The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12
WANT PURE FOOD FOR THE SOLDIERS Elaborate Tests Are Made At Department Headquarters TEST DAY IS GREAT EVENT The Flour For Breadmaking Is Con sidered the Most Important
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From the St Paul Pioneer Press.

From the St Paul Pioneer Press.
 There is a baker in the Army building who can turn out the lightest, finest tex tured bread in the city, quality of bread which dotage sometimes conjures up as the kind mother used to bake when the duly stamped and alloyed mixture of the local oven artists appears-coarse-g grained, externally enticing, but internally sub- stance not to be described if there are ladies present. The baker at the Army building, the man who presides over the automatic kneader, electric oven and the bewildering array of other apparatus, is a commissioned officer, the chief commits sary of the department of Dakota, as well as the purchasing commissary of thls military district-Capt Ralph Harrison. Subsistence Is his speciality, which in cludes the purchase and distribution Of everything from beans to bacon not only as rations but as stock for the subsis- tence stores at the posts in the depart ment.
 It is in the course of these functions that baking comes in, for flour is mighty factor in provisioning a fighting force, while bidders for contracts must be selected with absolute impartiality, which entails a test as nearly infallible as science can make it, And incidentally the bread resulting Is as near angel food as can be expected with the ingredients used.
 The Testing of Samples.
 At present about s10OOO in expended monthly for rations and for subsistence stores. This figure is very low, since the force in the department of Dakota is far from being up to its full strength. Ra- tions are issued every 10 days to each organization, whether band, company or hospital corps. Supplies for subsistence stores are issued, however, at varying in- 1ervals, whenever the stock becomes con- pleted-
 Naturally in connection with handling this amount of provisions there are lot of regulations, one of which is that where the amount to be bought is over $500 in value proposals shall be advertised and sealed bids submitted. This entails test ing of samples sent in by each bidder and gives rise to taste day." anticipated in certain and harsh terms by the ''taSters.'
 Now the government, as manifested by volumes of rules and regulations, is pe- nurious for two reasons, the first being that 1t pays for good goods and insists upon getting them, and the second is that all bidders shall have a fair show when the bids are submitted Out of maze of samples of canned fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee, dried fruits, bacon, flour and innumerable other articles, what, in the estimation of the subsistence depart ment, is the best has to be selected. And when the test is over the samples are turned over to the Salvation army.
 Purpose of Tests.
 The chief purpose of the various tests, however, is to deal in an absolutely just manner with the bidders. Pure food laws and the knowledge that a reputable merchant will not attempt to foist off in- ferior goods upon the government is gen. erally considered to insure good quality. This principle, however, is not followed to any great degree and the subsistence department is a scrupulous censor on all foods which are to be fed to "privates in this mans army"
 But, above everything else, flour is probably the most important If a bad batch of prunes manages to slip through to some organization the man can eat bread instead but if bad lot of flour is issued in the rations the men cannot eat pranes instead. Bread and it's ante cedent four is the keystone in the arch of subsistence. And this all gives rise to the departmental bake shop, in reality laboratory scientifically equipped for de- termining what flour will produce the largest, finest and most nutritious loaf, and Capt Ralph Harrison is the official baker. at certain intervals, when flour is to be bought.
 In the local laboratory the flour sam pies are put through eight tests, all tend Ing to determine accurately which is the best. After each test the flour is marked on scale of 10, and in the final award all are taken into consideration.