Evening star., 1940-10-06

fancy, prODdDly green's Will ploii'S
of vitamin G content.
For supper. meat leftovers, potato
salad and one other vegetable, beV-
erage and dessert.
The men" said Maj. Powers.
ARE not used to millionaire diets
and this is the average middle-class
subsistence level"
Can Come Back for Seconds.
The men can always come back
for seconds and thirds, but they
have to take what they get. AS Maj.
Powers put it, The Army is not run
ming a short-order house"
The Civilian Conservation Corps
boys on a similar diet, he said, have
been gaining six pounds in the first
six months at camp.
Mai Powers pointed out that, with
an organization based on only 100
men, the soldiers get nearer to
home cooking than they would in
the average big city cafeteria.
A far different diet. however, is
in prospect for the men if they 60 on
field rations." such as they would
have to do if, for instance, 100000
of them made up an eXpeditionary
force or went on maneuverS.
An Army potentate, taking into
consideration the problems in
volved in shipping food and procur-
ing food in the locality to which the
men are sent. prescribes Is to 80
day menu. There individuality goes
into complete eclipse and the en-
tire contingent gets the same food.
Classification of Rations.
Field rations are divided into four
progressively sterner classiflcations.
Glass A takes in perishable and nom
perishable foods and the soldiers
can have a varied menu of fresh
meats, fruits and vegetables.
When the men are stationed in
an unpromising locality where all
food must be shipped to them, the
Glass B menu, made up entirely OF
-perishable foods. goes into ef-
feet
When the men embark for place
where nothing can be shipped to
them, they go on the Glass c diet.
Each man is allotted six cans for his
three daily meals. One can contains
six crackers. some soluble coffee.
sugar and a chocolate bar. Another
can may have a meat and vegetable
combination such as pork and beans
or beef stew The food is all pre-
cooked but of course, is more
palatable if warmed up. The cans
can be tossed into even muddy
water for heating.
The Glass c diet is strictly for
emergencies and shouldn't be nee
essary for more than two days at
time. 1t was tried on 10000 men
on maneuvers in Louisiana last May
and. according to Maj. Powers, the
soldiers lived on it and liked it,
for two days. This diet is an inno-
vation. The A. E. F. didn't have
these handy little cans.
More Chocolate Bars a Day.
The class D diet is another in
uovation. 1t is simply chocolate
bar, but different from the average
chocolate bar in two jor respects.
1t is loaded with extra cocoa fat
so the soldier gets 600 calories in
each bar and it will not melt below
135 degrees Fahrenheit. Invented
by Maj Paul P. Logan of the Quar-
termaster Corps, the chocolate bar
is small enough to fit into a SOL
dier's pocket. Three of them are
sufficient for a day
Purchasing food for the Army
falls into two categories, the pur-
chase of perishable and nom perish
able goods. The Quartermaster
Corps cannot shop around like the
housewife. 1t puts out circulars of
it's requirements and various COM
panies fill in their bids.
All nom -perishable foods are pur-
chased at depots of which there are
nine strategically located through
out the country. At these depots.
food is bought in huge quantities
for three months at a time on the
basis of acquisitions from camps
Wltnln tne area.
Perishable foods are all bought
locally by the quartermaster in each
camp on an indefinite monthly con-
tract by which the contractor agrees
to sell the quartermaster all the
beef or vegetables or milk he re-
quires at the same price for the
month.
May Have to Use Surplus.
There is a possibility, according
to Mai. Powers, that the Army may
have to use surplus commodities to
prevent spoilage if the food can't
be used up in other ways. Consider
able planning has been done toward
the use of surplus commodities II
it is found essential for the Army
to take them.
Though the Army will have to
spend millions of dollars where 1t
spent thousands, it has found no
need so far to.make special arrange
ments for procuring more food. AS
Maj. Powers explained it, basically
no more food will be consumed. It's
simply a question of redistribution
rather than consumption.
There's just one thing Maj. Powers
would like to tell the mothers and
sisters and wives Of the conscripts
Their sons and brothers and hus-
band will be fed. and we'll fed, even
If it does cost the Government q
paltry half . million dollars . day