The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-06-20
MORE ABOUT TO-
BACCO AND SOLDIERS
Hood River, Ore, June Ia, 1915

Hood River, Ore, June IA, 1918.
Editor Glacier: The Hood River
Glacier of June 6 claims that the de-
mand for tobacco at the front is unan-
nous. There is good authority exist
ing that this is not the case, although
there are those who are addicted to the
use Of tobacco who might suffer in
tensely for time if deprived of their
accustomed privilege there are others,
mere boys from our schools and col
leges, who have been taught that to-
bacco is injurious to the human system.
Thirty years ago | was compelled by
law to each my pupils that tobacco was
extremely injurious. The same laws
have existed ever since, and today in
Washington, the minor who receives
tobacco in any form, as well as the
man who sells or gives it to him, is
subject to the penalty of the law pro-
hibiting sale of tobacco to minors.
Are not our boys in France still Amer
lean boys, protected by American laws?
What about the individual in Washing
ton who sends him package of the
weed? What about the minor who re.
ceives it! Are they not both defying
the laws of our government? Should
they not be subject to the same penal
ty as though the transaction~occurred
here?
One young man of Is, in an American
cantonment, wrote home to Hood River
that he had received II packages of
smoking tobacco from various sources
| last Christmas. Is it sufficient to keep
| on with our feet set down hard against
the cigarette as puffed by our imma-
ture schoolboys, only to tell them the
| day they don the olive drab they are
Immediately old enough to repudiate
| the laws that governed their training
and favor if they choose, their indi-
vidual inclinations?
/ About the time congress declared a
| state of war existing between the u.
s. and Germany there was much per-
turbation concerning the crippling of
our tobacco industry. | have been un-
able to find anything in regard to the
matter of date.
| Presuming that food is not overly
abundant nor facilities for transporta.
tion unlimited. | conclude that it might
be not only legitimate but advanta.
geous to the general welfare if some
means were adopted to discourage
minors abroad, as we'll as at home,
from forming the tobacco habit, at
least while present conditions prevail.
Minnie j. Wonder Ahe.
| The Glacier did not say anywhere OF
at anytime that the demand for tobac
co by soldiers in France was unani
nous. That is something we do not
know anything about We do know
however, that large number of the
men, perhaps the majority. want to-
\ bacco, and they should have it. If the
government did not realize the neces
\ sty of supplying these men with to-
bacco,it most certainly would not have
Communicated the output of number
of prominent manufactures.
No effort is going to BE made tt
force smoking or chewing on any sol
der, but every effort will be made tc
provide the weed for those who wan,
! it. AS for the youth who received |.
packages of tobacco, although he didn't
smok6. he was unfortunate. Such mis-
applied generosity of friends cannot
happen again. For the soldier must
now write request, and it must he
approved by his commanding officer