Show T SOMETHING ABOUT ABOU CANTEENS C NT ENS ENSA A correspondent who seems seems to have an erroneous idea of the army can canteen canteen teen wants wanta to know why w y The Herald defends the presidents attitude of friendliness to this agency agenol agency of Intern intemperance intemperance perance and wb w nearly very every army I officer consulted in favor of ot canteens in th ny my The Herald doe not pretend to know the presidents attitude on the canteen Question He has JiltS been severely mitt criticised criticised and we believe unjustly by temperance leaders for allowing the law to be set aside But Buthis Buthis Buthis his legal advisers reported upon it adversely and army officers in general recommended the retention of of this military adjunct The canteen jn in 1 be it understood is not the tin bottle in hi which soldiers carry milk or coffee but a sor of club dub room and drinking place for the enlisted men of the army It was wag in the face of strong opposition that the canteen was etab established Prohibitionists have fought it from the first It t is ill no part ff the duty of the United States st tes government g to engage in the sale ale of or beer and id d tobacco they say and a r too But many parent nt i had ad d to pro provide provide provide vide amusements ts for his sons at home to prevent them seeking worse ones elsewhere el And It is a a part of the duty of the government to main maintain maintain tain tam its army anny in a 8 state of f efficiency ei clency and no army is i or can be made effi em efficient dent that is treated like a kindergarten ten class that is disaffected and re rebellious in consequence the soldier kept kepton en on short commons and deprived of ev ey every ery cry personal privilege an M if he lie were the prisoner instead of the The canteen cant n is a room somewhere in inor inor Inor or about the barracks where the sol aol soldier soldier dier when off duty may enjoy himself in the same manner I as s s other people have the right and the opportunity to do It is a 8 reading room a place where he may lounge and talk with his comrades smoke play cards cords checkers and pins and nd there is ie a counter where he can buy trinkets at cost coat and a small bar where his beer bear bearIs is served so long as he is s in a condi condition tion to take it and pay PItY for it The more the soldier I frequents the canteen according to the experience of most meat army officers the less leas time he spends in the saloons outside of the post poet The more he lie stays s ays about the premises the more apt t he t to remain sober for tor there he is under the eyes of ot his hla officers and the sight of them reminds him constantly that he h will willbe willbe be punished puni hed if ii he gets ets drunk Besides he cannot cannet buy beer at the canteen after he is i Intoxicated iJ It is 16 believed th the th establishment of canteens and th extension of liber Uber liberties liberties ties at the various posts lOtS has liftS raised the grade of the army and lessened dis discontent d discontent J content among the men Every im lot important Important military station tati n now has Tins its school reading room billiard table ball club beer bier and pipes Discontent vanishes vani m In the presence of these solaces It t much use to try to prevent soldiers so Id from drinking beer beeri If i they do not want It they will ill not drink it because there is a canteen atthe at It t the post If they do want it they will get it it and there is no n way wa to prevent them from getting it A few aloes to human nature do not interfere with army morals In fact they make discipline easier e er to enforce during hours of labor It may m y not be easy to tomake tomake tomake make crusaders believe it It but the fact is there thel and the ex experience x of ot army officers has bos demon demonstrated demonstrated it 1 |