The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-14

1T will be an hour and a half be-
fore they reach me in this line. Mean
while, would you like to have me
show you our barracks?"
The barracks he showed us was
three-story stone building and we
were conducted thru it from top to
bottom.
What have you been doing all this
time since you have been in the ser
vice." was asked of Wingart. Win
CART had left Topeka the day before
and had reached the encampment just
twenty-four hours previous to the
question put to him.
WELL said the prospective officer,
''they set me to cleaning windows yes
terday and l cleaned them. Today 1
have been ralzing the leaves off and
cleaning up the lawn in front of our
barracks. This morning they taught
me how to make my bed. That's mine
over there, the fourth from the end,
said he. pointing to one of about forty
in the large room. The beds were or
binary sanitary cots similar to those
used in Topeka sleeping porches. The
mattress was folded in half toward
the head of the bed. Upon the mat
tress We're the blankets, spread and
pillow.
They don't allow the beds made
up as we occupy them until after l
o'clock. on the theory that no one
must recline on the beds in the morn
ing
There was a barber shop, but most
of the young men were their own
BARRIERS with safety razors: safety
first every morning.
A visit was next paid to the shower
baths and then to the dining room
with it's tables and benches; thence
to the kitchen adjoining. Here col
ored chef a sergeant who received SIS
per month extra for his culinary work
took US thru the supply department
and to the refrigerator and the
ranges where preparations were un-
der way for the evening meal.
What are you going to have for
SUPERB was asked.
"Beefsteak," and we saw liberal
slices deity dropped on the chopping
block; cottage fried potatoes" (for-
merly known as German fried); mac
aroni and cheese" and there was a
great appetizing pan of this about two
feet square and SIX inches deep; zap
pie sauce, bread and butter and COT
fee"
What did you have for the other
two meals today" was asked of Win
CART.
We'll, l had for breakfast, corn
flakes, potatoes, eggs, bacon, bread
the midday meal, bean soup, roast
beef, boiled potatoes, cabbage, pie and
coffee"
The reader will observe that our
young defenders are being fed pota-
toes every meal. but then the govern
ment gets them wholesale the
defenders and the potatoes.
In visiting the commissary depart
ment it was found that potatoes were
being allotted at the rate of 70 cents
per peck. Everything is charged to
each mess on a monetary basis and the
soldiers are fed at a cost of SO cents
per day. which seems extremely low in
view of the high cost of food.
Later in the day the gentlemen of
the Topeka party went over to the
officers club, or mess, where Major
Fuller, who was formerly stationed
at Fort Riley. said there was usually
considerable life. The building was
absolutely vacant, except as to the
usual furniture. With a bottle of
ginger ale from our own commissary
and one glass after the nature of a
loving cup, we RECALLED ourselves, the
major entertaining us with stories of
his former army life in that club
room.
Soon an orderly appeared. He said
he had been instructed to find the
largest, most powerful car on the
grounds and tell the gentlemen of the
party to come over to Colonel Rivers
home upon invitation of Mrs. Rivers
and Join the ladies there. Obedience
comes even before safety on the reser-
walton, so the orderly+s summons was
complied with forthwith and followed.
We found Mrs. Rivers and the la
dies there in the comfortable home
and partook of cup of tea and some
light refreshm ents. Mrs. Rivers is a
very busy woman. Conversation was
all along military lines and at this
hour, particularly upon the Red Cross
subject in which Mrs. Rivers and Mr..
Dillon were especially interested. Mrs.
Rivers told of her organization of
sewing clubs and of her busy hours in
preparation of bandages, sings. splints
and gauze appliances in connection
with her work at the post in organiz-
ing an auxiliary Red Cross society.
you know" said Mrs. Dillon, "I
find I am wonderfully interested in
this Red Cross work. 1 want to do
my bit Every day I go down to the
big Crosby Brothers room where will
ing girls hands sew bandages, should
er cloths and make gauze bands for
surgeons. We teach the girls how.
The boxes are numbered and they are