Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-06-04
RESTORE THE ARMY CGNTEEN
Evil Results Follow Punishment of
Soldiers Clubs.
SOLDIER REVIEWS THE SITUATION
Increased Desertions, Dope Fiends
and Physical Decentralization At
tributed to Loss of Social
Meeting Place.


the last five years? Is the canteen a
detrtment or a benefit 10 an army post7
These questions are discussed in the New
YORK sunday Press by Louis Ducbez n
FORMER cavalry man of the United States
army, whose experience in the service and
knowledge of conditions lend weight 20
his views The writer cites official records
showing the increase in desertions ana
drunkenness, the extensive use of done,
In the form of morphine. cocaine. opium
etc., with resulting increased insanity-facts
frequently pointed out by army officers in
an effort TO substitute the rule of reason
for unreasoning restriction.
What was the army canteen? The
canteen was the social club of the soldiers
conducted solely by enlisted men along the
same lines that officers clubs ara con-
quoted. Only beer and soft drinks were
handled, the stronger alcoholic liquors
being excluded. During the afternoons and
evenings the men off duty gathered there
played games chatted and met their
friends, making the duh routine Of military
lie less irksome. Everything about the
canteen was managed by commissioned
officer with a noncommissioned officer in
immediate charge. insuring good order at
all times.
What Followed.
To-day the canteen is no more" saws thu
retired cavalry man. THE enlisted man
no longer has his social club. Congress
by giving in TO the within OF temperance
organizations unacquainted with inside
conditions IN the army, practically com
PEELED the soldiers who drank, and many
who didn't, to run to saloons and dives
outside the posts At the same time IL
abolished the enlisted mems social club
Now, instead Of drinking beer, which
underwent close inspection when the can
teen existed. the soldiers drink "rotgut"
and ''varnish."
When the canteen existed a large per
centage of the regulars seldom left the
army posts. They found companionship and
social intercourse among their comrades
In the canteen. Today most of the soldiers
spend their spare time in and around the
dives and dens in the vicinity of the army
posts and beyond military inspectors Az
rule, the soldiers who were subject 70
excessive drinking could be taken care of
when the canteen existed The officers
In charge had them spotted and watched
that they did not drink too much, which
was seldom when the drinking was con-
fined to beer Then the canteen was To-
Gated few yards from the barracks, and
the intoxicated ones could be sent to their
bunks-or placed in the guard house until
they sobered up. The canteen officers ex--
ercised the same authority as a police Of
ficer in civil life. Besides, when the
habitual drunkards could draw checks for
beer during the month, they generally
spent all their money in the canteen be-
fore payday and. therefore did not have
any money left to carouse outside the
posts. This worked to the advantage of
the mess funds" of the various outfits"
instead Of encouraging the development Of
a horde of 'boot-leggers'' and parasites.
which may be observed around every army
post.
Results Around Posts.
Today the outskirts OF nearly every
army post proves the mistake and the
folly Of abolishing the canteen. Now
every army post, nearly has its can
dump" In the lockers of the soldiers NAV
be found tin buckets which are used 10
carry beer from these "candumps" At.
Jefferson barracks. about eight miles from
St Louis. No. there is one that is a
disgrace to the state and to the nation
1t is located just outside the military
reservation No police officers are there
10 see that the laws are obeyed. In and
around 1t scores of the most debased
women live from one months end to the
other and leech upon the soldiers JEFF
Ierson barracks is a recruiting rendezvous
Where rockies" are given the first rudi-
ments Of military training, and this is a
fine environment In which to begin their
army careers. At the army posts where
there are no can dumps" saloons and
speak-easies" answer the same purposes.
Or what is worse. "boot-legging'' is car
ried on to frightful degree
Responsibility for Desertions.
There is no doubt that the abolition of
the eanteen is directly and indirectly re-
sponsible for a large percentage of the in
crease IN assertions in the last few years
IA the latest report of AdJutant General
+. c. Atnsworth we learn that nearly bOO0
soldiers deserted in the last fiscal wear
Think of II! Filling themselves with pois
onous intoxieants. which take awav tbeir
physical, mental and moral stamina. thew
become discouraged. The routine drills
ana vigorous exercises become burdensome
TO them. They take French leave" 70
escape. many never to return unless COM
PEELED to under guard OF a civil officer
who is anxious TO get the $50 reward
ortered for deserter's apprehension
Those who return after a few days ab-
sence without permission are slammed in
the MILL where the spirit is again
crushed and the climb to honor and re-
spect made more difficult than ever
Caught ana sentenced for desertion, they
are no longer citizens Of the United States
truly men without a country These de-
serters, then. make fine material for Grim
inals.
The use of dope" and the spread Of
contagious diseases are due. in a very
large degree TO the use of poisonous in
toSicants which the soldiers get in these
can dumps" and dives. When the sys-
tenn is undermined with such poisons, the
individual becomes the prey OF all sorts
OF vices At Preside California, last year
II was stated by army surgeon In
charge. that 20 per cent OF the men at that
post are addicted to the use of cocaine
morphine, opium, etc There are other
posts in which similar state OF affairs
exists. II is, indeed no wonder that in
sanity is increasing among the men OF the
regular army
When 30 per cent of the army officers
want the canteen restored to the enlisted
men It is about time that congress recog-
nizes its mistake. Those in a position to
know have learned that by depriving the
soldier Of his beer and his social club, in
stead OF encouraging temperance among