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The Lesser of Many Evils
[Excerpt] "Things We Want to Know," The Listening Post, No. 10 (January 20th, 1916), p. 51
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"Why certain people don't want the soldier to get his one comfort "tobacco"? And how would they like it if their tea was stopped.
This excerpt, taken from a trench newspaper, highlights an anonymous soldier's disdain for those that would take tobacco, their "one comfort", away. Such opinions were popular among soldiers and limited efforts to prohibit or discourage its use.
Owing to these qualities, the opposition to cigarette smoking on health or religious grounds that was popular before the war was largely dismissed.
[Excerpt] "Things We Want to Know," The Listening Post, No. 10 (January 20th, 1916), p. 51
Hover/Tap to flip to back
"Why certain people don't want the soldier to get his one comfort "tobacco"? And how would they like it if their tea was stopped.
This excerpt, taken from a trench newspaper, highlights an anonymous soldier's disdain for those that would take tobacco, their "one comfort", away. Such opinions were popular among soldiers and limited efforts to prohibit or discourage its use.
While the army was aware of the long-term health consequences of cigarette smoking, the short term benefits to morale were judged to be too significant to prohibit it.
Many maintained that smoking was a vice but either remained silent or reluctantly encouraged it as they saw it as a means of steering soldiers away from worse pursuits such as alcohol or prostitution. Such thinking was larely ignored by soldiers, many of whom readily engaged in all three.
[Booklet] If Every Man Were Straight, Oswald Withrow, 1918. Collections CCGW.
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This booklet, published by the YMCA of Canada as part of their Manhood Series, argues against sex and prostitution by outlining the vast improvements to life that would follow if all men abstained from these vices.
This is best evidenced by the actions of the YMCA of Canada during the war. While decrying sex and alcohol consumption – activities which, in their eyes, went hand in hand – cigarette smoking was only condemned when it involved minors. In fact, YMCA canteens offered soldiers afforable cigarettes, among other goods, given their need for “extra comforts.”
The Lesser of Many Evils
Owing to these qualities, the opposition to cigarette smoking on health or religious grounds that was popular before the war was largely dismissed.
[Excerpt] "Things We Want to Know," The Listening Post, No. 10 (January 20th, 1916), p. 51
Tap to flip to back
"Why certain people don't want the soldier to get his one comfort "tobacco"? And how would they like it if their tea was stopped.
This excerpt, taken from a trench newspaper, highlights an anonymous soldier's disdain for those that would take tobacco, their "one comfort", away. Such opinions were popular among soldiers and limited efforts to prohibit or discourage its use.
While the army was aware of the long-term health consequences of cigarette smoking, the short term benefits to morale were judged to be too significant to prohibit it.
Many maintained that smoking was a vice but either remained silent or reluctantly encouraged it as they saw it as a means of steering soldiers away from worse pursuits such as alcohol or prostitution. Such thinking was larely ignored by soldiers, many of whom readily engaged in all three.
[Booklet] If Every Man Were Straight, Oswald Withrow, 1918. Collections CCGW.
Tap to flip to back
This booklet, published by the YMCA of Canada as part of their Manhood Series, argues against sex and prostitution by outlining the vast improvements to life that would follow if all men abstained from these vices.
This is best evidenced by the actions of the YMCA of Canada during the war. While decrying sex and alcohol consumption – activities which, in their eyes, went hand in hand – cigarette smoking was only condemned when it involved minors. In fact, YMCA canteens offered soldiers afforable cigarettes, among other goods, given their need for “extra comforts.”
