Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1917-10-14
CAMPS IN FRANCE
PLEASE PERSH|NG
Pays Unexpected Visit TO the
Training Grounds.
WORK NOW WELL STARTED

Commander Questions Cooks About
the Food supply. and Al Are Well
sstisfied-Msny Of the Men Soc the
General For the First Tlms-Posstoss
A'plenty.
General l'ershing gave the American
expedtionary force an example Of the
strenuous lie by sweeping through
nearly dozen villages where United
STATES soldiers arc living In France
and visiting nearly all training centers
which have been established from
Americas first great contribution FOR
the war for democracy.
II was not a cursory inspection tnat
the general made. He went into minute
details all along the line. questioned
private soldiers company cooks and
various other ranks as TO bow things
were going with them and what II any.
thing could be done to improve the sit.
uation.
General Pershlng spent the night at
a qunlnt little French village and reach.
ed the American army area early next
morning. Ills visit was entirely infor.
nal, aud ne found the forces Just as
he dcslred-engnged IN their daily rou.
tine work and drill.
AZ the end OF the first days inspec.
tion General Pershine said; "Our prin.
cipal concern Just now Of course is ia
perfect the army organization. This
II u big task. but II Is moving along
smoothly and IN most satisfactory
manner.
Work Well Started.
"The work at certain ports OF disem.
barkatlon Is well started Railroad
material Is coming over as rapidly
rs can be arranged. The progress we
have made thus for with the assist
ance OF the French is a source OF great
satisfaction to me Blllets and train.
Ing ground for men are as well located
as could be expected at this time OF the
year. when spacc Is limited by crops IN
the llelds
.After these are rcmoyod we will
hayo nlentv NJ snoee Tor iolcln, and
tr,,nIn. Tho d,visions th,, M. m came
TrnIninr "a ,rooressiny verv vol, will
tbc assistance M tho French,'
General persblng was un,irlns, In nj.
lnsnection of the trainin, anon Ue m.
ou,rnd into averv nbnso ~ tho mons
daily llfe ,be character and rho ouap.
Htv of their food even IN tho dIsnos,.
zion of garbage slons which he found
wcre nil going ~ rron,h farmers who
were delighted to have this matter to
feed their pigs. taking advantage OF
every sort OF refuse containing fat.
General Pershing found the American
soldiers and the French villagers living
together in the greatest amity He I'm.
quired about the washing for soldiers
and found that they nearly all washed
their own clothes IN the village wash
houses erected along running streams
the villagers washing on one bank. and
the soldiers on the other
At several company kitchens the
American commander interrogated the
cooks closely.
"Do you get enough, to eat and tc
feed the meni" he asked one veteran
cook who has been in the regular army
for u number Of years.
"Yes, sir" replied the cook, standing
at RESPECTFUL attention.
do you get any yegetablesg" asked
General Persbing.
"No. sir" replied the cook.
potatoes In plenty.
"pon't yui ret nny ,,otatoes ;" asked
General Pershlnr with some smprise
"Ob. yes sir" was the nromnt reply
"And onions and tnmatnas ~ ones
tioned tho general further
"Yes sir"
"And beonsy"
"Yes sir"
"Theu wbot do Won wanty
"Notbinp sir"