The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-09-09
SOLDIERS AS EpIcuREs.
Campaigning Gives n Test to Plain,
WhOleA0me Food.

Wholesome Food.
Some of the ingenious apologists for the
War Department have been insisting that
the real trouble with the soldiers was
that they did not know enough to eat
proper food. and that they needed to be
taken care of, like children, and not al
lowed money for fear they would spend
1t unwisely. 1t may be that an intelligent
American loses his wits when he enters
the army and associates with great
many other Americans. 1t is undoubtedly
true that when men have been nearly
starved to death for several weeks, and
particular to refrain from eating If 1t is
not the best sort of food. If they cannot
get water or milk to drink they will,
undoubtedly. when parched with thirst,
drink anything that is wet. But if any
of these apoiogists for the War Depart
ment really think that an American SOL
der is perfectly irresponsible in the mat
ter of diet, he will do well 10 talk with
Col. Roosevelt. Roosevelt. as Is well
known, has taken particular care when
ever possible, that his men should be well
provided for. If he had to pay the bills
w nen ne received $0uU recently
from a friend, to be expended as ne
thought best upon the men of his brigade
he left the decision as to how the money
should be spent to those most concerned
In the brigade which he commands ere
three cavalry regiments, representing as
different types of the American soldier as
could be found in the entire army-the
rough riders, the Third United States
| Cavalry. white and fhe Tenth United
States Cavalry. colored. II would natural
ly be supposed that many men of many
minds would express wide diversity OF
taste in the matter of food; but Ii proved
quite otherwise. Soldering simpIifies
mems taste. Nine out of ten of those
whom Col. Roosevelt talked with ex-
pressed a longing for oranges and lemons
the fruits of the earth, a distinct return
to first principles. The third article of
food in the list was tea, proof, on the
other hand of the strength of what may
be termed an artificial taste. Very few
wanted beer, almost none liquors, and
the scattering vote, which was inconsid-
cradle, was mostly for fruit, either plain
| or preserved. with a fair showing for
pickles. Before the Rough Riders went
to Cuba New Yorker al Tampa discoy-
cred. to mis- amazement, the simplicity of
their tastes.
He invited a dozen New York members
of the regiment whom he knew TO dine
with him and insisted on their ordering
for themselves. At that time they had
been on short rations for some days For
| their choice were spread all the viands of
a well-stocked hotels bill of fare. To the
disappointment of their host they passed
over all the epicurean dishes and ordered,
| every man of them, rare roast beef.
bread potatoes and milk. When they
had finished this they ordered more rare
roast beef bread. potatoes, and milk,
and, finally, having repeated this per-
formance four or five or six times, ac-
| cording TO the Individual. they assured
! their host with unmistakable enthusiasm
that they had enjoyed the dinner more
| than any other they had ever eaten:
| that, In fact. IL was the finest meal of
| their lives
To this same simplicity Of taste-ac-
| quiredi In the case of fully half the Rough
Riders-may he attributed their relief at
| the decision that they are not TO parade
| in New York. for the fact is that the fe FL
ing Of the regiment has been against a
! parade from the first. Col Roosevelt
himself probably does not know this, for
the men thought that he wanted Ia
rade and they would not for any thing
have let him think that they We're not
eager for ii. particularly as 1t was the
| general opinion that 1t might be of ad
vantage. to him. And parade they would
with the best spirit in the world, had
matters turned out otherwise than they
have. Now, however, that the idea is
definitely given up, they express their
opinions freely, and the expression which
one hears dozen times every day Is:
I'm glad the thing is given up. We've
done the work. and that's enough for us.
What would be the sense of our making
show figures OF ourselves now
So. If New York has any sympathy to
waste in the matter of the parade Ii can
not expend il on itself. There is more
| disappointment there than here.