spuds??

My father once was eating with men in a railroad workers rail car (just a gray thing with some windows & bunks, and a small stove). They cooked for themselves.
   One guy hollered to the other end of the table, "Hey...pass the spuds!" Old codger with the bowl hollered back, "Don't call 'em spuds! Call 'em 'taters, whut they aire!".