Ripley County democrat., 1917-12-14
MESS COOK Big
MAN OF ARMY
Even Company Officers Have to
Be COnsiderate to the New
kutoCrat.
NOBODY "DaWls HIM OUT"
Any Kicks or Grumbling Against the
/, Worst Cook Are Made In Private
and Out of Hls Earshot---
Word Is Final.

Woru " FiHdts
Field Headquarters, American Expe-
dictionary Forces, France.-"Who's the
great hero In the estimation Of the pri-
Yates in the American armyY asks the
man interested In the psychology Of
soldering.
"The, commanding general, OF
course" interrupts his companion, an
noyed at the apparently foolish ques-
ton.
"Naw, not him. I amt never seen
him even," replies private, kicking
his hobnailed shoes into the turf.
"Your captain, then" suggests the
wise friend, coming down several
ranks.
"Aw, he's all right and we're al
ways there to salute him, but there's
Others" says the private.
"How about your top sergeant, a
veteran 'noncom' with rough talk and
a strong right? asks the friend, losing
confidence.
"We're all for him, but there's others
just as good as him too," insists the
private.
"Put us next, who's the boss Of the
companyT the first questioner insists.
"The cook, who elseT' chorus half a
dozen.
That's the hero-the company cook,
writes Junius b. Wood, in the Chicago
Daily News. The cook may be hot
and grouchy, his uniform greasy and
his eyes red from smoke, but he is the
most respected man In the mess. That
is, If he is a good cook. Even II he
isn't good cook, indeed is very poor
cook, which Is unusual for our army,
nobody "bawls him out" to his face as
they might even do to sergeant major
who isn't much of scrapper. ANY
kicks or grumbling against even the
J worst cook are made in private and out
of his earshot.
"Say, cook, gimme another helpin' Of
the 'slum gullionT" asks soldier,
coming up with his tin mess kit
secured clean with hunk Of bread Of
all traces Of the first helping Of stew.
"No seconds, tonight" replies the
mess sergeant.
Jaw, be good fellow, I'm nearly
starved begs the soldier.
"NOthin' doln', some Of the fellows
haven't got here yet, beat It."
Mess Cook Is Boes.
American soldiers are always hungry
and stand-in with the mess cook Is
equivalent to one with the landlady's
daughter If you want the second piece
Of pie" He Is the company autocrat.
Anybody who has suddenly dropped
into strange company about mess
time knows that the chances Of dining
well, though he may be obliged to
squat on the ground, hold the mess
plate In one hand and feed with the
other, are better if the first call is
made on the mess sergeant than If 1t Is
made on the captain. The captain
possibly eats Off table made out Of an
old box. Certain formalities, however,
are observed among officers. The cap
tain may not always volunteer as host,
and 1t is not good form to invite your.
self.
"Say, sarg, any chance of bumming
some chowf" is a good formula.
"Always can scrape the old pan for
hungry man." is his usual reply.
"Don't want to crowd you, and I
haven't mess kit either" you say.
"Guess I've got an extra one around
I'll FIX you up all right" he says, and
you eat.
The American army eats well but Il
figures closely Rations are drawn for
exactly the number Of men and the
exact number Of days that they are to
eat. 1t is upito the mess sergeant and
his cooks to, see that everybody gets
his share Of everything and that moth
ing Is left over. That means close fig.
uring with only his eyes and q big
spoon to measure by.
Not Too Many Cooks.
For each infantry company Of 204
men there are mess sergeant and
three cooks. Under the old organiza-
tion there were a sergeant and three
cooks for a company OF 1853 men and
officers. The way 1t works out up to q
brigade unit is:
Bat Regi-
Company. talon ment. Brigade
Officers and men. .2N 766 2.73o 5,lsi
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