The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-09-18
ARMY ORDERS WAR
!. UPON DRUG HABITS
Recent Orders Provide Punish.
rnent Of Dishohorabie Dis
charge and Prison Term

L T
Drastic measures viii be taken by
| army officials to eradicate narcotic
drugs from the vicinity Of army can,
tonments or camps and to eliminate
their use by the soldiers. Orders TO
this effect have been issued and are
TO be put into stringent operation. Dis
honorable dismissal and three years
imprisonment Is 70 be the minimum
penalty.
While the drug evil has been felt in
the army as il has ont Of II, increase
in use of narcotics is reported, and in
the course of securing the most effici-
ent possible organization for war pur-
poses, this must be checked and as far
as possible retarded and eliminated
Opium, morphine, cocaine and heroin
are reported TO be the most commonly
used and consequently the greatest
menace to the health and efficiency Of
the men No habitual drug user can
remain q useful and valuable soldier
any more than can a man who is an
habitual user Of intoxicants.
Recognize Evil on Increase
Army medical men seldom talk of
the experience they have with sol.
diers addicted to drugs though they
are willing to admit that drug habits
are more common than is desirable
The recent action appears TO be more
direct recognition that the evil has
spread to an extent which demands
action. H u.,....
General Wiser has issued memo
randum order setting forth the penalties
| of the Harrison Narcotics Act and also
the procedure of courtsmartial in cases
where such drugs are found in the
possession Of enlisted men, or where il
can he shown that enlisted men are
users of such drugs. ~
Penalties Under Law ,...
| The order directs that commanding
officers of each organization have a
copy of the order posted on the bulle-
tin board of the organization in order
that all members Of the organization
may have an opportunity Of reading
and digesting the contents thereof.
Following is brief outline of the
order: ~ .',l.... -
"The Harrison Narcotic Act of De-
ceInber IL, 1914, provides in Section s,
with reference to opium and coca
| leaves: ..' $50 - -
| THAT il shall be unlawful for any
person not registered under the proyi-
sions OF this Act---to have In his DOS.
session or control any of the afore.
said drugs; and such possession or CON
troll shall be presumptive evidence of
the violation of this section--the bur.
aen OF proof Of any-exemption shall
be upon the defendent.' - -
| And in Section o: ....
That rGny person who violates
any OF the requirements of this Act
shall, on conviction, be fined not more
than $4,000, or be imprisoned for not
more than five years, or both, in the
discretion Of the court. -
| Amy soldier may be tried under the
ninety-sixth Article OF war by conrt
martial for violation of the above act
Protect Young Soldiers -
| IN order to protect young soldiers
from the insidious ravages of the opium
haolt; and, ut the same time, to pre-.
vent lukewarm soldiers from seizing
upon opium as a means of securing sep
aration from the service in time of
war, the following is ordered:
| Soldiers are hereby forbidden to
use opium except when prescribed by
an army medical officer, to have in
their possession. or TO enter Except in
pursuance OF military duty requiring
ouch entry any room, building, or other
place, where opium is unlawfully sold
supplied, bartered, given away, or
| used.
/ "Ignorance of the nature of such
place shall not be considered a defense
for an accused on trial before a court
martial. 1t is hereby made the duty
of each person in the military service
to ascertain the nature of any such
place before entering therein.
Severity Insisted Upon
IAN violations of this order will be
tried by general court martial; and no
such court martial will be considered to
have done its duty IL on conviction of
the violation of any part of this order,
1t shall adjudge a sentence of less than
dishonOrabie discharge and confinement nj
for three years at hard labor 20,
Without doubt the Harrison Act has
made IL more difficult TO secure drugs
than formerly or has at least made the
drugs far more costly to the users but
the habituated drug user will 90 to al
most any end to secure his favorite
drug and ways and means, though more
limited, are still to be found despite
the efforts Of federal officials,
1t has been suggested that if the
army win turn over TO the department
! Of justice the evidence in court martial
showing when, where and how the drug
was secured by the soldier who may
have been tried TINT II will be a valn
able aid TO still more stringent en-,
torcement OF the Harrison Act.
i . .,.5f t.
| oIHEII no,,