Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-12-22
THE ARMY CANTEEN.

Ever since the canteen has been abolished
army officers who should know their work have
iecn advocating its reestablishment. The rank
ing general of the United States army i'll his
annual report, declares that it is the consensus
of opinion in the army that the canteen should
be restored The ranking general can back the
plan with statistics Even the most rabid pro-
hibitoniStS can hardly claim that the entire army,
headed by the ranking general, is involved in
plot with the liquor interests. There must be
some good and sufficient why this demand
for the restoration of the army canteen is kept
up Without concnding that any alcoholic liquor
is for the good Of the soldier let face facts.
The abolition of the army canteen has not les
Sencd drunkenness i'll the United States army.
The ranking general has the figures to sustain
This statement, The opposition to the army can
teen contcnded that the government, through the
canteen, placed temptation IN the way OF the SOL
dicr and encouraged drunkenness. The canteen
has been abolished for period of nearly ten
Years. but the American soldier has not shown
any signs Of becoming prohbtionst. During
that time three army generations of soldiers
cniStmcntS are for three years-have been with
ont the canteen, but they have managed to con-
sumo as much or more liquor than their pre-
deccssors. If the enemies of the army canteen
contended that its abolition would be step to-
ward prohibition i'll the army they must admit
now that they were mistaken III this regard.
Now let us consider the good points of the
army cantcem it was formerly conducted. Only
light wines and malt liquors were sold in the
army canteens, and these pure. The profits
Of the canteen were divided among the different
companies in the post where the canteen was
conducted No soldier was permitted to drink
more than was good for him in the canteen and
needless to say soldier was ever robbed in the
canteen.
Since the abolition of the canteen those OF
the soldiers who drink have been driven to &C
out of the military reservations. Most of then
drift to low groggeries where they are sold fiery
spirits of the worst sort and where they are Otter
robbed. The keepers of these places fatten OF
the meager salaries of the soldiers. Instead OF
causing the soldiers to drink less the abolition
of the canteen causes them to drink more anC
to drink worse liquors.
Undoubtedly it would be better for the mel
Of the army if they were teetotalers" but tel
years experimenting shows the impossbiity O.
bringing about this highly desirable consumma
ton. The soldier is just an average man anC
the average man drinks more or less. If thu
forces that are responsible for the abolition O.
the cantecn are honest and sensible they viii
, face the facts. There was less drinking and les
injurious drinking by the men of the army durin!
the time when the canteen was in existence
From the facts and figures which abe army peop
are prepared to show the only persons who hav
profted by the abolition of the canteen have beer
the keepers of low groggeres where soldiers hav
been poisoned and robbed
1t is high time that the facts were admitted
and that the army, which, after all is best quail
ed to know the wants and tendencies of the sol
der should be permitted to handle the drinkn
problem i'll the army in its own way wthou
Interference