The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1944-03-09


NJ. p. of today has learned that-as a
general rule-there is more in persua-
| sion than in the butt end of a billy club
The M. p. is the soldiers best friend in
strange communities and the intelligent
soldier knows it.
Second, civilian agencies are cooperat'
ing reasonably well with Army authori.
ties. They could do better. In dry
States and In States where there ID Local
option, the military faces the problem
oY Bootleg Ifqser. B~eetieggers canned
he regulated; legal dispensers can be
regulated. The Army, with m eye to its
own disciplinary problems, usually pre-
fers wet communities to dry communi-
ties.
One reason for this is that leaders in
the liquor business are attempting to
police their own people. Enlightened
self interest is one of the most effect
i've regulators.
In sections where local enforcement
has broken down or is Intellectual. vair-
Gus State branches of the Brewing In
QuSITY OuuudLIUu~th e
ers' enlightened trade organization
have taken the initiative. Through con-
troll of distributors the Foundation has
been able to clean up unsavory places.
A third observation: the sale of 81
beer in Army camps is a healthy and
| sensible arrangement. The fact that
there is vastly less drinking among sol
| diers in this war than in the last war
a fact almost universally agreed to by
commanders and civilian authorities
| alike-may stem in part from this sale
of beer in camps.
In the last war camps were bone dry
Az a result, bootleggers did a thriving
business. Conditions in a certain dry
Texas town offer a current example OF
the unhappy results Of complete prohi-
bition. On one side of town is a mill
tary reservation where beer is sold or
post. On the other side of town is q
reservation where the commanding Off
Ger has dried up the post entirely. HIS
is the post which has a policing problem
and lower morale. His men. when or
pass, travel 60 miles to the nearest wei
city and drink package liquor out of Z
bottle.
The case for 30 beer is presented
thus by chaplains and military police
alike: it provides soldiers vita a milo
relaxation without impairing their eff
cheney. 1t minimizes hard liquor drink
ing by providing a comparatively harm
less substitute. 1t can be controlled
because post exchanges are under mill
tary supervision. 1t keeps troops out Of
trouble by keeping them in camp. Denied
evening relaxation and recreation OF
post some of them will seek recreation
elsewhere and in places where there II
no military or sanitary control.
There is no indication that sale o
beer lowers the number of total abstain
ers. Statistics at Fork Knox. KY pre-
sent a pretty accurate picture of condi
tons as they exist in all camps. Their
more soft drinks than beers are sold II
canteens and by 33 percent. The Amer
lean soda pop habit will wear no man
collar.
The American soldier needs neithe
curtain lecture nor apology. He De
HAYES we'll. he trains well, and in tn
far-flung places of the earth he is fight
ing we'll. He is intelligent, he is able
he is a hard worker. He is serious o
purpose because he fully understand
the gravity of war. His commandin'
officers believe in him and his chaplain
= are proud Of him.