870 THE KING’S BUSINESS who are being asked to pr&ctise a rigid economy would like the opportunity to find out. Another society leader writes, “ No dainties now grace my table. Only nutritious foods comprise my menu, substituting fish, in the place of oyster soup in the first course. The second is a roast with two or more vegetables,* chosen with regard to the components of fat, sugar and starch. I believe that simple deserts are needed to make up a well balanced meal. Apple tarts for instance contain a very large proportion of carbohydrates and fat. My one desert is salted peanuts, which is valuable as food.” This is set forth as an economic dinner. Fish and roast meat, two or more vegetables at one meal, apple tarts and salted peanuts, chosen because of their nutrition. What wouldn’t the great mass of working people of this country give if they could only afford to have either fish or roast meat at one meal every day. But here is fish, roasts, vegetables, pies, etc., etc., set forth as such a rigid economy that it ought to be paraded before the world. Another society lady says, “It is now the duty of every American house-wife to be the general in her own household and to know absolutely what is going on and to eliminate wastes and indulgences in food,” then she goes on to tell, of the rigid economy she is practising. She writes, “The only changes I have made from the regime of the year past was to order one serving of corn bread each day instead of wheat bread, to have two pota toless days and substitute macaroni or rice and to have two fish days per week instead of seven meat days. I have fruit, vegetables and milk in liberal quan tities to make up for dropping meat and bread stuffs from the diet.” What tremendous sacrifice! Wheat bread only twice per day and corn bread to take its place at the other meal (probably there are four or five meals in the family) and just to think of it, going without potatoes two days in the week and to be forced to live in part, in.lieu of the potatoes, upon macaroni and rice, (many of the laboring classes would be glad to have macaroni or rice any day in the week) and just think of it they can’t have meat when they have fish, but they are given plenty of fruit, plenty of vegetables, plenty of milk. How many of our working people would be glad to have “a liberal supply of milk.” Another woman writes, “In our household we are living very simply. I have not felt it wise to pledge myself to serve any specific number of courses at dinner, but the fact is, when we are alone we rarely have more than two courses, and I am sure we all get quite enough to eat. (We are sure the laboring classes would feel they were getting quite enough to eat if they could have two courses at every meal, instead they are glad to get one). When we have guests I feel I must hold myself free to give what courtesy and regard my guests’ entertain ment require (that is to say serve a considerable more than two courses at a meal).” The woman who is ministering to the gluttony of her guests better keep silent and not make appeals for people to practise economy. This lady goes on to say how exceedingly generous they have been, that is generous in her own eyes. She says, “We have given the use of the one bit of land around our home in Washington to two men for a garden. In New Hampshire we have turned over a large piece of ground for two men to cultivate.” (What marvelous generosity). Of course it was the right thing to do, but why parade it as if it was something great. Some of the letters are so utterly nauseating that we do not quote them. One woman tells how “800 acres " of their “country place” “have been planted to vegetables.” It will be interesting reading to the average woman who is trying to practise economy and help the nation, to learn of the 800 acre country place. She goes on to tell how “we have also put on
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