Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-04-22
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

WI generals. OF the quarter
master department have adj
mlttcd recently that there has
been waste Of food in army
mcSSos and, on the basis Of a
recent visit TO Camp Nameless
IN the status of guest, l will
undertake 10 corroborate them.
The name and location of the
camp | cannot mention lest 7
violate hospitality, but my host
OF the occasion has said he does
not object 10 discussion of the
shocking waste of fine food
which we saw there.
There were. l should say.
about 200 soldiers in the mess,
served by walters who were en-
listed men. and the meal con-
sisted of pot roast, string beans.
efeamed peas, mashed potatoes,
colc-Slaw, milk, coffee and CO.
coanut cuStard pudding There
was much more than plenty for
all hands, most of whom had
hiCh-power appetltes and each
man had about a quart of milk.
MY YOUNG friends at the
WI table said they often had
steaks and that they had seen
some waste Of excellent beef in
a section Of the country where
the civilians found il almost
impossible 10 get any and where
the little they could get was
scrawny, stringy. juicelesS meat
with no more flavor than
boiled bathmat. However, such
waste Of steak consisted mainly
of plate leavings which is TO say
that no whole steaks were
thrown away untouched and pos
Sibly this is an unavoidable loss
although civilian authorities have
been raising quite fuss with
restaurants for oVer-SerVing and
with the guests themselves for
failure TO eat everything set
before them and demanding
smaller portions.
There were considerable leaV-
ings on the plates of the soldiers
in this mess on this occasion
which my host said was typical,
but that was trivial waste by
comparison with the wanton de-
Struction which occurred as the
walters advanced along the aisle
between the two rows of tables
after the meal, dumping huge
quantities of untouched food
from the serving bowls into
garbage cans which they showed
along before them.
On EACH table there were two
~ or three large bowls at least
half full Of mashed potatoes
above and beyond requirements
Of the diners, all made with rich
milk and first class butter and
all that was thrown into the
cans along with large quantities
of string beans. Creamed peas,
Slaw and CuStard and many
stacks of a dozen or so slices of
fine white bread which surely
was not contaminated and would
not have spoiled if returned 10
the bread box for the next meal.
The only meat that l saw
thrown away was that which
was left on the plates, the sur
plus on the plattcrs apparently
being returned 10 the kitchen
possibly to be made into hash,
although | am not sure II was so
used. | Just observed that il was
not hcaved into the garbage
along with the other untouched
food which could have fed con-
siderable number Of civilians
without dcpriving the soldiers.
THE soldiers, themselves. were
Il conscious Of this waste and
deplored it although not of
course. 10 the extent Of COM
planning for, after all, the camp
management was none Of their
business and suggestions might
have been resented by their
officers. They said. moreover,
that they had seen similar waste
on other posts and that the only
effort at conservation which they
had observed had been a rule in
one place which required each
man 10 help himself 10 no more
than he could eat. If he left food
on his plate he invited a mild
form Of punishment
The nonCom in command Of
the preparation and serving Of
the meals said that all opened
but unfinished bottles Of milk
were empticd into containers.
This milk was used for cooking
but that. and the surplus beef
and the butter seemed to be tho
only salvage. The rest Of the
overSet food was gathered at
a central point with the garbage
from other mcSSoS on the post
and carried ava by a contrac-
tor 10 be fed TO tho pigs on
neighboring farms Great pitch
ers Of coffee were poured away.
There may have been a few
abScntceS from this meal but if
so they were not enough 10
Justify the army excuse recently
heard that waste is caused by
tho practice of cooking for the
full strength of a command
rather than for the number
actually on hand
II was a fragrant case Of reck-
less mismanagcment and in
region where the army's food
- - 4. l.