Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-07-09
UNITED STATES NAVY
IS NOT ONLY DRY one
Russia and Japan Had Barred
Drink Before Daniels Act
ed-Britain Is Next.

nov many teetotal navies are there
~ the worid-lavies from which the
enos-tub" q been banished, and the
officers wine bill, too. asks the London
Daily Graphic.
probably not one person in 100 knows
tne correct answer to this little ques-
tlon, which Is made interesting by the
recent announcement that all United
are henceforth to be total abstainers.
II the United States navy be Included,
the actual n4mbe OF ~teefotal navies in
the world is three: the other two are
the rleets of Russia and Japan.
and IN a few years time the British
navy may make the fourth. Any Eng
ilsMnan who hazard such a prophecy
~ years g would have been asking
Tor trouble, but the immense progress
or temperance principles, both In the
Wardroom and between decks during
aae last decade, has made the prospect
of a blue ribbon" British navy any
thlng but an impossibility. Indeed,
there are already two 'abolitionist''
ships under the white ensign; neither
the Nlobe nor h Rainbow, which have
peen lent to Canada, could muster tot
OF rum between them.
The modern tendency was strikingly
indicated only last year by the first lord
OF the admiralty himself, When the
teetotaalers in the navy had at last
grown to q respectable percentage Of
every ships company, the abstainer
was not required to draw his tot, and
y. Last year Mr.. Churchill reversed
the plan. and threw the onus of draw
ing the grog upon the man who wanted
It,. 1t was he who was made con-
spicuous by the addition Of the letter
6 to his name. and not the abstainer.
who was in%ferentially regarded as the
normal member of the ships company.
IN lieu Of the grog each abstainer
crews 9-l6 OF a penny per day, and ef-
forts are being made by highly placed
officers to persuade parliament to in
crease this allowance to one penny.
When the suggestion was put forward
IN the house, a few months ago., DIR.
Mcnamara sale the extra 7-16d asked
Tor would cost the admiralty an addi-
tional G25,000 or $50, 900 per annum.
NO better proof Of the advance of tenn
perance in the navy could be adduced
and it is only Just to acknowledge that
the improvement is in a large measure
due to the splendid work conducted by
Miss Agnes Weston.
There is a distinct limit to the size
Of a British naval officers wine bill;
but that limit is not a hard-and-fast
one throughout the service. The
amount which subordinate officers
drink is in the absolute discretion of
the captain, n but once he has ex-
pressed his views upon the subject, it
10 1oI 6eI1eFdlly Wise IOr a lieutenant
to deC7onstrate a difference of opinion.
OF h army, a similar story has to
be told. The Royal Army Temperance
assoc1ation-which has been working
in India for 60 years., n in this coun-
try for 10 years-has a membership at
home and abroad Of $4,000 men. Fifty
eight thousand of these are total alb
stainers, the other 1900 being pledged
to discourage excessive drinking. That
the value of the associations work is
appreciated by he government is
shown by the grant of G75o which is
made every year for the work at home.
and the payment Of eight annas per
day by the government of India for
every teetotal Tommy in its services.
Only last October Lieut.. Gen. Sir
Reginald Hart, commander in chief in
South Africa, proplesfed that within SO
years canteens would be abolished with
the consent of the private soldier.
The principal obstacle in the way OF
the work at home stations is the abb
sence Of a. special room in which the
teetotal soldiers can meet. Every sta
ton in India is furnished with a sep
nrate club room and coffee bar for its
total abStainerS.