Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1917-11-29
MESS COOK Big
man OF AE',iijii
Even Company Officers Fave to
Be ConSiderate to the New
Autocrat.
NOBODY "BAWlS HIM OUT"
Any Kicks or Grumblins Against the
Wores Cock Are Made in Private
and Out Of His Earshot--
Word &c Final.

~ ~. 49, 10. 81 r.,
r. 4 H,Gu4 carriers, American EAi
dictionary Forces, FraLce.-"Whos me
great hero H. the estimation OF TIE PR
Yates in the American army asks the
man interested in the psychology OF
soldering.
THE cc~war'"r general, g
course" iu.rr.pts h.s comr3nlon' o.
noyed at ,an app nt!y f.. Ssh que
ton.
"Naw. hot Lin. l amt never seen
him even" replies a private KICKING
lis rs,....ied shoes r., ..e 49,.
Your captain, then suggests the
wise friend, coming Gown several
ranks.
Jaw. he's all right and were at
ways there to salute him, but there's
Others" says the private.
How about your top sergeant
veteran 'noncom' with rough talk AMI
n strong right?" asks the friend losing
confidence.
"Wr're all for him. but there's Others
lust 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 elsei" chorus half L
dozen.
That's the hero-the company COOK,
writes Junius Il. Wood, In the Chicago
Daily News. The cook may he nor
and grouchy, his uniform greasy ana
his eyes red from smoke, but he is the
most respected man in the mess. That
is, II he is n good cook. Even II nc
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
worst cook are made in private and out
of his earshot.
"Say, cook, gimme another helpln OF
the stun gullonr asks a 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 n good fellow, I'm nearly
starved" begs the soldier.
"Nothln' dom. some Of the fellows
haven't got here yet, beat IT,"
Mess Cook Is Boss.
American soldiers are always hungry
and stand-ln with the mess cook Is
equivalent TO one with the landlady''
daughter If you want the second plcc,
Of pie" He Is the company autocrat
Anybody who has suddenly dropped
into strange company about mess
time knows that the chances If dlninG
we'll, though he may be obliged tc
squat on the ground, hold the mess
plate In one hand and feed with III,
other, are better II the first call i
made on the mess sergeant than II II +
made on the captain. The captalr
possibly eats of n table made out Of ~
old box. Certain formalItleS, however
are observed among officers. The cap
tain may not always volunteer as host
and II is not good form TO invite your
self.
"Say, sarg, any chance Of bummln.
some chow?" Is good formula.
always can scrnpe the old pan foi
hungry man." is his usual reply.
"Don't want TO crowd you, and
haven't a mess kit either" you say.
"Guess I've got an extra one around
I'll fix you up all right" he says, ant
you eat.
The American army eats well but !
figures closely. Rations are drawn fo
exactly the number OF men and III,
cxnct number Of days that they are 4
cat. II Is up TO the mess sergeant an,
his cooks TO see that everybody get
his share Of everything and that moth
ing IS left over. That means close flg
urlng with only his eyes and BIZ