Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-09
IS VICTORY FOR PROHIBITION
Applies Not Only to Ships, but
to Yards and Shore Stations
Recommended by
Surgeon-G General.

nuVy AFTER July ], next. SeCreLaIy DhIhsiS
tonight made public a sweeping order.
which not only will abolish the traditional
wine mess" of the officers. but will ! -
all alcoholic liquors from every ship and
shore station Of the navy.
This order. constituting one Of the most
notable victories ever won BY the
prohibition forces was issued upon the
Recommendation o.. Surgeon-General
I3raisted II was brief and to the point.
The use or introduction for drinking
purposes OF alcoholic liquors on board
any naval vessel. or within any navy
yard or station Is strictly prohibi I'd. anc
commanding officers will be held directly
responsible for the enfort eneut OF this
order"
In a statement issued tonight Secre-
tary Daniels said:
II am in hearty agreement with the
views expressed by the surgeon-generai In
his paper accompanying the recommended
tlon. There should not be on shipboard
With reference to intoxicants, one rule
for officers and another and a different
rule for the enlisted personnel.
THE saddest hour in my official life
is when an officer or enlisted man
must be punished for intoxica ton.
During the past week 1t has been my
painful duty to approve a court mar
tial for dismissal from the service of
an officer for intoxication. He told me
that he had never tasted intoxicating
drink until he did so in the wine mess
on his cruises. Others, who have been
disciplined for drinking to excess
have made similar statements to me.
TEMPTATION FOR YOUTHS.
Officers are now commissioned at
an early age of twenty-five years
Has the government right to permit
| his temptation, which too often de-
| stroys the highest usefulness OF young
officers? l think not. If there is one
profession more than any other that
calls for clear head and steady
| hand it is the naval profession. En-
+ perence has shown the wisdom of
having no intoxicants on our ships for
the young men who enlist.
Il believe experience has demon
strated that uniform rule should
prevail in the navy for all who enlist
in the service, from the highest rank
to the Youngest enlisted man or Of
fcer who comes into the service and
that the abolition of the wine mess
will be justified"
| The new order will replace that section
Of the naval instructions which permits
he formation of wine messes. This pro-
vision reads:
NAVY INHERITED CUSTOM.
| "WardroOm officers may form a wine
mess, Of which all commissioned and war
rant officers attached to the ship may be-
| come members, upon the payment of mess
! entrance fee; but no officer shall be re-
CURED to become a member thereof. Suit
able locker room for wine mess stores shall
he provided when fitting a ship for sea-"
! While admitting that the old regulation
conform to the letter of the laws, Surgeon
General BREASTED In his letter to Secre-
tary Daniels declared. 1T may be an open
question how far it fufills those laws in
spirit" He explained that the use OF alco-
holic stimulants, was inherited with
many outworn customs, at the very birth
of the American navy" and, reviewing
Legislation on the subject, ne observed
1T must be clear that Congress has plain
lily set the stamp of disapproval upon the
use of intoxicants by persons in the nava
and military services"
| OFFICERS SHOULD BE MODELS.
AS matters stand to-day" wrote thu
surgeon general, IAN enlisted man is
very properly. subjected to severe discip
linary measures IL wine or beer be foun,
in his possession on shipboard Yet tn
same man IS constantly aware OF the fire,
use OF alcoholic liquors on board shiI
which is officially permitted to officers
and the too frequent derelictons whicl
occur among them in consequence" Tn,
prohibition of alcohol to tho men ha
rendered alcoholism among them almos
a negligible quantity.
Surely the officers should ne in al
respects models for the enlisted men il
duty, habits and department and the ex
ample OF officers drinking aboard ship
as fostered by the wine mess, and tn
numerous courts martial OF officers TO
drunkenness and the effects OF alcohol
are destructive OF discipline and morale
bad for the enlisted men, and detrimental
to the reputation and good name of tn
service. The navy Is comparable il
many respects 10 a great business organ
ization but no efficient corporation il
civil life would tolerate surh condition
of affairs"
SHOULD APPLY TO ALI
Declaring that restrictive measures al
ready enforced inset with public approva
and are based upon sound logical prtn
oiples, the surgeon general sSed the ques
ton why, then. are they effective for {
part of a personnel, instead OF applying
With equal force 10 the whoie?"
"It is difficult he continued, ito nnC
n satisfactory answer, especially IN view
of the youth of some OF our officers, VIZ
may now be commissioned at TWENTY-FIVE,
years of age. and the proposed reduction
Of the minimum to twenty. To ASSUME
that even the moderate use of alcoho
will better equip them physically 70
forty years OF active service, or mentally
10 meet responsibilities of the graves
import, or intellectually, to solve prob
lens which may involve our nationa
existence o. morally, to represent tni
country at home or abroad. is agains
all reason
1T may be stated as a fact that, excep
as temporary eNpedent In certain ca Sc
Of illness. the use of alcohol Is harm
rul ana It's abuse disastrous, alike t
. the individual ana to the human rae,
It's Use in the service is based only upo
uutworn customs and there Is no au