The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-02-16

Two one-pound tins Of butter.
A handful Of raisins.
A tin Of biscuits, or as Tommy calls
them jaw breakers"
A bottle Of mustard pickles.
The "hully beef" spuls, condensed
milk fresh meat, bacon and "Mac0no-
! chic rations' Ga can filled with meat,
4 vegetables and greasy water) had been
turned over 10 the company cook to
make a stew for next days dinner. He
also received the tea sugar, salt, pep
per and flour
Scratching his head, the corporal
studied the slip issued to him by the
/ quarter. Then in slow, nystitcd
voice la read out, "No ! section 10
men. Bread, loaves, six" He looked
puzzled and solloQuized in u muSing
voice:
"Six loayes nineteen men. Let's see,
that's three in a loaf for fifteen men--
well, to make ii even, four Of youll
have to muck in on one loaf
The four that got stuck made a howl,
but 10 no avail The bread was dlshed
ont. Pretty soon from far corner of
the billet three indignant Tommies ac-
costod the corporal with:
"What do YOU call this, n loaf Of
bread? Looks more like suining
plate.'
The corporal answered:
"Well, don't blame me. | didn't bake
It; somebody's got to get it, 50 shut
up until | dish ont these blnkln' RAJ
tions,"
Then the corporal started on the
jam
Jam three tns--apple one, plum
two Nineteen men, three tins. Six
in - tin makes twelve men for two tins,
seven in the remaining tin
He passed around the jam, and
there was another riot Some didn't
like apple while others who received
plum We're partial TO apple. After
willie differences were adjusted and
the issue went on.
"Rermuda onions. seventeen"
The corporal avoided 4 row by say
Ing that ne did not want an onion, and
| said they make your breath smell, so
! guessed l would do without one too.
The corporal looked his gratitude.
Cheese, pounds, two"
The corporal borrowed a iackknlfe
(corporalS are always borrowlng), and
sliced the cheese-each slicing bring
ing forth pert remark from the on.
lockers as to the corporals eyesight.
"RnisinS, ounces, eight"
BY this time the corporal's nerves
had gone west, and in despair he said
that the raisins were to be turned over
to the cook for duff" Opium pudding).
This decision elected little "grouS-
ing" but quiet was finally restored.
biscuits, tins one"
With his borrowed jackknfe the
corporal opened the tin of biscuits and
told everyone TO help themselveS---nO-
body responded TO this invitation.
Tommy is "fed up" with biscuits.
Butter, tins, two"
"Nine in one ten in the other"
Another rumpuS.
Pickles mustard, bottles. one"
Nineteen names were put In steel
helmet, the last one out winning the
pickles. On the next issue there were
only Is names, as the winner IL elml-
mated until every man In the section
has won Il bottle.
The rattle is closely watched, because
Tommy is suspicious when it comes to
gambling with his rNtionS.
When the issue Is finished the cor
poral sits down and writes letter
home asking them If they cannot get
some NJ. L. (menber of parliament) to
have him transferred to the Royal Fly
ing corps where he won't have to issue
rations.
At the different French eStaminets
in the village and at the canteens Tom
my buys fresh eggs, milk, bread and
pastry. Occasionally when he Is flush,
he invests In tin of peSrs or april
cots. His pay is only a shilling u day,
n cents, or a cent an hour. Just imag.
inc, a cent an hour for being under
fire--not much chance Of getting rich
out there.
When he goes into the fire trench
(front line), Tommy's menu takes
tumble. He carries in his haversack
what the government calls emergency
or iron rations. Jrhey are not supposed
to be opened until Tommy dies OF star
yation They consist Of one tin of
bully beer, four biscuits, little tin
which contains tea, sugar and Oxo
cubes Concentrated beef tablets.
These are only to be used when the
enemy establishes a curtain OF shell
fire on the communication trenches.
thus preventing the carrying in Of
ratonS, or when in an attack body
of troops has been cut off from its base
of supplies.
The rations are brought up at night
by the company transport. This is a
section of the company in charge of
the quarternaster sergeant, composed
of men, mules and limbers (two.
wheeled wagons), which supplies Tom
mys wants while in the front line.
They are constantly under shell fire.
The ratlons are unloaded at the en-
trance to the communication trenches
and are carried in by men detailed
for that purpose. The quartermaster
sergeant never goes into the front-line