East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-01-09
~ WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs,

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,
Omitted Press staff Correspondent
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY AT
THE FRONT. Nov. SO--(By Mall to
New York.)-Probably no army in
the world, actually in the field. was
ever better fed than is that Of the
allies.
Every French soldier In the field
is entitled to % l-3 ounces Tread
day; 3 l-3 ounces OF rice, beans
or peas; 10 ounces of meat; Ia
ounces OF sugar; one ounce lard; ga
ounce salt and a little more than 2-S
ounce OF coffee.
These articles constitute the daily
ration under ordinary condition. There
are times, however. when circum-
stances are extraordinary. when fresh
meat. new bread. dried vegetables and
regular coffee can not be delivered
daily to the soldiers. Under such con-
ditions the French fighting man falls
back on his reserve" rations which
are:
Ten ounces OF biscuit" or war
bread" as hard tack is known in the
French army; 10 ounces OF canned
meat: 2-3 ounces of sugar; l 2-3
ounces OF soup essence. in cube form;
/ Ia ounces OF essence OF coffee. al
so in cube form, and .0625 litre
G-16 Of a quartz OF brandy.
Back OF the fighting line the French
soldier has never had TO fall back on
his reserve" rations. He always has
his fresh beef, mutton or other meat:
his coffee made from the coffee bean;
his fresh bread and the rest. Fur
thermore these things are quite good.
| have lived for days with the private
soldiers and eaten their food. so can
give personal testimonial as to It's ex-
cellence have eaten their reserve
food also, their canned meats ('mon-
key-meat" the soldiers call ~ and
tackled their hard tack; drunk their
cute" coffee and perhaps OF the
bouillon made OF their soup cubes IL
is all wholesome and nutritious The
brandy is good and stimulating and.
administered in medicinal doses. as
the good Marianne of France admin
lister IT, can not harm the brave fell
lows standing in trenches which are
hot and cold at one and the same time
Some OF this brandy is OF the 'calva-
dos" brand and is made OF fine. lusty
apples. and in slipping It, the smell
and taste OF the apple are quite not
lceable.
The revictualing Of the allies. under
ordinary circumstances, is carried on
by England and France separately. !
That is France feeds her own troops 1
and England feeds hers. II rarely /
happens-though the circumstance is /
not known-that the French have 10
feed the English or vice versa. The
English eat more timed foods than
the French, one reason being their
means OF transport are more difficult /
They also consume tea in enormous /
quantities whereas the French are |
little addicted to the tea habit. In
France l heard this story Of an Eng |
lish mother who had just received a
letter from her son at the front:
MY poor boy!' the mothed distract
edly exclaimed. He is undergoing ,
sacrifices and hardshipsl /
He writes me that a few days ago he
was Obliged TO go from O'Clock in ,
the morning until six that evening |
without lunch and no tea was served
that day at ALI"
Were the war to stop at this mo-
ment my mental picture OF a British
soldier would be a very healthy look
Ing individual standing by the side OF
4 newly opened packing case eating ]