The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-26
THEFOOD PROBLEM
Genius Is Required To Feed
Our Armies.
Great Quantities Consumed
Monthly at Camp Funston.
USE 100000 POUNDS BEEF
Government Warehouse Shows
f.S63,676 Pounds Flour.
Capt. WindIe Heads FunStOn's
Subsistence Department.


BY what force of genius are the
+ armies of America fed? Who mar
shals the great commercial agents in
the centers of trade and distributes
the products of mill and field, factory
and packing plant from jobber to
mess hall? The quartermaster. Feed
ing Uncle Sans soldiers is of course
but one item in the vast amount of
, work apportioned to the Quartermas-
ters department but it is probably as
interesting as any other phase. In the
Eighty-ninth division that portion OF
Camp Quartermaster Jacob Frank S
section which concerns the stomachs
of our embryo fighters is known as
the Subsistence department Capt F.
T. Wind1e in charge The subsistence
department is a mans size job with
big man to head it. Captain Windle
before his entry into the service was
the general manager of the GAINESVILLE
Machinery company with offices in
Kansas City.
Captain Windle is a good natured
soldier, one of those men who give
yol: the impression of being sure of
themselves. In fact, the captain has
his own individual method for keep
ing his desk clear. He does not get
nervous or let things worry him. In
buying for his soldiers Uncle Sam en-
deaVorS to keep a clean conscience.
Upon an open market the subsistence
department calls for bids for a stated
quantity of goods, but it is not always
the firm with the 10 Swfigure that lands
the order The specifications call for
the best grades and a poor grade is
stricken from the competition without
further consideration. Uncle Sam will
always choose the higher priced arti-
Gle if it means a higher class of goods
Now consider that the government
insists upon check and cross check
OF all goods entering the camp and of
all goods distributed to the mess; that
a perpetual inventory must be kept in
each of the four warehouses of this
department.; that summarized inven-
tor must be available, each day of
the sum total of all goods on hand
and you may comprehend some idea of
the vast amount of work required in
the administration of this highly im@
portant branch of the service. Some
Iltty or more men are required at
Camp Funston to take care of the de-
tails of receiving and distribution.
But the figures themselves, cover
ing stocks used for instance in
period of thirty days. are more illumi-
mating. In one month the soldiers of
Camp Funston will consume 100000
pounds of beef, 5000 of butter. 5000
of cheese, 800 of lard substitute,
100000 of potatoes, $4,000 of onions,
0,O0p OF coffee. Some little dissatis-
faction has been expressed in the de-
partment with reference to the matter
OF consumption of onions Officers in
charge do not believe that mess ser
geants are using the quantity of onions
they should. Onions are held to be
one of the most healthful articles of
food that finds it's way to the soldiers
bin of fare. AS blood tonic and a
preventive of skin troubles, the onion
is in class by itself
The estimated consumption for a
three months period, as a matter of
common sense, is based upon the fig
ures OF consumption for the previous
three months period But notwith-
mand for goods may not run true to
form. Others may enter into the cal
culations and upset them. On the
day this is written the inventory gives
total in warehouse OF !.ses,e7e
P sg ads OF OF 1 flour ss9'7s4 of BACON.
600 of sugar, 1900 of coffee, 100, 900
of oatmeal 405,7s5 of potatoes, 1882
cans of tomatoes, 192,252 of corn and
252, $40 packages of macaroni. Enough
macarpni, so Sergeant Crum says to
feed the Italian army.
1t is not generally known thrlIout
the command that the government
maintains thru this department a re-
tail commlssary at Warehouse No. T.
Soldiers who desire to make their pay
go the longest way will do well to
buy at this place The government
does not ask a profit on goods sold at
retail to soldiers. Take for instance
toilet soap. A bar that costs, YOU IS
cents at the shops may be had from
the government at 7 or cents. A
tin of Prince Albert that you have
habitually paid 10 cents for may be
had at cents 1t is the same way all
down the line. Uncle Sam will sell
you razors, razor strops, candy of all
kinds, tobacco in all forms but cigar
cites, pipes, soap, towels, tooth DOW
der, all kinds of toilet articles, hand
kerchiefs and what not In fact YOU
can even buy all kinds of jams and
canned fruit with which to supple
ment your mess. Cigarettes are not
sold for the reason that the demand is
so great that the government can
hardly find time to take care of the
business. The hours that the ware
house is open for business, from 100
70 S;SO IN the afternoon, may be
little inconvenient for men who drill
but there are two days in each week
in which the greater number have the
afternoon off. Each man must sign
Tor his own purchases. No enlisted
man.can buy, for another.
The new ice plant at Camp Funston
will have capacity of $4,000 pounds
a DAY. However, it is not probable
that the average output will exceed
10000 pounds. This will leave one
half of the plant or more available
for purposes of cooling and refrigera-
ton. I'm place of unloading perish
ables from refrigerator cars and de-
livering direct to the mess the subsis-
tence department of the quartermas-
ter's section plans to use the ice plant
as a storage depot. This arrangement
will always insure the delivery of sup
plies in the best of condition
Potatoes now being used in Camp
Funston for the greater part are
shipped from Colorado, contrary to a
prevalent notion that most of our re-
serve supplies of ''spudsn comes from
the northern states.