Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-07
FOOD AT, CAMP 0RDWAY
PLEASES INVESTIGATORS
Congressman Make Inspection With
View to Having Commission
Purchase for Soldiers.

With a view to having a commission
supervise the purchase of all food to
be issued to the soldiers in the field,
Representatives Hubert and Chandler
of New York and Alfred W. Mccain,
who has been making an investigation
of food in New York camps. came I'M
announced into Camp Ordway late yes
terday afternoon. They went into the
kitchens of Batteries A and B. glanced
into the official ice boxes. had a can of
| corn beef opened, tasted it, examined
the store tent, asked questions about
the bread. and topped it of by asking
the cook how he liked the food.
Il cook it," responded the head of the
kitchen. as the questioner realized that
he had asked the wrong person.
The can of corned beef which was
opened was packed in July, 1913, ac-
cording to the date pressed into the
can. Although it was old stores. the
representatives admitted. the meat was
just as good as the day 1t was packed.
Investigators Seem Pleased.
The party, accompanied by Capt.
George G. Wilson, who came up after
the congressman had nearly completed
pleased with the way the District
troops were being treated and fed in
the field.
Just what the troops receive for their
meals the representatives saw There
was no time for preparations. and
those who were approached told the
Investigators that they were well sat
isfed with camp life and the food in
general They could not find in the
q ho
the men were receiving rotten" food,
and they admitted it,
Representative Hubert said he would
make a report on his Investigation He
said he would recommend that a com
mission of three men be appointed to
travel around the country and inspect
all of the supplies sold to the govern
ment for the troops Provision for
this probably will be attached as a rider
to the army bill, Representative Hull
bert said.
The investigators discussed with the
officers the proposition of having more
soups for the men, but men who have
been in the regular army say this is
impracticable for troops in campaign,
because of the length Of time 1t takes
TO make soups that are sustaining.
Present No Time to Experiment.
A trooper said there was nothing like
the present ration. 1t had been tried
and now was not the time to change or
experiment, unless the allowance was
raised from "a cents a day during the
experiment to 48 cents a day per man.
The time to experiment with such mat
tiers is not now, while troops are in the
field, but either it should have been
done before or it can be done after they
return to their quarters.
Now cavalryman out in the field do
ing outpost work can reach in his sad
die, get out can of corned beef,
enough for four: reach in another
pocket and get his bareback, and into
his canteen for coffee. He has to have
a meal all the time he is working, but
if the troops are to be stopped for four
hours a day to prepare soups for them
they will never get anywhere, it is
pointed out by those who know the
service.
But the army men approve of the
plan for a food inspection. provided
there is no experimenting. If a man is
food expert he might be able to i'm
prove the present ration, but no one
who is not a food expert should be al
lowed to try that which already has
proved its value.
The inspection of the kitchens and