The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-04-06
Temperance 9lf q
a 20
FIGHTING MEN DECRY DRINK
Lord KItohener's Views on Total Abb
stinence Coincide With Those Of
Lord Wolseley and Others

Immediately on assuming Iull au'
thority over armies In the field. In
the Soudan war Of 1896. Field Mar
shal Kitchener decided that the ban
ming Of intoXicants should be a strict
law OF his command. His knowledge
OF military history and biography
taught him the unquestlonable supe-
riority OF the nonalcohollc method
Had not the retreat and death Of the
gallant Sir John Moore at Corunna
been caused by the omission Of a sol
der through drunken carelessness, to
deliver a message with which no was
entrusted? In the Egyptian war of
1882, when Lord Wolseley was hin
dered I'm his desire for an absolute
pongrog regime, was not the purpose
Of the surprise night march to Telel
Kebl well nigh frustrated by the
yells Of an intoxicated British sol
der? Kitchener knew that Have
locks renowned march 10 the relief
OF Lucknow. Sir Robert Napiers mag
nihcent climb over the altitude OF
Abyssinia and capture OF Magdala.
and Wolseley's splendid advance by
river. lake and cascade to Fort Garry
in 1870. were all accomplished upon
abstinence principles In these I'M
stances, especially In the latter two.
there was no crime, and also prac-
tically no Illness among the troops as
q result OF the no-grog system
Ordere were. therefore, given\ by
Kitchener that no ntoxicants were to
be supplied TO the 10000 men under
his command When contrary to these
regulations some Greek merchants
smuggled consignmonts OF a vile in
toxicating compound into Berber the
cases were at once condscated and
the liquor poured upon the sand, and
not down the soldiers throats For
the Egyptian and Soudanese troops In
Kitchener's army no tcetotal compul-
sion was necessary, seeing their Mo
hammedan religious principles re
/ Qulred abstinence from stmuants
Sometimes. however. the Soudanese
brew a kind Of beer called "Merissa."
but not drop Of this was utilized in
the Soudanese portion of the Sirdar'a
camp. The British soldiers. OF course.
at first, according to their privilege,
grumbled somewhat, but they soon
realized the undoubted advantage the
deprivation brought them To the
rule enjoined upon the rank and hle
the General and the other leading Of
ficers also conformed From gener-
oil -.
drop OF liquor was allowed during the
famous march in the Soudan. and still
more famous battle Of Atbara Both
at officers mess tables and regimen
tai canteens tea and oatmeal water
we're the drinks OF the day"
Fully satisfactory In every way
were the results Of this compulsory
total abstinence The men were per
fectly happy. there was no crime.
they worked better and were IN
better health In such. splendid
condition we're the troops that
they were able TO traverse thirty
miles OF sand with empty wa
ter. bottles without quenching their
thirst from beginning TO end OF tho
march For five continuous hours
/ Gatacre's men on one occasion tramp
ed 10 miles on the desert route man,
! oeuvering instead OF halting yet not
| a single man fell out "Of one thing
/ am sure" wrote a news correspon-
dent, the mortality from fever and
other diseases during the Atbara cam
paigu, the midsummer camp at Dar.
mali. and the final Omdurman cam,
paign would have been infinitely
greater than It was II alcoholic
liquors had been allowed as a bever,
age. or even as an occasional ra-
ton" Some OF the usually uusatis,
factory men were so changed with
prolonged abstinence and hard work
as TO be scarcely recognizable Lord
Kitchener. General Gatacre, chap
lalns. and Lord Cromer all testified as
to the unquestionable advantages
which had accrued. the last mention
ed eminent Pro.Consul declaring tho
same amount Of work could not have
been accomplished had beer been
permitted.
To some extent, in South Africa,
similar nonalcoholic methods were
employed in the grand march north
ward which Lord Kitchener assisted
Lord Roberts to lead For weeks
Modder water was practically the
only drink obtainabe Referring to
the remarkable absence of crime re-
sultant, a general officer stated The
campaign has been run entirely on
teetotal principles, and the expert
ment has proved wonderfully success.
full"
More recently in times OF peace.
Lord Kitcheners influence has con.
tlnued to be used in promotion os
temperance among the soldiers His
views coincide with those of the other
field marshals Wolseley, Lord
Roberts. Sir Geo White and Sir Eve
lyn Wood. and his famous predeces.
sor. Sir Charles Napier, as expressed
in Wolseleys Soldiers Pocket
Book" "The old superstition that
grog Is good thing for men before
during. or after march has been
proved to be fallacy and is only
still maintained by men who mistake
the cravings arising solely from habit
for the promptngs of nature"