Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-05-23
FEEDING The NATIONS ARMY
TASK OF GIGANTIC PROPORTIONS
Each Morning 1000 Cattle Must Be Slaughtered to Supply Daily
Ration Of Fresh Beef-7OOO Cars Required to Transport
Months suppy-Every Ounce Must Be Inspected
5e!ere II Is Sent to the Men.

washington. is the function OF
the subsistence division Of the quarter
master corps to feed the United States
army, furnishing three square meals
daily to every one Of the nearly 2,oOO'-
600 men, whether in France, IN train
ing camps in this country, In the Pniiip-
pines, Hawaii or the Panama Canai
Zone.
DESPITE the enormous expansion OF
the American army during the past
year, nothing has developed to mar the
American soldiers reputation OF Deing
the best-fed soldier in the world.
Mai. Gen. George w. Goethals. act
ing quartermaster general. as head Of
the uuartermaster corps, is responsible
for the feeding Of the army. The I'M
mediate responsibility, as stated above,
rests with the subsistence division,
which is presided over by Col. w. Il.
Grove.
The food supply Of the army takes
on proportions so gigantic that figures
fail to give more than hazy idea Of
Its immensity. For example, 1000
cattle must be slaughtered every morn
ing to give the soldier his daily ration
Of fresh beef.
Nearly 1000 freight and refrigerator
cars are required to bring the food for
the present months supply into the
camps and environments on this side of
the Atlantic.
The soldiers food must he all right
at all times-and must be there at the
appointed hour. The American fight
ing man in France may wait week or
month for new hat or any other ar
ticle Of equipment if he can make the
old one serve, but he cannot wait a
day or an unnecessary hour for his
dinner If he Is to be the gingery, up
and-at-'em, 100 per cent efficient SOL
der.
Problem Long Ago Worked Out.
The provision of food In such guam
titles and with such promptness is not
feat that can be accomplished by sud
den inspiration. 1t could be only the
result Of much thought and study. The
army authorities gave the subsistence
problem the requisite amount of
thought and study long before the
darker war clouds began to gather on
the American horizon. At no time has
there been serious criticism Of the
subsistence end of the quartermaster's
department.
Under Colonel Grove, or associated
with him in the co-ordinated efforts of
other branches of the quartermaster
corps, are many well-known officers,
some of them veterans Of the army and
some fresh from, civil life, but all ex-
perts in commissary service.
Back in 1898, when distinguished
gentlemen on the floor of congress
were experimenting that the American
soldier was being pampered with a
diet too elaborate, the ration for the
army consisted of one and a quarter
pounds of beef. eighteen ounces OF
bread and -four two-t thirds of an ounce
Of salt and one-third of gill Of vine
gar. That was all, but 1t enabled the
American soldier to dine far more ex.
tensively than did any of his foreign
brothers in arms. Today the ration in.
cludes IL food articles, each capable OF
extensive variation by substitution
The soldier eats them in Gargantuan
quantities. Here are some of the things
which Colonel Grove and his organiza.
ton must provide each day in the
year: