Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-29

energy for moderate work, but is not suf
hcient for very heavy work i'll cole
In forming conclusions as to the llbcr
| atty Of any ration it must be compared
| with the habitual diet Of the nation, 9th
| erwise false conclusions are drawn
1 Meats, on account of their high price, are
not an important item in any European
| dietary, the natives getting their nitro
| gen IN the form Of bread, peas, cheese
| etc. To certain extent it is immateria
| how the nitrogen is obtained, but il
! America fresh meat is demanded for tn,
| stimulation ii affords, to keep up the high
| plane of living previously mentioned
| Hence when we see eleven ounces of mea
daily i'm an Italian ration it is an evidence
\ of greater liberality than twenty ounces
| Nnciuding bone and wastes four times a
week in the United States.
| When a small amount of meat is found
| in a foreign ration it will be found thai
| the bread ration is very large, as for in
| stance in Russia, where it may be over
! two and half pounds per day Thus.
| when we compare the rations with the
national dietaries, our ration, instead Of
| supposed, is really one of the least lib-
cral 1t would not be safe to say that
| it is the worst. but il is not far from 1t
| Now let us examine the statement that
! our ration has more variety than any
| other. The variety stated on paper with
| us is very delusive. ii looks very pretty
| to see the number of things which can
| be substituted for beef, but in reality a
| soldier in the ma Orty of posts sees little
except beef and fat bacon or pork. Like
wise the substitutes for -four are rarely
| issued; beans are the chief issues OF
dried vegetables. and of fresh vegetables
potatoes or onions, or potatoes alone, may
| be the only supplies. The variety Of ouI
ration IS In theory, not in practice.
| substituting one item for another we
| stind in quite a bad light. With us. meat
| can be substituted only for meat, gne
form of bread for another form, one Kind
| of vegetables for another kind, etc Ii
| meats absent there Is hnrit
| for increasing the bread.
comparison of the various rationS
shows another direction in which we arc
| much worse off than any nation in the
world. Man Is heat engine, and the
amount of mechanical work he can give
| out depends likewise upon the amount OF
| fuel and food. This fundamental rule ie
recognized in every civilized army in The
world except ours, for in every other nj
| ton there is ample provision made to in
| crease the ration when greater cxcrtiOn
or exposure is necessary. Every cavalry
man knows that such Il rule applies ID
| his horse. the more work. the more oats
yet We Do net apply the rule e he men
The plain. unadorned ration without eX-
tras IS not sufficient 20 keep a hard
working man in health.
The publication Of the foreign ration-
then places our ration and our system ui
managing il in 2 very bad light. Instead
~ being one Of the best. il is one Of thu
worst There is ample justification f"r
the complaints which are constantly com
ing from the line.
We have long known that supply dc
partment Il necessary tyr furnishing ihe
soldier his food IN ume OF war, every oth,
.r system mas been gross ialurr ana
has brought disaster: private routrar-
tors fail. ana the soldiers can neither huNi
nor f%raETS.. yft the% must he krpt 5trons
tnd he3lIhE py Sl"lt1 p9 ir aIi II,
lorward1d from lht Jas No ftPpr 81
The foreign ration .iI Sn2ws H. sJ 1l ~
iaGr ,nIi IN III ', Till Il wnIJ wbi"b NIKE
ni? 1,a.'" ~ .i,nnIyine th. Mn lion h
HIM Eyorv 1 forr,an It'll nation suppli". oni"
! nart usrlalIy thr bread but makes am
m. ,,,,,.j.i.,n t,r IN. niIrrbnse of zinc hal
HI, - H., ~ fii.,.. I1,.. Il III rnn-sn- .
~ C,ain ''i fba, The sof1icr N garrilon s
~ any way SlaF - XXI uHu, It'u. 8ugl IL
nos .nT ~ ~ ,,i,j.,. n" VIZ, lbar