The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-12-25
MESS COOK Big
MAN OF ARMY
Even Company Officers Have to
Be Considerable to the New
Aut0crat.
NOBODY ''BAWLS HIM OUT"
Any Kicks or GrumbIlng Against the
Worst Cook Are Made In Private
and Out Of His Earshot-
Word ls Final.

Word ls Final.
Field Headquarters, American Expe'
dictionary Forces, France.-"Who's the
great hero in the estimation Of the pri.
Yates in the American armyT 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 a private, kicking
his hobnailed shoes into the turf.
"Your captain, them" suggests the
wise friend, coming down several
ranks.
Jaw, 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
strong rightT 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
company" the first questioner insists.
"The cook, who else?" chorus half a
dozen.
That's the hero-the company cook,
writes Junius B. Wood, in the Chicago
Dailys 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 good cook. Even if he
isn't a good cook, indeed is a very poor
cook, which is unusual for our army,
nobody "bawls him out" to his face as
they might even do to sergeanS major
who isn't much of a scrapper. Any
kicks or grumbling against even the
worst cook are made in private and out
of his earshot.
"Say, cook, gimme another helpin' of
the 'slum gullionY" asks a soldier,
coming up with his tin mess kit
secured clean with a hunk of bread Of
all traces of the first helping of stew.
"No seconds, tonight" replies the
mess sergeant.
saw, be a good fellow, I'm nearly
starved" begs the soldier.
"Nothin' dom, some of the fellows
haven't got here yet, beat it."
Mess Cook Is Boss.
American soldiers are always hungry
and a 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 tho 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 it is
made on the captain. The captain
possibly eats off q table made out Of an |
old box. Certain formalities, however,
are observed among officers. The cap
tain may not always volunteer as host,
and it is not good form to invite your
self.
"Say, sarg, any chance of cumming |
some chOw?" is good formula.
always can scrape the old pan for
a 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 we'll but 1t |
figures closely. Rations are drawn for
exactly the number Of men and the
exact number Of days that they are to
eat. It is up to 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
nring with only his eyes and big
spoon to measure by.
Not Too Many Cooks.
For each infantry company Of 204
men there are mess sergeant and
-hree cooks. Under the old organiza-
ion there were sergeant and three
cooks for a company of 1853 men and
officers. The way it works out up to a
brigade unit is:
Bat Regi-
Company. talon ment Brigade.
officers and .2O4 766 2736 6,491
dess sergeants... 1 4 IA %