The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-06-20
DEFENSE OF CAN
Teen BY MAGAZINE

u
absolute necessity for the restoration
the legislative branch of the govern
ment seems afraid to reopen the
question and do the proper thing. 1t
would appear from our observation
that the members Of congress, with few
exceptions, are timid and show a dis
position to continue sacrificing the
comfort, health and even the lives of
our soldiers to an exploded theory.
Whether the reasons governing the
failure of congress to do its duty in
this matter are political or otherwise
it is hard to determine, but we are
satisfied that there's something wrong
somewhere. Some of the gentlemen on
Capitol hill who are sent here from
states where prohibition has worked out
so beautifully (D could hardly see their
way clear to act as champions for the
restoration of the canteen. The illicit
liquor dealers in their native BALI
wicks who wax fat in their business
might put them out of the political
game and this condition of affairs
would be awful (D
Coming down to logical facts, what
it the exact situationf
Major General Leonard Woods, Major
General Fred d. Grant, Brigadier Gen
eral Funston and hundreds of com
manding officers throughout the coun-
try have urged the restoration of the
canteen as necessary to the mainten-
ance of proper discipline. In their Of
fetal reports to the war department
this course has been favored time and
time again. We would respectfully
submit to congress our opinion that
these gentlemen, who are the RESPONSE
bic heads of the army, should know
what they are talking about and are
certainly in better position to Judge
the needs of the service than people
who are in no way connected with it.
And here we wish to say few words
in justice to the women who were the
sponsors for the abolition of the can
teen in the army. We believe in their
absolute sincerity and know that they
were misguided in their Judgment be-
cause they were not familiar with the
exact conditions.
Army life is, at best, a monotonous
round of daily duties when the men are
so far as to say that this kind Of life
pals on the nerves and energies of
full-blooded fighting men, and the
necessity for temperate relaxation is
understood by the officers who are
charged with maintaining discipline
and who enjoy the privileges of the
Officers Mess and Service clubs.
The editor of the Army and Navy
Magazine is familiar with conditions
in army posts throughout the United
States and in our island possessions
and his peronal observation is that the
canteen is an absolute necessity. He
has talked with officers of every rank,
and while we admit that some officers
are opposed to the conteen bcause of
personal opposition to the use of any
kind of intoxicants, the vast majority
of them insist that it would better the
service and make the men more tenn
perate and more satisfied with their
Surroundings. An erroneous impression
prevails with some people that when
the canteen was in active operation
soldiers spend all their time in drink
ing and carousing. Sush an idea is
ridiculous and absurd in the extreme.
Under the canteen system each soldier
was allowed limited amount of beer
every day and he could not obtain any
more.
The txr:.ng conditions are deplor-
abe from Every standpoint. The police
records of every city and town located
in the vicinty of an army post
tell the tale, so that" those who run
may read.'' Even here in the nation 8
capital where congress meets to trans
act business, scarcely day passes that
several soldiers do not find their way
to the police stations. Sometimes they
are charged with serious crimes
which they commit while under the in
fluence of the vile liquor tina: is serv-
ed to them in the dives to which they
resort. Congressman, who read the
newspapers must be familiar with the
stories, printed almost daily, of brawls
and other disreputable doings in which
these facts, why do they not wake up
to the Lecessity of doing their duty
by restoring the canteenf
A leading member of the house OF
representatives informed the writer a
few days ago that he is satisfied seven
eighths of that body recognize the
necessity for the canteen, but are
afraid to be frank about it because OF
the volume of vituperation that might
follow.
In our opinion, a man who considers
those things rather than his Legitimate
business as representative of the
people is lax in his duty to his con
stituents and to the army, whose duty
is to defend them.
The health of the soldier is another
important factor that should be con
sidered in the ultimate settlement OF
the canteen question. Army surgeons
agree, and common sense teaches, tha
the debaueh in which the soldier in
dulges periodically under existing con
idtions undermins his system ant
finally ruins his health. Beer. drank il
moderation daily, is wholesome, nour
ishing food that assists the organs O
the body in the performance of thei
natural functions. 1t is used medicin
ally in both branches of the militar,
service of the United States as well a
in government hospitals, Soldiers
Homes and similar institutions.