Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1900 — What the Generals Say About the Canteen. [ARTICLE]

What the Generals Say About the Canteen.

Gen. Otis: “The Chinese residents of Luzon distill a liquor that produces a species of madness when indulged in to excess. Quite a number of our soldiers when out scouting or advancing into the enemey’s country have fallen victims to this deadly liquor, but am pleased to say the reported number has been grossly exaggerated, This liquor is never permitted in the canteens and no cases of canteen dunkenness have come to my knowledge.” Gen. McArthur: “It is absurd to believe that the canteen is responsible for dunkeness among our soldiers in the Philippines. The canteen is acting as a corrective of that habit.” Gen. Wheeler: “The native liquor and not the canteen, is to blkme for the cases of drunkenness among our soldiers in the Philippines. lam utterly opposed to soldiers being sold intoxicating liquors, but so long as they will confine themselves to the canteen no drunkenness can result.” Gen. Miles: “It is paiticularly important where a large proportion of the troops are recruits that nothing bo officially done to create in them the habit of using intoxicants, and the rules governing the canteen have been arranged to avoid this evil, the result being increased sobriety and general efficiency of the entire army.” Gen. Shafer : “I have always been strongly opposed to the. canteen system or the Sale of intoxicating drinks of any kind on government reservations. I have also regarded it as demoralizing to the men, besides imparing seriously their efficiency, but investigation proves beyond all question that there are fewer desertions, less drunkenness and more general efficiency than before the canteen was adopted.” Gen. Wood: “If we could restrict our soldiers to the canteen, drunkenness would be unknown io the army.” Gen. Corbin: “If those who oppose the army canteen would investigate its working they would be forced to change their opinions. It is producing splendid results in contentment, sobriety and general efficiency.” Gen: Lawton: “Comparatively few persons outside the army understand the canteen system, and many suppose it has a demoralizing effect on the soldiers, whereas the reverse is the fact.”