Evening star., 1933-03-19
SERVICES WEIGH
y. POLICIES ON BEER
Effect of Modification Action
on Army, Marines and
Navy Uncertain.


Corps, in anticipation OF the return OF
legal beer and wines, are to reverse
their traditional dry policy, adopted in
the wears before national prohibition, Is
a question now being considered by hlgn
officials in the three services.
The men who hold the key to TINS
problem are Secretary of the Navy
CIsnde A Swanson and Secretary OF
war George H. Dern, neither one OF
whom has indicated officially what his
attitude will be under the beer law
Congress is engaged in enacting. Un-
officially, however, it was generally BE-
ueyed in the Army and Navy that It
looks like the sale of beer ana vine VIII
be put I'D largely to the commanding
officers of ships and shore stations ano
military posts.
Ruling May Be Needed.
While the legal minds Of all three
services are summing up their laws and
regulations in anticipation OF the legal
zation of the banned beverages, the
War and Navy Departments said yes
terdav that no official promulgation has
been prepared on the subject. II the
beer which Congress finally approves
raises a doubt as to its legality under
the Volstead act. which has not yet
been repealed, officials said the question
of permitting its sale to service person.
mel might have to be determined by a
legal opinion rendered by the Judge ad-
vocate general. Otherwise, 1t was said.
The matter could be easily handled
through regulations.
While authorities said unoficlally
that If the beer promised Is legally non
intoxicating, they see no reason why, II
the skipper of vessel or the COM
.mander of post is willing. 1t could not
,te sold in the service canteens. They
pointed out. however: that the com.
r1anding officer can forbid the sale OF
certain things in the canteens under his
jurisdiction if he wishes, and if he him
self is a dry" could forbid the sale OF
beer.
Since the investigations Of the spe-
cial Shannon Committee of the House
on Government competition in busi-
ness. the Army particularly. has sought
to restrict the sale Of certain articles
at it's post exchanges. With the legal
izing Of beer. the question of compe-
tition with nearby bar rooms would
probably be raised.
Favor Own Control.
As a matter of policy, it was said
unofficially at the War Department,
commanding officers would much prefer
to have the men drink in the post
canteens than patronize places outside
Army posts where they would not be
under observation.
Only the "old timers" in all three
services can remember the days when
real beer was replaced by near beer
aboard ships and at post exchanges.
Back in the administration of Presi-
dent Mckinley, Secretary of the Navy
John D. Long issued an order forbid
ding the sale of alcoholic liquors to
enlisted men. This was under date Of
February 3, 1899. and is now officially
known as general order number 508.
It reads: After mature deliberation,
the department has decided that it is
for the best interest of the service that
the sale or issue to enlisted men Of
malt or other alcoholic liquors on board
of naval stations be prohibited.
Therefore after the receipt Of this
order. commanding officers and COM
mandants are forbidden to allow any
malt or other alcoholic liquor to be
sold to or issued to enlisted men, either
on board ship or within the limits Of
navy yards. naval stations or Marine
barracks, except in the medical depart
ments"
Upon the recommendation of the
surgeon general of the Navy, Secretary
OF the Navy Josephus Daniels-the new
Ambassador to Mexico-in June, 1914,
abolished the wine mess on board ships
and stations of the American Navy,
making the same rule apply to officers.
as already applied to enlisted men. Mr..
Daniels said later that Secretary Long
commended him for this action.
Situation Is Puzzling.
The Daniels order altered naval in
structions, in what is known as general
order No. 80 of his administration, by
inserting this paragraph:
The use or Introduction for drinking
purposes Of alcoholic liquors on board
any naval vessel, or within any navy
yard or station is strictly prohibited,
and commanding officers will be held
directly responsible for the enforcement
OF this order"
How all this will affect the new beer
and wine legislation being applied in
the service. Secretary Claude A. Swan
son holds the key to the problem, but
he has not yet indicated his preference.
President Roosevelt was the right-hand
man of Mr.. Daniels when the famous
order abolishing the wine mess was
promulgated.
The Army has been operating a dry
policy about as long as the Navy. Up
to 1901 the post exchanges sold beer
without restrictions, but after the Span
1sh-American War the sale was for
hidden under Army regulations. Com
manding officers, however, were privi-
legged to exercise their discretion in hav-
ing liquor brought into the posts.
The rigid dry regulations under which
the Army has operated since shortly
before the World War makes it "unlaw-
full for any person to have in his or
her possession any intoxicating or spir-
itous liquor or beverages at any mill
tary station, cantonment, camp, fort,
post or any premises being used for mil
itary purposes, except as prescribed for
medicinal purposes by a medical officer
or civilian physician (under existing