The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1914-05-01
Uncle Sam Prohibits
Booze In Navy
BY ORDER OF SECRETARY DAM
IELS JOHN BARLEYCORN Is
FORBIDDEN ON BOARD OF
OUR FIGHTING CRAFT
SPIKED PUNCH UNDER BAN

Even Society Functions Given by the
Women at Land Stations Are to
Be Thing of Past, Rules Chief.
Prohibition will be extended to the
entire naval service, under an order
issued last Monday by Secretary DAN
iels, which will go into effect on July
l next. Mr.. Daniels is a strict tenn
perance advocate, but his decision to
enforce his own views on the officers
of the navy came as a complete sur
prise.
| Here is his order: "The use or in
PRODUCTION for drinking purposes OF
alcoholic liquor on board any navy
vessel, or within any yard or station,
is strictly prohibited and commanding
officers will be held strictly respon-
sible for the enforcement of this
ORDER
The anti-drinking order was issued
upon the recommendation of Surgeon
General William c. Braisted of the
navy. In signing the order, Secretary
Daniels said:
Il am in hearty agreement with
the views expressed by the surgeon
general in his paper accompanying the
recommendation. There should not be
on shipboard with reference to intox-
icants one rule for officer and another
and different rule for the enlisted per-
sOnnel. The saddest hour of my o l.
cia1 life is when an officer or enliet5 I'd
man must be punished for intoxication
During the last week it has been
my painful duty to approve court
martial to dismiss from the service
an officer for intoxication. He
told me that he had never tasted in
tOxicating 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.
"Officers are now commissioned 1T
the early age of % years. Has the
government right to permit this
temptation which too often destroys
the highest usefulness of young Off
GERS? I think not. If there is one
profession more than any other that
calls for a clear head and a steady
hand it is the naval profession. Ex-
perience has shown the wisdom Of
having no intoxicants on our ships
for the young men who enlist.
81 believe experience has demon
strated that a uniform rule should
prevail in the navy for all who enlist
in the service, from the highest rank
to the youngest enlisted man or Off
Ger who comes into the service, and
that the abolition Of the wine mess
will be justified
For some time Secretary Daniels
has been Investigating the extent OF
drinking on shipboard. This was
brought to his attention by temper
ance advocates who have succeeded
in abolishing the canteen in the army
and who have been urging Secretary
Daniels to prohibit the use OF 1ntox-
icants on board the naval vessels.
Another consideration which prompt
ed him to issue the order was the
| frequency of court-martial cases Ill
volving drunkenness which came to
his desk for approval. Upon inquiry
he found there was a wine mess f)r
the officers on board nearly every YES
sci which is supported by individual
subscriptions from the officers belong
ing to the mess.
| Secretary Daniels order. however
will not only apply to naval vesseis
but also to navy yards. Naval ofncers
here say that the women of the navy
SET residing with their husbands at
the navy yards or stations will be for'
hidden from serving spiked puncnes
at their social affairs.
Officers on duty In Washington
urged Secretary Daniels not to issue
such drastic order. but he decided %
laccept the recommendation OF Sur'
peon General Braisted. who has mao
many years Of service both asnofs
and afioat..
The anti-canteen laws for tho Army
passed by Congress after : seveIo -.
nrolonxed battle Of the Temperance
i forces Of the country, are les sWesp
f1nr .thlanz tiss. ptohtEldo1 which sss