beer, tobacco and played pool and cards. Since the American soldier has gone outside of his post when he wished to buy liquor As a consequence the gates of the armp posts are now fringed with series of green swing ing doors on buildings from which sound the discords of electric pianos and in which the soldier is not linn ited to beer but is induced to drink cheap brands of whisl1ey-
 The soldiers themselves are bitterly opposed to these parasite saloons out side of posts and in some instances have wrecked them- Charges of rob bery have been made against the officers of the army now believe that it is far better to allow the soldier to drink beer inside post than to drink poor whiskey outside. General Wood openly declares himself an ad- vocate of the post saloon
 Discussing the dress of the enlist ed men. General Wood lays great stress upon the need of a more careful inspection of the soldiers shoes He goes so far as to say that the present proportion of i'll fitting shoes fantry branch of the army seriously handicaps their efficiency in field ser vice.
 very large proportion of ill fitting shoes'' says Wood. with resulting condition of feet which would quick ly incapacitate these soldiers for duty in case of field service.
 'HThis is so common an occurrence as to. warrant the issuance or general Instructions to apply throughout the army to the effect that the fitting of shoes shall be supervised Ky an off, cer and that there shall lie at least one monthly inspection of the mems feet by the medical officers with view to correcting such conditions of unsoundness as exist and calling at tention to those cares where it is evil dent that the mems shoes do not fit them This is a subject which de- mands serious and constant atten- ton"
 The suggestion is made in the re- por+ that third army reserve be established composed of men who have been honorab1y 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 is that they attend yearly maneuver. Thus there would always be at the call of the army a reserve bodv of men who in the past have received military instructions, fresh- ened up every year with field maneu- vers.
 Severe tion is made of the too freouent practice of hauling soldier up for triaIi for some minor
 It fndicates.'' says the report, 'an incapacity on the part of command- ing officers. to understand the human side of command, and results only too often in breaking down the self re- spect of the soldier and rendering him