The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-20


It win come as a surprise to Americans,
who have so often heard. and who are so
ready TO accept, the assertion Of the su-
periority of the American army ration as
compared with the European military diet,
to learn that we have In that direction
much more to accomplish. for We are
still behind European nations" ours. in
deed. being zone of the worst in the
world" For which amazing revelation we
may quote no less an authority than
Maj Charles L. Woodruff, Of the Army
Medical Corps. famous as an authority
on dietetics and sanitation and various
other subjects which have engaged his
keen scientific analysis and furnLsned him
the subject for much absorbingly inter-
esting literary production.
Maj. Woodruff is no untried fledgeling In
military medical science. He may be con-
sidered by some as not always conserva-
tive in his views, but he is. at least,
man OF decided opinions, with the ability
to express them clearly and the inclina-
ton 10 state them courageously. When
such an officer. with such a record, at
tacks the American army ration and
brands it as zone of the worst in the
world It seems to be the time and oeca-
sion for the attention of the experts in
army subsistence. 1t is Mai Woodruff's
idea that the soldiers food. as provided
by the United states government. is lack
ing in some important essentials. mainly
OF nitrogen, to such an extent that
dependence upon the allowance always
results In emaciation and weakness,
so that restaurants In and around armies
and garrisons are absolutely essential,
and every soldier spends a large amount
of his pay for food: and significantly
enough. his favorite tidbit is ham and
eggs" which is the home-body way of
spelling nitrogen. Mai. Woodruff says
that Congress has been repeatedly com
PEELED to increase the soldiers ration, to
satisfy this craving of the individual FOR
that which will sustain strength: and he
is impelled to renew his advocacy Of an
allowance Of 50 cents a month for each
soldier 10 buy extras
This presentation of a need which an
expert In army food so emphatically
points out should not escape the atten-
ton Of those who are charged with the
important duty of seeing that the mem
bers Of the lighting personnel-thOse who
carry the rifles and do the hiking and
sleep on the ground-get not only enough
TO eat, but receive that sufficiently in the
proper proportion OF health-giving and
strength-sustaining nitrogen. Perhaps there
serious charge that the soldier is under
fed. Such proposition is incredible after
all the care and thought bestowed on the
composition Of the army ration. Il may
be well, therefore. to reserve Judgment
until the Commissary General Of the army
who is an acknowledged expert in mill
tary provisioning, has a chance TO state
his side OF the case. It is possible, too,
that with lberality in the army ration
which would require gigantic appropria-
tons for the purpose, there would still
be the craving for the extras. and as
suredly It would be unwise 10 give every
soldier 50 cents a month. with the privi-
lege, TO say nothing Of the obligation.
that he shall spend It in riotous gastron-
omy to supplement the government food
allowance.
1t is not certain. by any means. that the
soldier will indulge in the homely and
self-satisfying dish of ham and eggs; he
may prefer prune pie. chocolate layer
cake. or caramels. which, in proper per-
cottages Of consumption, would be more
deadly than bullets or camp insanitation.
II will be seen. therefore, there are de-
fects even in the plea for the extra allow
ance for nitrogen-unless Congress shall
incorporate ham and eggs in the statute.