The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-11-09

Army officers, men in the ranks.
Y. NJ. c. a. workers, and citizens, all
testify that its, location in dry terri
tory is tremendous benefit to Camp
Grant at Rockford. Old army officers
say that never in all their experience
have they seen a camp SO free from
drink and its attendant evils. Drafted
men who never before have lived in
dry territory arc enthusiastic i'll their
praise OF conditions at the camp.
which have enabled them to overcome
old drinking habits resulting from a
wet environment. Instead of stories
of quarrels, carousels, and fights
such as come from camps in wet ter
ritory, in Rockford, one hears only
praise Of the conduct of soldiers while
visiting the city during hours off duty.
In an interview granted to the
editor OF The Issue, one OF General
Barry's staff officers was asked to tell
the effect of Prohibition in territory
about the camp upon the soldiers be-
ing trained at Camp Grant. "The fact
that this camp is located in dry ter
ritory has been of inestimable value, .
he said in reply. "We have before us
the task of getting the men ready for
service in the quickest possible time.
Men who have been drinking do not
possess the mental alertness necessary
to make rapid progress. For example,
in bayonet drills men must be able
to think and act quickly. This they
cannot do if they have been drinking.
Not only are they untitled for drill
work the day after spree, but they
remain below par the next day too
and the day after that. If only one
man in company has been slowed
up by drink it affects the work of the
whole company"
Agrees With General Wood
do you agree with the statement
made by General Wood of Camp
Funston, who said, we can whip an
army into shape in one-third the time
because the liquor traffic has been
abolished?' the officer was asked.
Eyes" he replied, 81 think that con-
servatively expresses the situation"
what is your observation as to the
effect of Prohibition upon the gen
eral health OF the men in the camp"
was the next question. VERY good"
answered the officer. $50 far VIC have
had four deaths here. One was
caused by peritonitis, one by pneu-
monia, and two by acute alcoholism.
That makes so per cent of the deaths
SO far caused directly by drink, which
was procured before the soldiers got
TO camp. Now that the men arc here
there is very little drinking, and we
expect sickness and deaths to be cut
down about so per cent as result of
Prohibition"
Soldiers Are Contented
AS spokesmen for the liquor traffic
have frequently asserted that Prohi-
bition will cause the soldiers to be
discontented and resentful, the staff
officer was asked to give the result of
his observations on this point. There
is absolutely nothing to that argu-
rnent," he said. Just the contrary is
the case. The fact that the men in
camp are not permitted to drink is
largely responsible for the very
marked absence of irritability and dis
content among the soldiers here. Men
who have been drinking a little are
the ones who become grouchy and
start quarrels and fights"
That present anti-liquor regulations
and restrictions, while of inestimable
value, should be strengthened is the
plea made by this same officer who
bears much of the responsibility of
whipping the men into shape for SER
vice in the shortest possible time.
When asked whether wider dry zone
would help the army he replied that
the farther booze is kept away the bet
ter for the army. "It would help
Camp Grant great deal if the sa-
looms of Chicago were closed" he
said. He also explained that the law
against selling to men in uniform is
hard to enforce, as drinking soldiers
will not inform against one another
and civilians disregard their patriotic
duty to refrain from giving intoxi-
cants to army men. "All who help
give the soldiers better protection
against booze are helping get the
army ready for service quicker and in
that way are doing their Bit" was the
officers final statement.
Drinkers Become Abstainers
A lieutenant who had been in the
regular army for 20 years was en-