FoodNet

The Abingdon war-food book

1918

Page 5

Presented as published in 1918. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
To fum up the whole. Thoufands of People throughout the Land, are perilling for want of Food, This is owing to various Caufes ; but a- bove all, to DlfiJI/mg^ T'axcsy and Luxury, Here is the Evil, and the unde- niable Caufes of it. But where is the Remedy ? Perhaps it exceeds all the "WiC- dom of Man to tell : But it may not be amifs to offer a few Hints on the Subjed. IL I. What Remedy is there for this fore Evil, — Many thoufand poor People are flarving? Find 26 ABINGDON WAR-FOOD BOOK ( '7 ) Find them Work, and you wili find them Meat. They will then earn and eat their own Bread. 2. But how can the Mafters give them Work, without ruining them- felves ? Procure Vent for what is wrought, and the Mafters will give them as much Work as they can do. And this would be done, by finking the Price of Provifions : For then Peo- ple would have Money to buy other things too. 3. But how can the Price of Wheat and Barley be reduced? By prohibiting for ever, by mak- ing a full End, of that Bane of Health, that Deftroyer of Strength, of Life and of Virtue, DtftilUng. — C 3 Perhaps ABINGDON WAR-FOOD BOOK 27 (,8 ) Perhaps this alone might go a great way toward anfwering rhe whole Defign. 'TIs not improbable, it would' fpeedily fink the Price of Corn, at leaft one Part in three. If any thing more were required. Might not all Starch be made of Rice, and the Importation of this, as well as of Corn, be incouraged? 4. How can the Price of Oats be reduced ? By reducing the Number of Hor- fes. And may not this be effedu- ally done, (without affe(fling the Ploughman, the Waggoner, or any of thofe who keep Horfes for common Work;) i. By laying a Tax of ten Pounds, on every Horfe export- ed to France, for which (notwith- itanding an artful Paragraph in a late public Paper) there is as great 28 ABINGDON WAR-FOOD BOOK ( 19 ) a Demand as ever? 2. By laying an additional Tax on Gentlemen's Carriages : Not fo much on every IVheel,, (bare-faced, fhamelefe Parti- ality 1) but five Pounds yearly, upon every Horfe, And wrould not thefe two Taxes alone fupply near as much as is now paid for Leave to poifon his Majefty's liege Subjects ? 5. How can the Price of Beef and Mutfon be reduced > By Increafing the Breed of Sheep and horned Cattle. And this would foon be iricreafed feven-fold, if the Price of Horfes was reduced ; which it furely would be, half in half, by the Method above-mentioned. 6. How can the Price of Pork and Poultry be reduced ? Whether ABINGDON WAR-FOOD BOOK 29 ( 20 ) Whether it ever w/V/, is another Queftlon. — But it can be done< i. By letting no Farms of above an hundred Pounds a Year : 2. By re- prefTing Luxury : Whether by Laws, by Example; or by Both. — I had almofl faid, By the Grace of GOD. But to mention This, has been long out of Faihion. 7. How may the Price of Land be* Tedaced ? By all the Methods above-named, as each tends to- ieffen the Expence of Houfe-keepiog : Bat efpecially the kft; by reftraining Luxury, which is the grand and general Source of Want. 8. How may the Taxes be redu- ced ? I . By difcharging half, the Nati- onal Debty and fo faving by this fingle 30 ABINGDON WAR-FOOD BOOK ( 21 )