The Republican journal., 1916-05-11

been no burning of litter nor would lat
rines have been dug in the flnty soil into
which to bury every bit of offal which
might become noisome or offensive and a
menace to health.
Speaking of natives, reminds me that
an order was issued several days since
that natives intent upon selling bread,
cakes, tortillas or other delicacies must
establish themselves outside the camp
and wait for the soldiers to come to them
rather than seek the soldiers in the COM
pany streets or ct the company kitchens.
There were two reasons for this order,
either of which should have been suffici-
ent. One was that the wide openness
which had hitherto prevailed might be
conducive to the presence in camp OF
spies in the guise Of vendors of food, and
the other was to guard against the in
PRODUCTION of diseases of any kind into
the camp.
| Smallpox Scare Started.
A story was brought into camp one day
that there was smallpox in one of the
many villages which go to make up the
municipality of Namlqulpa. An inspec-
ton was ordered, but the soldiers took
| the matter into their own hands at once
without waiting to be ordered to do so
! by their officers. They We're among the
/ first to enforce the ORDER that vendors of
/ food keep their distance, and, having
done their full duty in this respect, they
/ flocked 10 that portloa of the river set
apart for the washing OF persons and
clothing and washed both so thoroughly
! that a germ of any kind would have
I starved to death had it lighted upon
them. And they have kept up the prac
tice till every day is wash day at this
headquarters.
Private messes are not so elaborate
here as they were at the old camp at
/ Duban. for the reason that there is not
so much to buy. The Mexican women,
| unlike their Mormon sisters, are not in
| clined to make jelies and preserves or to
bake bread and biscuit. While We are
i we'll down toward the tropics, this plateau
| is so high that the season is probably not
so we'll advanced as it is on the shores of
Lake Superior or along the st. Law
renee. For that reason there are no
fresh vegetables such as onions or let
tuce, as there was at Dublan. At that
the officers and the correspondents, and
fairly well IN the way of adding tamales,
WI .iiiao1 SHCcoC dliu CHS W Vic Aotiolo
drawn from the commissary department.
Sweets are craved under circumstances
such as prevail in camp like this and if
the wives and sweethearts or even the
male friends of those in camp would send
an occasional box of chocolates or even
of the commonest variety of stick candy
they would confer lasting favors upon
the recipients. Chewing gun would also
be acceptable.
Plenty of Tobacco.
Of tobacco there is plenty, now that
the transport system between here and
the border has been brought to a rather
high state of perfection by the adding of
hundreds of motor trucks of type able
to stand the going, which is rather rough
in spots. The trucks have made it pos
sible for the quartermaster to bring in
not only all the essentials of the custo-
mary daily ration, but few delicacies
which are bought eagerly and relished
greatly by men and officers.
Wild stories have found their way into
some of the newspapers of the United
States, some of them taking the form of
interviews with army officers to the eff
feet that men and animals of the expedi-
ton were worn thin and gaurt because
VI ldCh VI 1OOu, all IcIlIDuR " CISdL0 Liz
impression that there is woeful lack of
''savvy" on the part of at least the
quartermaster's department. if not of
the entire army in its executive branches.
No Food Shortage.
l crossed the international line at
Columbus, N. NJ, with the first sections
of the army forming any part of this
punitive expedition and have been with
it constantly ever since, on the march,
and in camp, and with scouting parties,
and for that reason have had ample op-
portunity to observe it's food supply, at
least There have been times when,
| owing to lack of transportation facili-
/ ties, the food and forage was confined to
essentials, but, SO far as my observation
goes, there never has been time when
the men did not have full rations of
bacon, hard bread and coffee, and the
animals full ration of grain, though
hay has frequently been lacking.
| This statement does not apply to the
men and animals composing the flying
columns operating at the extreme front.
far from the lines and out of reach OF
the best efforts of the quartermaster.
i These men when they went into the
Businesses of the Sierra Madres, went
with the full knowledge that they might