Combine water, sugar, vinegar, salt, soup base and pepper. Heat to boiling. In a separate pan brown bacon. Remove bacon to water mixture. Fry onions in bacon fat until soft but not brown. Add flour and let it bubble up to 2-3 minutes. Add this roux to hot water mixture. Stir until smooth. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve warm over mixed greens such as iceberg lettuce, red leaf lettuce, spinach, endive and a little shredded red cabbage.