Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-06-01

| Will opdlus thCiO "os
ed in the Act, prohlbitory legis
lation regarding the sale OF Wine
and beer upon military reserva
tious. There was much resent
nent on the part of the army al
this discriminatory Legislation,
for while it introduced prohibit
lion on reservations it encouraged
border line saloons in surrou' d
ing territory. The aggravation
was grave in states like kar sas
whsre prohibition was a sham
and a public danger, the laws
being ignored in the most open
and fas rant manner.
In the course of time the aboli-
ton of the sale of beer and
wines-alcoholic liquors we e
previously barred-on military
reservations, aud naval regula-
tions banishe1 Intoxicating drinks
from war vessels. Modern bat
tleships, destrov9rs and subma-
rines had become too compiled
ed to be entrusted in any part to
minds beclouded with drink
Efficiency and safety Of operation
like demanded the exclusion of
liquor from war vessels and it is
certain that if the restoration OF
the wine mess for the period of
the war were put to vote of ma
val officers it would be over
whelmingly defeated.
Observing the operations of the
SO called anti canteen law which
stopped the sale of wine ard
beer ut post exchanges or can
teens. it was found that for time
the offenses involving drunken
ness increased at army posts 10
Gated in territory where saloons
were permitt9S to exist. This
was credited 30 tic TACT that men
went to considerable distance
from barracks for liquor, and not
expecting to repeat the trip soon
INDUCED in too much for their
own good. The statistics of dis
ciplinsry action through num-
Der of years seemed to establish
that more than fftv per cent of
the cases of desertiop and alb
seuce without leave were due to
drunkenness.
While the current returns of
the internal revenue bureau of
the treasury make it appear that
the income from the manufacture
of beer and liquors has steadil,
increased, there can be no ques
ton that the temperance and to-
tai abstinence campaigns of the
past few years have brought
about marked change in Ameri
can life. 1t is no longer fashion
able to serve wines and liquors in
the lavish way which obtained in
former years. That temperance
has won a lasting victory is at.
tested by the large increase in
territory covered by prohibition
laws and in the drastic regula
tions governing the employment
of men in dangerous occupa-
tions, whers- individuals may be
and often are responsible tor the
lives of others. If this applies
in the operations of railroads
and great industrial establish
ments. how much more should
1t apply in the cases of the Of
ficers and men called to The col
ors to uphold the honor of the
nation and to defend its material
interests
Of course it is absurd to inau
gurate complete prohibition un-
til, as a nation. We are prepared
to abandon taxation of manufac-
tured intoxicants. After many
years observation of the efforts
of drink upon our soldiers, it is
the unhesitating opinion of the
writer that the proceeds of gov
ernmental taxation of stills and
breweries is. to say the least. no
compensation for the misspent
lives and stunted brains of those
who are addicted to drunken
ness. If it requires war time
prohibitions - insure An absolute
ly sober aof dependable army we
shout have q, and the sooner
t1n hEffan