The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-04-24
RUM IN BRITISH ARMY

e Great struggles In civilization often
produce results unexpected and unre-
lated to the issues at stake. Such a
gigantic upheavel as the European war
cannot fail to have q marked effect on
the economic, social and moral de-
velopment Of the nations involved. as
we'll as on the political future, Our
knowledge of disease, as we'll as much
of our modern conception Of physi-
ology, has developed since the last
great European war. It Is not strange,
therefore, that, more than in any pre-
vious war, much attention should be
paid to health problems and to physi-
ologic conditions which affect tho
troops engaged. Never before has
such a concentrated and gigantic ef-
fort been made to utilize all the avail
able scientific and practical knowledge
and experience In the solution of the
problems developed by the struggles
taking place between millions of men
throughout almost the entire extent
of continental Europe.
One of the significant results Of the
war is the astonishing growth Of the
sentiment against the use of alcohol
in all forms and the increasing reali-
zation, on the part of both govern
ments and people, Of the gigantic
economic waste involved In its wide
spread use. Russia has abolished al
coholic drinks so far as imperial order
can do so. Lloyd George has declared
that England is fighting three foes,
the Germans, the Austrians and alco-
hol, and that alcohol Is the most
dangerous Of the three. King George
has banished alcoholic liquors from
the royal establishment. The French
government has forbidden the manu-
facture and sale of absinthe and the
German Kaiser has strongly urged so
briefly on his soldiers as the best
means of fitting them to fight efficient
ly. This general Recognition of the
evils and harmfulness of alcoholic
drinks, in the midst of q war which
in previous ages would be regarded
as a justification for the widest license
and indulgence, is significant.
An interesting discussion has been
going on in the British Medical Jour-
nal. Sir Victor Hershey, condemning
the custom Of serving rum to men on
duty in the trenches, asserted that
alcohol, even in small quantities. caus-
GU d. 1OSS VI u0dL, d 4d11 VI UOOy LOlA~
perature, and a dulling of the special
senses, and not only was of no assist
ance to the soldier IN resisting the
effects Of fatiuge, strain, exposure to
cold and weather, but actually de-
creased his effectiveness. Horsley re-
views the history of rum in the British
army from the time of Marlborough
to the present day and sums up the
scientific evidence against 1t, as well
as the history of its use in the armies
in India, Egypt, the Crimea, our Amer
lean Civil war, and in South Africa,
He affrms that alcohol is not safe
guard to health, but is on the contrary
a positive detriment. He states that
the army authorities have contracted
for supply of 100000 gallons of rum
and that more than 100000 gallons
had been sent to France for the use
of the army by the end of November.
1914. He urges the substitution of
warm and .nourshing drinks such es
hot soup, milk, coffee, chocolate, ETC.,
in place of rum, "seeing that warm
nourishment enables q man to shoot
better and encourages him to go for
ward, whereas rum makes him shoor
badly and inclines him to sit still OF
even go back"
The statement on the part of Hors-