The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-01
LL9.ELL4EE44.LIIsLI- I..LI.IJ.

class army cook. On scraps of wrapping paper or
old bills he kept a copy Of every recipe he had
ever tried. These were edited by Colonel Hol-
brook, then in command at Fort Riley, and pub
lished in a little book called Methods of Handling
Army Rations," which was developed into the
Manual for Army Cooks the textbook in the
army schools for cooks and bakers started in
1900 by General Sharpe, now quartermaster gen.
eral.
There is n legend to the effect that there are
several amusing musical diatribes against the
army food, but questioning of officers and men at
the Washington Barracks school does not reveal
them. One sergeant-one of the three 'noncoms'
in line for their commisslons-said that when the
food was bad the men "got the growT' and
wouldn't sing at all, and when 1t was good they
"felt fine and sang the ~prettiest songs they knew"
1t is rather heartening to think that the men
can have the same food in the field as they 90 In
barracks. This is accomplished by the bakeries,
which are portable, easily taken down and set up,
and by the very remarkable trolling kitchens"
which cook a meal as the army marches. Having
lunch or supper ready when the order comes to
pitch camp. All Of these kitchens have stoves for
burning oil and also arrangements for the use of
coal or wood. One model, Of which the govern
ment has ordered a great many, has two double
boilers, where oatmeal, for instance, may be
cooked as the big stove on wheels trails on supply
wagon or truck. Also there are direct heat boil
ers where coffee may be made or one of the many
delicious stews, the familiar Irish, the savory "El
IkhnCnO NcOuldluluB everything SuluDle On IL
ranch), or the very delectable American stew, In
vented on the Mexican border and the first ia
vorite at Sammies' table.
There is also an oven where a roast may be
brought to a turn, and, as a surprise to you, a big,
smooth plate where fiapjacks come to life. One
kitchen will feed 200 men, a war-strength COM
pany, and 1t will need three men to operate it.
Trailing each kitchen is a fireless cooker with
four large compartments. These are very conven-
lent in that the tin receptacles fit either the stove
or the hreless department. and can be transferred
without the bother of emptying of food from one
vessel to another.
There are now four regular schools for army
cooks-at Fort Sam Houston, Tex; Fort Riley,
Kan; Monterey, CAL, and Washington barracks.
The environments increased these schools many
fold. 1t takes about four months Of rigorous Ina
structlon to make a a~rst-class army cook, but I'M
der the intensive method the cantonment cooks
will be educated In half this time.
There are many very delicious and exceedingly
efficient recipes In the manual for Army Cooks"
and Uncle Sam gives his boys all three of their
excellent meals for an average of 40 cents q day.
II the economy of 40 cents a kitchen could be
brought into all American homes we would hear
little of food conservation, for the utilization Of
every edible molecule is nothing short of marvel
GUS, os is the system of accounting for every In
~gredient that comes out of the storeroom.-Wal-
lace Irwin In Louisville Courier-JournaL