The Washington times., 1918-10-06
e. S. SENDS THREE
MEALS DAILY 5000
| MILES TO SOLDIERS

the meat for the American Expedition
airy Forces comes from the packers OF
the United States. Only a few cattle
are killed in France. When required
shipments from South America. supplied
through the great packing organizations
OF this country, supplement the tonnage
from the United States.
The army system of handling beef
shipments from the packing centers is
one OF remarkable efficiency and care.
Purchases cover great quantities of
fresh meats, running into millions of
pounds. There is minute inspection OF
every piece, for the United States Gov
eminent takes no chances.
Shipped Frozen Hard.
The meat leaves the packing centers
frozen hard and solid at a temperature
of about IL degrees. 1t is placed in
cold storage refrigerator cars and
sent across country to the port OF en-
barkation on the Atlantic coast When
il reaches this port it is still frozen
and is rushed into great cold storage
vaults awaiting ships.
Cold storage again is used aboard
ship. From the time the meat leaves
the packing houses in Chicago, Omaha
or Kansas City until IL is unloaded in
France its surroundings are OF ice.
There is no chance OF a thaw or de-
terioration. Not infrequently prac-
tically the entire cargo of a ship is
frozen beef in refrigerated storage
rooms, and the ship is used essentially
for food and not the transportation of
soldiers. Again a transport with
thousands of soldiers aboard will also,
have enough meat aboard to feed them
for a considara HE narfod nm the ofhar
side.
As meat shipments reach the other
side they are promptly unloaded at a
French port of debarkation. The
frozen beef is put into insulated cars
and hurriedly dispatched to the battle
front These cars are not of the cold
storage type. but insulation and the
short journey prevents loss. 1t re-
quires only about a day to get the
meat from the port of debarkation to
the army warehouses built by Perish
ing's men.
Meat Comes from Home.
Only in cases where some body of
the Pershing army is away from the
warehouse centers is the meat sup
ply obtained in France. When these
cases of comparative isolation occur
AhC
for the killing OF sufficient cattle in
France to supply that particular con-
tingent of the army.
The main army is fed daily with
meat from home. There is a steady
flow across the ocean of vast shipments
OF meat from American packing
houses to the very battle lines in
France. The system of refrigeration
and inspection has been reduced to
an exact science. The army receives
its fresh meat daily just as the
butcher in Washington or New York.
Uncounted tons of ice are used in
the long journeys of the meat trains
and meat ships from the interior of
the United States to the interior of
France.
The army also ships to France mil
lions OF cans of corn, peas, string
beans and other vegetables. Most of
the potatoes and onions required are
purchased fresh in France, and at
prices somewhat cheaper than those
prevailing here.
Rolling Kitchens
Actual feeding of the army is done
from a rolling kitchen. There is att
least one big rolling kitchen to every
company of $50 men. The soup and
stew makers, the bakers and the cof-
fee boilers operate behind the lines
and move up with the army. The
kitchen is just as necessary as the
munitions train.
When the men are at a rest camp
they gather about tables and eat
much as they would at home. III
they are on active duty eating is a
sort OF stand-up proposition, with
h,r ~ M
cook for his helping"
Thousands of fireIess cookers are
in use to get food hot to men in the
front trenches When these men can
not quit fighting or watching to visit
the company cook their food is placed /
in the fireless cookers and passed
along to the firing line.
During intensive action il is some
times impossible to get hot food to
the soldier under fire. However, he
has a supply OF soluble coffee to be
used in a pinch and sometimes cold |
coffee is better than none. At other |
times the soldier away from the com
pany cook builds a little charcoal FIRE
and makes his own coffee.
Emergency Rations Issued.
Each soldier is also given an emer- |
<ency ration. to be used in extreme
cases when he becomes isolated and |
out of communication with the regu-
lar food supply.
The army purchases green coffee |
both in France and the United States. |
1t does its own roasting. The roast
ing of coffee for the armies in the
field is one OF the comforting con-
cessions of modern warfare. Great /
coffee roasting machines are in use
both in the cantonments in this coun-
try and in Pershing's army in France |
Is along Time III