Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-11-30
FALSE ARGUMENT.

One of the arguments brought forth
by the whiskey promoters of Tonnes
see is that when you forbid the manu-
facture or sale of whiskey, or even re-
fuse to permit the people to vote
whether they shall have it in their
several communities or not, you VIC
late democratic principle that peo-
pie shall rule their own affairs. This
argument is false, for the reason that
when you give one person license to
sell whiskey, you do so 20 the preju-
dice of hundreds of others.
A case somewhat similar regarding
personal liberty has recently come up
in the War Department, whereby the
sale of chewing gum has been prohIbi-
ted-more prohibition-in ships
stores, ahoat or ashore. This order
was issued by Acting Secretary of the
Navy Winthrop. upon the recommen-
dation of Capt. William. F. Fullam,
commanding officer of the battleship
Mississippi, which was approved by
Rear Admiral Hugo Osterhaus, com
mander in chief of the Atlantic bat
tleship fleet. Captains Fullam's rec
ommendation was as follows:
81 beg to recommend that chewing
gum be stricken from the list of arti-
cles to be sold in ships stores in the
navy, ashore and afioat.
"The habit of chewing gum at train
ing stations and on board ship is de-
cidedly Objectionable for obvious reas-
ons, and it leads to constant reports
for chewing gum in ranks, at quar-
ters and at other times when it is
highly improper and unmilitary. If
men are encouraged to form this habit
OH board ship, the navy deliberately
invites them to do something one min
ute for which they may be punished
the next. This is not right.
Anything that raises a disturbance
in society is Objectionable. Serving
in the navy is not society, but it is
discipline, and what is good society
but discipline. The man who is es-
teemed in community is the man
who governs himself who exerts as
much discipline upon his movements
and actions as the naval authorities
demand of their men. The chewing
gum habit in ranks broke discipline,
and was prohibited. Think of line
up of men in ranks to receive a dis
tinguished visitor, and half of them
chewing gum like a lot of billy goats
The order not to use chewing gum had
been made but was continually vioat-
ed, causing insubordination, and to
help in enforcing the regulation the
officials decided to take away the
cause. This was very sensible plan.
For the same reason whiskey should
not be placed with reach of those who
use it habitually. 1t is foolish to put
it where they can get it and then pun
ish them for getting it, Better put it
where they can't get it. The child
don't get into the jam when it is
placed on the top shelf. Just so with
prohibition. A thirsty man has to
drink water lots of times when he
wants whiskey. Everytime he misses
getting enough whiskey TO get drunk
on, he misses chance for punish
ment in the courts, for the law says
you shall not get drunk and publish
it on the outer walls. AS Capt. Full
lam says, to invite person to do
something and then punish him for
doing it is not right. This is exactly
what the local optiouist would do.
He would invite man to vote yes or
no for liquor, and if he gets it, punish
him for it.