The Ideal

"It (the fleshless diet) is practical and rational. It should be accepted and commended by those who pursue the ideal of the formation and education of gentle, intelligent, artistic and nevertheless prolific, vigorous and active races." - Id., p. 413.

6. Economy: Meat furnishes protein and fat, practically no carbohydrate. Protein and fat can be obtained at a much less expense than is necessary in obtaining them from flesh. A dearth of grain and milk would be a much greater disaster than a shortage of meat. The grain fed to animals which are in turn slaughtered to furnish flesh food, would accomplish much more if given directly to the people for food.

An Expensive Diet

Much of the food value of the grain fed to animals is used up by the animal in heat and energy production. It requires five or six pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef. Six pounds of grain represents about 10,000 calories in food value. One pound of beef averages 1000 food units. Hence the extravagance of feeding so much of food grains to animals, especially at a time when there is actual shortage of grain for human sustenance. Some one has aptly put it that "for every pound of steak we refrain from eating we release grain enough to furnish bread for a week for a soldier 'somewhere in France.'"

Meat Or Milk - Which?

Dairy products are more vitally necessary for food than meat. A well nourished cow during a year will give in the form of milk as much protein, and two and a half times as many calories as are contained in her own body. Let us seek then to save more of our cattle that we may have a necessary supply of milk even though the amount of flesh food be diminished. The question at the present time becomes one not only of keeping the cost of living within the limits of the financial possibilities of the average home, but also that of a patriotic duty in conserving the food supply of the nation and of the world.

In conclusion the following quotations will leave no doubt in the minds of any as to the need for flesh food in the diet of man under present day conditions: -

Physical Superiority

"Comparative experiments on seventeen vegetarians and twenty-five meat eaters in the laboratory of the University of Brussels, have shown little difference in strength between the two classes, but a marked superiority of the vegetarians in point of endurance. The average superiority was 53%. The vegetarians recuperated from fatigue more quickly than the meat eaters." - Irving Fisher.

"Fourteen meat eaters and eight vegetarians started out on a seventy-mile walking match. All the vegetarians reached the goal in splendid condition, the first covering the distance in fourteen and a quarter hours. An hour after the last vegetarian came in the first meat eater came in, and he was completely exhausted. He was also the last meat eater, for all the rest had dropped off after thirty miles of endeavor." - Id.

Says Dr. Graham Lusk: "The popular idea of the necessity of meat for a laboring man may be epitomized in the statement: 'A strong man can eat more meat than a weak one, hence meat makes a man strong.' The proposition is evidently absurd."

Thus does scientific investigation, together with the question of home and national economics, vindicate the principles of vegeterianism. While the majority may not want to take a radical stand on the side of strict vegetarianism, yet we believe that many when they look at the question squarely, will be led to put much less dependence upon flesh food as an article of diet. They will appreciate the fact that a fleshless diet may be more healthful and strength producing than the one on which mankind has for so long a time subsisted.

To be a vegetarian one should be intelligent as to foods and their values, and should make a wise daily selection. This, however, is very possible, and with careful planning the housewife may arrange her daily menus in such a way as to greatly raise the physical plane of the members of her household without the use of an article of food tainted with impurity.

"Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of Emperors ridiculous." - Emerson.