Evening star., 1914-04-09
BAN ON LIQUORS MAY
HIT REVENUE CUTTERS
Officials of Service, However, Think
It Is Unneces-
sary.
High Morale of Men and Record
Would Suggest Indignity if Re-
strictions Were Imposed.

VIII the ban on intoxicants he extended
to the revenue cutter service? Perhaps.
but the necessity therefor is not appre-
ciated either by Assistant Secretary New
ton of the Treasury Department, who has
control of the service, or by Capt. Bert
holf. commandant.
The morale of the revenue cutter serv-
ice is so good" in the opinion of Assist
ant Secretary Newton, that ii would be
an indignity to impose any extraordinary
restrictions. officers of the revenue cut
ter service are men who can be expected
to govern their own appetites and refrain
from excesses''
In the opinion of Capt Bertholf. no re-
striction regarding the use and presence
OF intoxicants would prove effective to
prevent man from obtaining alcoholic
exhiiiration if determined to have it He
favorS the principle of allowing every
man IN censor his own conduct to the
point where official cognizance of mis-
conduct must be taken In the faith that
every man worth while can and should
show his self-control The other man who
cannot govern himself in his opinion is
not to be helped nor saved by example
nor restrictions.
Prohibited for Many Years.
AS in the navy. presence of ardent
spirits. such as whisky, rum brandy and
gin. in the wine r1ess has been prohibited
both by law and reguia ton for many
years in the revenue cutter service. Only
the medicine chest has been allowed to
contain such alcoholics, and their use re-
stricted to medicinal purposes.
Authority is given to officers command
ing a revenue cutter 10 suspend or deny
the privileges of the wine mess to any
" nv ma
pertinent, give evidence Of being adj
dicted to excessive drinking. But the
commanding officer must put 1t in writ
Ing. giving his reason to the officer so
put under ban.
There have been instances IF excessive
drinking in the revenue cutter service.
but such are rare and always followed by
court-martial- Conviction has always
been followed by dismissal from the
service.
One Dismissed From Service.
One officer, dismissed from the service
following incontrovertibe evidence of his
confirmed bad habits, had previously es-
capped conviction on the same charge on
the technicality raised that there was
no way to prove that his condition was
due to drunkenness. Restored to duty.
he behaved himself admira bly, when on
a cruise that kept him from port and sub
jected him to the regulations aboard ship.
But his first opportunity to put foot on
land was marked by an orgie, but he
claimed he was doped.
Fellow Officers. although convinced of
the reasons for his loss of a day from
duty and absence from the ship, consid-
cred it incumbent upon them gentle
men not to find out the facts and to
avoid opportunity to observe any cir
cumstances that would make them ma
terial witnesses against an errant COM
rade.
At the second port reached the same
thing happened and the officer evaded
charges by his commanding officer by
obtaining leave. His next assignment
was unfortunate for him-getting intoxi-
Gated on the occasion OF a great public
celebration. his commanding officer found
him, in uniform. stretched out on the
dock in a condition that left no doubt of
the cause. His dismissal was prompt.