The Washington times., 1918-10-06

iThe greatest caterer in the world
to-day is the United States Govern
nient It ships food 5000 miles to
more than a million and a half men,
serves three meals per day. and exenl-
plifies the truth OF Napoleon's blunt
axiom that IAN army marches on its
belly" An army in training equally
as large is fed in this country.
Feeding the American fighter is now
an exact science. Transportation of
vast quantities of food across the At
Ignite proceeds with the dispatch and
system one might expect with the gro
Ger who delivers to a customer on the
next block. Everything from can
Of sardines to a carcass Of beef is pur-
chased and inspected in America, given
the right of way on railroads and
steamships. and delivered promptly
91d in sound condition to the Amer
can soldier on the western front.
l'Not since the army has been in
Franco has a single man had to wait
atminute for a meal that was due" re-
IsSntIy declared the Secretary OF War
addressing the civilians and officers
Of the quartermaster generals depart
u1ent in Washington. The subsistence
hIanch of this great department is
spending billions annually to feed
American fighters, and apparently is
deing the job remarkably well.
No Food Scandals.
This war has produced no embalmed
beef scandals. There is no complaint
from American soldiers that their
meals are poor or unwnoresome. Meal
dine in the army is regarded as i'm
pertant almost as the zero hour
thp.
The army's meat bill alone covers
mhny million pounds per month.
The computation is simple but aston
ishing when IL Is figured that every
sdldier is entitled to approximately
q ipound Of beef per day.
shipments Of meat undergo rigid !
Inspection. Officials of the Quarter /
master Department say the reflections !
Have been very small considering the |
large quantities of meats purchased. |
Americas great packing industry has !
met both in quantity and quality the |
abnormal demands of war times. The |
ihdustry's observance Of inspection |
rules and the necessity OF a STEADY |
few Of fresh. clean meats to the ]
American fighter have produced a
High average of inspection reports. |
~ has not been found necessary 10 /
csncel contracts. or otherwise to take /
disciplinary action.
The packing industry of America. |
confronted like other industries with |
its peculiar task, has met the emery |
sncy and thousands of cattle are \
being daily slain to satisfy the food |
requirements of a great American |
army.
n Inspection Continuous.
inspection OF army meat is a some
what continuous process. 1t begins |
Before the animal is killed, and fol-
lows the carcass from the slaughter
ing pen across continent and across |
ocean to the moment the frozen meat |
tx delivered to the company cook in |
France.
These inspections cover soundness, |
quality, trimmings, weight and /
handling. Absolute soundness and |
cleanliness arc squired, and when |
the mess call sounds the soldier
knows he need not fear ptomAine
poisoning or stomach disorders.
when meal time comes in the army
all sorts of men form in the company
lire. The farmer boy who unhitched his
apw when the, sun reached a certain
spot in the heavens. the clerk who
Erahbed a doughnut and a cup of coffee
in the city's dairy lunch the laborer &C
C1iStomsd to the full dinner pail" and
The rich young man who had his break
fists served in bed, are on a parity
when paying a call on the army cook.
Back and forth. between the United
States and France, officers OF the
2uartermaster Generals Department
move. They follow the food
situation from the purchase OF the food
in America to the moment it is served
blaming hot behind the lines on die
Western front.
eating, Fighting. and Happy
One OF these travelling specialists has
jlft returned to Washington. He left
cur army eating, fighting. and happy.
The rations we're fine; so were the ap-
rstites.
i%HOw much meat do you use. and how
do you get it there?" This officer was
asked.
i''Figure 1t out" he replied. Each
solder is allowed = Of a pound Of beef
Ter day. ] believe the War Department
llas recently announced that VIC have .
lpore than 10000 men overseas This
would mean a meat consumption OF well
over a million and a quarter pounds of
reef. The American soldier is also al
loEed.a SO ounces OF bacon daily"
! II was explained that practically all of