Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-25
WHAT SOLDIERS NEED.

Soldiers are fed and clothed by the
government. Officers buy their own
clothing and pay for their own food. Dur
ing the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918,
the iood tor the army cost sf25, 5,000,0un
Feeding the soldier from the time ne
leaves home until he cmbarks for Europe
is subject by itself. Feeding him on
shipboard and overseas, both IN camp
and on the firing line, is another.
soldiers food for ono day Is called
ration. This ration consists ot twenty
seven different articles, which must be
ready daily, and they are ready. General
Pershing reports that no man IN France
has had 10 wait for meal when that
meal was due. and the same rs true on tins
side
The materials in the soldiers ration will
stand the acid test Nothing second IN
grade Is bought Only the best OF meat ,s
procured and it rs handled in central
place III each camp by butchers; the cuts
are thus usod to the best advantage and
waste of bones and surplus fat avoided
Packers are required TO can the hest
variety OF fruits and vegetables and
the Department has gone into those statcs
where the finest grade Of tomatoes. corn,
onions, peas and henns are grown and has
taken such portions of the crop ~ WEIR
needed for army ue Last August 27,-
527 500 pounds of potatoes and onions
were furnished camps and csntcnments
IN this country, and during the eight
months prior to June 5, 1918, abuut Is,
no0 900 cans oi tomatoes were used,
enough To reach from the battle front on
the Marine 10 Linda, California, If they
were lined up end to end
Dried and evaporated fruits form an
important part Of the army ration Ap-
pruximatay 81, 1000 900 pounds of prunes,
dried apples and peaches mostly from
California will be purchased from this
wears crop. and California will also sup
ply about 100000 000 cans Of apricots,
peaches, cherries and pears. The cherry
seeds will be saved for Hse IN the manu-
facture Of gas masks. Pr,ines have AN
honorable place on the soldiers bill of
fare II has been proven that the prune
has food value fruit value, tome value,
and value as a confcction. Moreover II
has been recommended by the Surgeon
general of the army
Lemon drops arc the soldiers favorite
candy and are made of pure granulated
sugar favored with an emulsion from
lemon rind About 100000 pounds have
been furnished the army up TO last Au-
gust, liitA CONSTITUTES lIifFu IfI FFbt III
the arrrys candy supply.
At present the army Is using .25o, 600
pounds Of butter and 100000 pounds of
oleomargarinc, As the season advances
and butter becomes scarce the amount
Of oleomargarinc will be increased until the
quantities are about even. From the
flrst of january until the first of August,
1918. more than 500, ,0O0, 900 pounds Of
-four has been furnished for army use.
There hss never heen~a meal where the
soldiers did not have bread. Our mon
IN service here have used q greater amount
ol substitutes than the food admlnlstra-
ton has asked OF the civilian trade.
Our soldiers in France have bread
plenty of it-made from one hundred per
cent wheat.
soldiers love coffee and want ii strong
Sixteen schools are in operation here and
in France teaching them how 10 roast II
and it rs served fresh each day. BY this
method there Is 8 saving TO Uncle sam of
two cents on each pound During the
first seven months Of the war l.6l2, ,3e3
cans of condensed milk were used. and to
August 10, 1918, 225, 0,000 pounds Of
sugar have been supplied,
IL costs the government about forty
FIVE cents s day-to feed q soldier. The
officers pay about 81 day Tor Their meals.
The difference between the table Of the
soldier and the officer lies mostly in linen.
china and service.
Here is a days ration taken at random
from Camp Grant. Illinois:
BreakfaSt-Cornf with milk.
coffee with sugar and milk. scrambled
eggs, fried potatoes afd sauce
Dinncr-Coffce with milk and sugar.
beef tongue, baked potatoes, peas, bread
and butter, raisin sauce and pineapple
cobbler
Supper-Iced tea bread and butter,
cold roast beef, fined potatoes. radishes,
onions and corn.