Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-07-19
SYSTEM MAKES EASY
JOB OF ARMY MESS
TASK THAT LOOKS HUGE TO lay
MAN SIMPLIFIED BY CARE.
FUL PLANS.
BY STRAIT.

Feeding the thousands of men in
military environments, although seem
ing to the layman an overwhelmi
task, has proven undo rthe present
carefully worked out and perfected
plans to be as simple IS the proven
bal A B c.
The one big difficulty in furnishing
fighting men with subsistence is the
problem of food production.
With carefully thought out rou-
tine instilled into duly graduated
mess sergeants from the army cooks
and bakers schools, the tremendous
body of men within a cantonment eat
as one man. The only difference is
that each mess sergeant is permitted
to select his own daily menu.
Set rules governing each mess hall
or series of mess halls require that
wagons at stipulated times call at va
rious departments of the government
commissary for food supplies. The
hour is set to permit time for wagons
to return with their loads and cooks
to prepare contents for the next meal.
Individual mess sergeants are au-
thorized to purchase certain supplies
direct from statesmen if a surplus
mess fund has been obtained. These
statesmen, who represent city whole
sale houses, call at all mess halls fire.
quently.
The army ration varies according
to the price of subsistence. The in
tention is to retain the same standard
Of meal by advancing or lowering the
ration, according to price fluctua-
lions.
competent mess sergeant should
not only set an amply sufficient and
palatable meal every day in the week
but on Sundays and holidays should
provide dinner equalling the holt
days in our best homes.
Mess funds are increased by can
teen profits. The proceeds of these
cantonment stores. often called Eek
changes" have been known to supply
A>S Sitohi S'Sl boS III tuC WIEN.
So gigantic is the quantity of food
consumed within an army canton
ment and SO reduced from enlist
ments are the ranks of those who
provide it that every chance to save
food must be observed.
Cooks are now cautioned not to
waste or cook more than required.
Men are urged not to help themselves
to more than they can eat. Mess SER
geants are made responsible to see
that both cooks and men observe
these rules.
So carefully planned is the entire
system of messing cantonment that
the largest messes can be opened on
short notice and they win be as eff
cient in operation the first day as
they would have been had they been
opened for a month.
An example of the efficiency of one
of these messes is shown by the op-
Grafton of the Third and Fourth Of
ficers' Training Camp messes, which
comprised approximately 1000 to
5000 men respectively. In charge of
lucSc uCSScS Is Alcul0uduC OcCll
Johnson, an artillery officer, who was
inexperienced in the art of mess prior
to assuming command of the Third
Camp mess, said to be the largest
ever within this cantonment. John
son opened this mess precisely on the
hour specified, with everything in
place and every man performing his
duty as though he had been assigned
there for years.
This rapid fire officer proved that
the biggest mess undertakings could
be handled with ease and promptness
due to the well established army sys-
TENS and men knowing their business
along these lines. Lieutenant John
son with one eye on everything and
the habit Of appearing everywhere in
his various mess halls when least ex-
pected. kept all departments work.
ing tremendously along the lines
they were accustomed, and kept him
self in readiness to "shoot trouble"
purchase supplies, or mete out dis
cipline accurately and instantly.