Catoctin clarion., 1918-06-13

BY the application Of this central con-
troll principle there was saved to the
government in the purchase Of ration
items needed for the month of April
$1Gl, l,T50.50.
This centralized control Is also
factor in expeditions action. Not long
ngo there came fSom General PerShing
Il requiSiton for 21 000,000 rations to
he supplied "at once. I.y ,he terms
ration" it should be explained, is
meant the complete food supply Of
one soldier for one day. Within twen-
ty-four hours the division had located
points of production c?"Gle of sup
plying this large d"Hand, had placed
the orders and was able to rrnort the
fulfillment of the roCui&ton under
way.
System of Purchasing.
While the buying is thus controlled,
the actual purchases are not made in
Washington. The purchase dopotS ut
various points telegraph TO the divi-
sional officers price quotations on sup
plies with recommendations rs to their
acceptance. The divisions experts
study them in connection with their
market reports and confidential lists
of prices from the big food Industries.
Then from the divisional Offices goes
the telegraphed word to the depots to
purchase or decline.
From the denots the food goes to
the various camps and cantonmcntS,
where it is issued to the fighting organ
izationS by the quartermaster in
charge. Each company, battery or
atcs its own kitchen with its enlisted
cooks working under a mess sergeant.
Here the food is prepared for break
fast, dinner and supper.
The wholesomencss Of every food
article must be assured before it can
he placed in the soldiers possession.
The army's system of inspection is
thorough and uncompromiSing. Ii be-
gins nj the source Of supply and con
tnucs until the food is actually con-
Sumod. The records at Washington
show the capabilities character and
standard of every establishment pur-
vcyinE food to the army. The inSpcc-
tors know fruits, vegetables, meat and
other articles of purchase. The army
specifications are clear and exact. They
must he met. The inspectors make
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officers at the depots, assuring them
selves that there has been no dctcriO-
ration in shipment, thus make their
contribution 10 that continual inSpCc-
ton which ceases only when the food
has ceased to exist.
The bureau Of markets of the de-
partmcnt of agriculture. with repre-
Sontntives throughout the country
whose duty IT is to report ON condi-
tons in the perishable food markets,
gives full help to the army inspection.
The bureau of chemistry of the same
department also lends its powerful as
siStance, carefully examining and ana
lying all the foods which come into
wluestion. Samples ar" frequently
drawn from shipments. the analysis
made and the result placed on file with
the inspection branch's central Office.
Any discrepancy between the original
sample and delivery brings prompt nc"
tion.
Military Bakery Companies.
The fresh bread of the army comes
from the military bakery companies,
those unique institutions which, with
their portable ovens, trundle along, one
with each division, turning out crisp,
fresh bread by the thousands of loaves,
regardless of location, weather condi-
tions, or even German shell fire.
Prior to the war the strength of a
bakery company was one officer and
G1 enlisted men. On account of the
increase in the size of a division in our
army it was necessary to draft new
regulations increasing the strength of
the bakery company to two officers and
1O1 enlisted men and increasing the
equipment from - units to 10 units, or
Is ovens. On July 16 the BAKERY branch
secured authority to proceed with the
organization Of these new bakery com
panes. On August 20, 80 of the new
bakery companies had been organized,
equipped and trained, and We're on
hand to produce bread for the National
army and the National guard.
S.oooJn H,,Je = ,+;one
Never at any time while the drafted
men were assembling-and of course
they reached their camps at all hours
of the day and night-were the kitch
ems unprepared or unready to serve
hot meal. Not since America started
to go to war has the commisSariat of
the army broken down. The soldier,
with his issue ration varied and aug
mented through use of the cash saving
which the government allows him when
he does not draw the full value of his
allotted food, lives as well as or better
than the average civilian.
Here is the sample days menu-not
a special days menu, but representa-
tive of such meals as are regularly pro-
vided:
Breakfast-Oatmea and milk, fried
liver ana bacon, onions and gravy,
fried potatoes, coffee, bread.
Dinner-Vegetable soup, roast beef
and gravy, mashed potatoes stewed
tomatoes, peach cobbler, bread
Suppcr-Beef, baked potatoes, rice
pudding, tea, bread.