The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-06-27
GENERAL WOOD IN
favor Of CANTEEN

The head of a big concern ought to
have some say in its management.
General Leonard Wood is the head Of
big concern, the army Of the United
States. One would think, therefore,
that he ought to have some say In the
management Of that army, some say in
what is good and what Is bad for the
men who compose it. For instance,
when General Wood, head Of the Unit.
ed States, army, physician 40 well ~
soldier, is Of the opinion "the eject
of the abolition Of the canteen 10 a.
most unqualifedly bad,D q visitor
from Mars or the moon would doubt.
less ask blandly: "Why, then, doesn't
he restore the canteen, whatever il
isl" To be sure; why doesn't hef
General Wood is the commander-in-
chief of the army; why doesn't he re-
store the canteen if the effect of its
abolition is unqualifedly badf Two
conclusions are possible: One ID that
General Wood is anxious to perpetuate
bad conditions in the army-hardly q
serious supposition; the other, as far
at least as the canteen is concerned, is
that General Wood is not the head Of
the United States army; which un-
fortunately 10 fact. The canteen was
abolished by congress at the instance
Of women Prohibitionists, and only by
act of congress can it be restored.
There is now before congress q bill
to restore it, and it remains to be seen
whether the word Of men like General
Wood, word based on experience and
knowledge Of army conditions, will
carry more weight than the fury Of
the Prohibition Podsnaps. The canteen
was abolished in the name Of Temper
ance because-Gracious Heavens!---
the American soldier could buy beer
there! A good many men in the army
drink beer, but compared with those
outside of the army who dring it their
number is magnificent. Suppose, jast
for argument, it were possible to pro-
hibit tn esale of beer everywhere in
the United States, and such prohibition
took effect. At the same time the ease
with which men might get strong
liquor was in no way abridged. Would
or the reversed Answer that question
frankly and you will not wonder at
General Wood Is conclusion concerning
the abolition Of the eanteen. Profess
ing to act in the name of Temperance,
Prohibitionists through congress ous-
ed the greatest force for Temperance
in the army, and if they can they win
keep il ousted. In this they will have
the eager and enthusiastic support
of every dive and blind-pig propfietor.
from Maine to the Philippines, whose
establishment adjoins an army reserva-
ton. "The general object Of those in
control of these establishments, says
General Wood, in . letter quoted in the
North American Review, "is to secure
as much Of the soldier 3 money as pos
sible and in the minimum Of time. 1t
is in these places that he falls into
the hands of the harpies, male and fe-
male, who make it their business to I'll
him up and get possession of his
money, through one means or another,
as rapidly as possible. If total ab-
stinence in the community were pos
sible of accomplishment, it would un-
doubtedly be a contamination de-
voutly to be wished, but the most We
can hope for now is well-ordered tenn
perance. The canteen, properly han
died, secured this result Is il too
much to expect that those RESPONSE
BILE for the United States army, for its
personnel, its general health and its
behavior in times Of peace, shall some
day be entrusted with the control Of
itf-From Puck, May 10, 1911.