THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: NOVEMBER 26, 1916.
7 A
Consider Present High Cost of Living
Various Writers Debate the Topic With Suggestions as to How the Ex
pense of Existence May Be Lessened by Following a Regulated Dietary.
Mis Jackson Stands by Her Guns,
Bellevne, Neb., Nov. 25. To the
Editor of The Bee: In reply to let
ters wnicn nave appeared in 1 he Bee s
Letter Box criticism of my statement
tnat my grocery list for $2.50 a week
would inrntso sufficient food for
family of five for one week, I wish to
make the following statements:
When the menn was made out it
was an answer to inquiries which
came in, from some asking through
curiosity, who were interested to
know how economically, in my opin
ion, a family really could live, if
necessary; from others, asking
through the desperation of straitened
circumstances, for help to learn if
they were-aepnding too much for the
necessaries to keep them able and fit
for their hard work.
To those asking me through curi
osity, I sent the menu, but also re
plied that for people who really have
the money to spend, it is poor econ
omy to save money on food, which,
aitnougn, oemg plenty scientifically,
to keep the body in good condition
and satisfy hunger, does not satisfy
the appetite for fruits and vegetables
and other things, nuts, sweets, rel
ishes, etc- which, although pleasant.
are rather expensive. To those who
have the money, let them by all means
indulge. Too often money thus saved
i9 used for clothes, furniture, shows
and things which the family all like,
but which are not truly necessary.
But let us not discourage the efforts
of those in poorer circumstances to
live on what, to the more fortunate,
would be a mere existence.
To the people who were really in
need of advice from someone ex
perienced in dietetics, or scientific
study of food in its relation to the
needs of the human body, I sent the
menu which can be prepared at an
expense of $2.50 a week. In speak
ing of a family of five, I had in mind
the usual family, a man and wife,
with three children. For a family of
more than two adults there would
have to be food in greater quantities,
as grown people require different food
properties than those needed by chil
dren. Thus the cost per week would
be slightly increased.
This diet, $150 a week, was esti
mated exclusive of milk. It is espe
cially adapted to people who are re
ceiving some aid from social settle
ment centers, where there is a special
milk fund. The menu will not in
clude meat frequently. Meat is not
necessary to the life processes of the
human body. In fact, we could well
live without it.
My list has been criticized by some
of the inquirers, who say that the
prices are inaccurate in some parts
of the country. Prices vary widely
in different localities. Co-operative
Mying is one ot the greatest advan
I had a four years' course in the high
school, one of the boys a three years'
commercial course, and the rest could
have done likewise had they wished.
Now my step-father (and no real
father could have been kinder to us)
was a wise man. He brought home
his $50 every month and gave it to
his wife. When my mother died she
left him a substantial bank account,
saved out of that $50 a month, and
I'll betywe lived ten times better than
Mr. Miekle's family lives, judging
from his own statements.
We ate beans, to be sure. All this
happened back in Massachusetts, and
every Saturday night we had baked
beans and homemade brown bread
for supper, and, my mother being of
Puritan descent and a church woman
who disbelieved in cookins on the
Sabbath, we had beans all day Sun
day, it Mrs. Mickle can bake beans
the way we used to have them I'll
give her 50 cents a plate. But to bake
beans right a fire must be kept all
day steady in the range, and I know
Mr. Mickle would never let her use
that much coal. Then, too, New
England beans are baked with a good
big chunk of salt pork on top, and
pork costs money. We used to buy
it in quantity, prepare the brine at
home and have the best. Once a
week we had boiled kidney beans, and
my, they were good! Sometimes we
varied with dried peas, boiled, and I
would suggest to Mr. Mickle that he
substitute these sometimes for beans,
as they cost no more (or didn't when
I was a kid), and one doesn't have
to eat so many, as peas contain 9i
per cent nutriment, whereas beans
contain only 87 per cent. We had
fresh meat twice a week (all the fam
ily), and the rest of the time we lived
on codfish and potatoes, tongues and
sounds, fried fresh halibut and
mackerel (our home was on the sca
coast), lobster, fried eels, fish chow
der, made with haddock, hake, etc.,
and clams, a "mess" of which could
be dug at any time of season on the
beach half a block from the house.
My step-father had inherited a small
interest in a farm in Maine, which his
brother worked, and sent for our
share enough potatoes and other veg
etables to last all winter. My step
father used to buy apples and russet
pears on the trees at a very low
price, and with the aid of the boys
pick them by hand, so that we had
enough apples and pears to last all
winter. He was not a churchman,
and, as he couldn't bear to be idle, he
used to go berrying out somewhere
in the woods every Sunday in sum
mer. My mother preserved his find
ings, so that we had bottled (not
canned) raspberries, blackberries,
huckleberries, blueberries, gooseber
ries, barberries and cranberries
tages in keeping down the high eost'such quantities that we had to give
of Irving. Another, very important.
is the careful preparation and serving
of the foods which are available.
I also said that my diet is "whole
some and contains the neeessary'food
principles for health and strength, al
though in minimum quantities."' That
statement is correct and can be dem
onstrated scientifically.
I will be glad to answer letters
from those desiring help in either
food expenditures or food prepara
tion, provided they enclose their
usual market list for the week, giving
prices in their locality, and the maxi
mum amount they will be able to
allow for their food.
ALMA A. JACKSON,
Home Economics Department, Belle
vne College.
High Cost in the Sand Hills.
Seneca, Neb, Nov. 25. To the
Editor of The Bee: For the last year
or more prices have steadily risen
until the mose common household
necessities are almost a luxury. Time
and again the top has been reached
and we have thought that prices
could go no higher, when again all
previous records would be broken.
The price of such stayle articles as
flour, meats, sugar, coffee, etc, are
almost prohibitive. In former times
there were nearly always some staple
articles of food that remained cheap,
but now all are higher than Gilroy's
kite; therefore it is hard to substi
tute. It is a dead cinch that we must
have something to eat, and a great
many of us are looking for something
cheap, only to have our hopes blasted
at every turn of the road. It is a
very serious question with the aver
age individual to make both ends
meet, and unless something hap
pens to reduce prices there is bound
to be much suffering among the
poorer classes, especially in the larger
cities.
We have been thinking very
seriously of boiling bunch grass and
using the residue as a large part of
our daily diet Cattle turned loose
in the spring soon put on a glossy,
fat-looking appearance, so we have
figured that if cattle can extract fat
from the bunch grass, why not man?
Horses, hogs and sheep thrive by
hundreds on the surrounding hills and
an on tne same aiet joo aays in tne
year.
So do not be surprised if you see
in the paper in the near future a re
cipe for extracting the fat from bunch
grass. Others of you seeking a
cheaper means of existence might ex
periment along the same line and let
us know the results,
ril not partake avatn or beat.
Or beam, or kraal ar alaw.
On mutton chops I cannot look.
And when I eat my frugal meal
No sausages I draw.
For aauee I have a lonely apud
without a bit of dressing.
' And If they so much higher
I'll cut It out, I'm guaelng.
The piece of pie of which lm food
I each day growing smaller.
If thin keepe up I'll have to have
A microscope to see If there's a swallow.
The situation that oonfrents me,
I say ja far from nice,
I'd like to have good things to oat.
But 1 can't afford the price.
The only thing that's left to do
Aa day by day must pass
II lo figure out a means whereby
1 can live on good old home-grown
Bunch grass.
M. A. HENRY.
away what was left over in the spring,
besides all that could be cooked or
eaten raw during the summer. But
it takes sugar to preserve, and I sup
pose that if Mr. Mickle got the ber
ries for nothing he wouldn't spend
the money to preserve them. But my
step-father didn't drink or use to
bacco in any form, so we had that
much more for sugar.
We had plenty of fresh "greens" in
spring and summer, dug by the boys,
and a back yard of homegrown toma
toes gave us the foundation for loads
of catsup, pickilili and chili sauce;
rhubarb and a few other things, such
as could be grown on two lots (we
lived in a city of 30.000) helped out.
My grandfather kept pigs and hens
on his two lots, and by saving our
"swill" for him, we got several choice
cuttings of fresh pork in the fall and
occasionally a chicken and some eggs.
We sold to the "tinman" all rags,
papers, old rubbers, bottles and every
bit of junk that we got, getting in
return tin and woodenware for the
kitchen. Oh, my mother was a great
woman, I tell you!
1 forget to say that we bought a
quart of milk a day the year around,
had butter, tea, coffee and sometimes
cocoa, different kinds of breakfast
food (as to weevils I never heard my
mother say), while we gorged our
selves with great squares of puffy
gingerbread, johnnycake, shortcake
and blueberry cake, such as nobody
in the west knows how to make; pies
galore, including mince pics an inch
thick with real homemade mince
meat inside, homemade bread, hot
biscuits and bread puddings, and, on
state occasions, cake with as many
as four eggs in it and frosting on top,
real fruit cake, plum pudding or cus
tard pudding.
We children often made candy
(didn't have much bought except at
Christmas and Thanksgiving), and
oh, those old-fashioned molasses
candy pulls! Wouldn't Mr. Miekle's
children's eyes "bug" out of their
heads to get into one? We were
sometimes permitted sugar candy, and
popcorn and comballs were common
things at our house. Oh, I tell you
we lived swell on $50 a month, with
a woman managing the purse strings
and a man that didn't have a lazy
streak in his whole body nor a selfish
one cither, to do the bread winning
for us!
Of course, mother did all her own
work, washing and all. She made our
clothes ,and made them over as long
as the clotli would hold together. All
our bedding was homemade, even the
"bed ticks," the under one invariably
filled with straw, the upper on with
feathers, carefully hoarded for years
from our few fowl. The rugs that
covered the floors were all "hooked,"
or braided by hand; stockings, mit
tens, caps were hand knit. All quilts
were made at home. When 1 was
12 years old I knit my own stock
ings and mittens, crocheted my tam-
o-shanters and mufflers and made over
my own clothes.
I often think that if I had a chance
I could do as well as my mother did
But, ah me! If I got a man like A. B.
Mickle wouldn't there be war in the
camp I He'd have to do more than
work downtown and plan how to save
the pennies get out, for instance,
like my step-father did, and hustle
half the living in spare time! I for
got to say that my father picked up
all the wood we needed to burn,
great logs of driftwood that he
brought home on his shoulders and
sawed and split himself. We didn't
have a horse and buggy or an auto
mobile, but we had a dory. Many a
time I've bad hairbreadth escapes
from being run down by tug or ferry
boats in the harbor, or been caught
in the breakers when the tide started
to go out, and had the time of liy
' life pulling ashore. And we had
sleds and skates and plenty el play
1 things!
t Well, after it all. here 1 am in
I Omaha, an "old maid" and out of
i work. If I don't get a job toon I'm
thinking the New Kngland thrift that
I have inherited will get me into mis
chief, as sure as there's an old man
down in the nether regions who
"finds some mischief still for idle
hands, to do."
A. ESTEI.LE STORY.
Hague Mes That
Word, as Applied,
Insulting to Germans
(Correspondent e of The Assoclatfd free )
The Hague, Netherlands, Nov. 15
The Hague court has solemnly ruled
that the word "Mof," the universal
nickname applied to Germans in the
Netherlands, is insulting, and a mem
ber of the Second Chamber of Parlia
ment has been sentenced to' a fine of
$40 or five days' imprisonment for
writing "Mof" under the nameplate
of a German merchant here.
The story has provided the whole
country with a feast of entertainment.
J. H. Q. W. Ter Spill, who is the
recognized humorist of the Dutch
Parliament, was out walking with his
wife and family when a name in big
gothic characters, "Carl O. A. Gosch,"
caught his eye. Parliamentary
decorum and the restraining influence
of the omnipotent elector notwith
standing, Mr. Ter Spill's sense of
humor triumphed, and amid the laugh
ter of his children he scrawled the
fatal words thereunder.
Unfortunately for the Dutch legis
lator, Mrs. Gosch witnessed the
merry-making from her window and
at once dispatched her daughter to
read the writing on the wall. The
master of the house, quickly apprised,
gave chase, the insulter was fiercely
arraigned, hot words passed, the po
lice came upon the scene, and the
sequel was the culprit's appearance in
court.
The plaintiff told the court that he
considered himself insulted by the
word "Mof," as all Germans did, and
further, that Mr. Ter Spill had said:
"You are a mof, anyway! What are
you doing here? Go back to your own
country.
The accused admitted that his cc
duct had been childish and unman
nerly, but disclaimed any intention to
insult, saying that his old student
merriment got the better of him.
Jap Predicts "One Great
Nation" in the South Sea
(romporidnce of The Associated Pres..)
Tokio, Nov. 1. Dr. Inazo Nitobc,
the well known Japanese author,
voiced his opinion before the Asiatic
society yesterday that the day will
come when, with economic and educa
tional improvement, several small na
tions or even one great nation will
come into existence in the South Sea
islands. He had just returned from
an extensive tour of the South Pa
cific including the Philippines.
Dr. Nitobc lauded the United States
for its achievement in the Philippine
islands. He said: In years henre
the Philippines and other islands will
assert their rights. That nation will
do the most for the cause of humanity
which recognizes the right of these
islands to govern themselves. The
United States is among the foremost
to recognize this capacity and give
tliem a chance to develop."
The speaker denned the Soulli Sea
islands as including the Philippines.
Java, Borneo, Sumatra, Celebes, New
Guinea, the Malay peninsula and thou
sands of smaller groups. He placed
their total population at o2.000.lWO
and pointed out that nearly one-half
of these resided in Java alone. The
spaccness of the population elsewhere,
formerly due to the slave traftie, was
now the result of disease malaria
fever, dysentery, smallpox and chol
era. "If we can free the islands of
these conditions," Dr . K'itobe de
clared, "by sanitary and olhrr im
provements the population would be
doubled or trebled in a few decades."
For Cnlldrrn'e Cough.
You lennot ur anything better fin your
MM h iMuiih snil t-old than Dr. Klng'it
S'cw lile,-ovr. Contains nothing harmful.
Russians Blame Germans
For Chinese Murders
li'tirri-Bpoiulr-nc" of The Arnoi'lalnl I'ra-. )
Peking. Nov. 1. Negotiations be
tween t hina and Russia for the ad
justment of the outbreak in Sinkiang
province, or Turkestan, which re
sulted in the killing of 400 Moham
medans I y Russian nomads, are pro
gressing slowly. Russian official
charge that German agents in Sinki
ang province stirred up the feeling
against Chinese Mohammedans,
which resulted in the murders. Con
seciuently the Russians are more firm
ly than ever aligned with the Kiir
lish in their effort to induce China to
expel Germans and join the allies.
Trance is also making efforts to have
China enter the war, while Japan,
of all the entente powers, is holding
out against this movement.
The Chinese foreign office has in
structed l.iu Jen-chin, the Cl.ine-e
minister al Petrograd, to confer 'vi:li
I tiie Russian toreiyn ohVe am for
a setl lenient of the Sinkians province
tumble upon condition thai ti e no
madic iMtzal.s responsible for tne
i , -i :.: . .1.-11 i
punished : that payment be made to'
Ihe families of the murdered Moliam
n'edans; that officers responsible for
1 keeping order in the troubled district
j be reprimanded; that the Sino-Russo
I agreement concerning these nomads
ho revised in such a way that Russia
j shall limit their visits to Chinese ter
I ritorv and supervise them more care
I fully!
Welah fleafen.
Monlrest. Quebec, Nov. IM. Kddle Wallace
of Rrooklyn and Freddl,, Welsh, lightweight
champion of the worl.l, enitaged In a fest
tn-rnimfl bout here tonight. Offletat de
cision ere Illegal In this city, but sporting
ivrlt'Ts uwaroNd the victory to Wallace on
Itokntn. tloth wolglicd In at U3 pounds.
Living on Fifty Dollars a Month.
Omaha, Nov. 25. To the Editor of
The Bee: 1 would like to offer a few
suggestions to Mr. A. B. Mickle.
I am one of a family of five children
raised on $50 a month. We had a
comfortable home of seven rooms,
bought from savings, rooms stove
heated, warm always in the winter.
Plenty of clothes, music, books and
magazines, and an occasional "party."
A Wonderful Pre-Thanksgiving Clearance"
OF
Beautiful Tailored
At Half
Beginning Monday, November 27th
MAYDEN'
1 MlC- W D0O& DOUGIAS STREETS seaev'
Nearly 400 CLASSY SUITS
In splendid assortment of the season's newest and
nobbiest styles; in Bolivia Cloths, Wool Velours,
Chiffon Broadcloths, Fine Serges, Gabardines, Vel
vets, etc ; beautifully trimmed, artistically tailored ;
many elegantly trimmed in Moleskin, Hudson Seal
and other stylish furs.
At Just Half Price
Suits
$15.00 Tailored Suits.
$20.00 Tailored Suits.
$25.00 Tailored Suit..
$30.00 Tailored Suits.
87.50
810.00
.812.50
815.00
$35.00 Tailored Suits. . 817.50
$40.00 Tailored Suits. . 820.00
$45.00 Tailored Suits. . .822.50
$50.00 Tailored Suits. . 825.00
$60.00 Tailored Suits. . 830.00
$70.00 Tailored Suits. . .835.00
$90.00 Tailored Suits. . $15.00
$150.00 Tailored Suits. .875.00
A Remarkable Assortment of New Styles and Colorings.
i Pays-TRY MYDEN'S FIRST- It Pays
Good Things to Eat for Thanksgiving Hayden's for Quality and a
Saving of 25 to 50 on the Cost of Living
18 lbt. Bit Pure Granulated Swr-r
for -0
For roar Thw.kM.Tin Puddingi. Pie
or Cakes try our Famous Diamond H.
Flour, nothing finer, made from the
beat selected No. 1 Nebraska wheat,
per 48-lb. aack 2.3S
lbs. Choice Japan Rice 2Bc
Condensed Mince Meat, pkg 10c
The best Lemon or Orange Peel, per
lb 20c
The best Leghorn Citron Peel, per
lb 26c
Condensed Minca Meet, bulk, per
lb
6 Cans Oil Sardines 25c
New Comb Honey, rack I . . 15c
Horseradish, per bottle Vac
Large bottles Worcester Sauce, Pickles,
assorted kinds; Prepared Mustard or
Advo Jell or Jetlo, for dessert, per
pkg SVic
82-ot. jars Pure Fruit Preserves ... 26c
28-oz. jars Pure Strained Honey..,. 26c
W-lb. cakes Baker's Chocolate lftc
Fshcy Queen Olives, qt 35c
16-oz. cans Assorted Soups 10c
Baker's Shredded Cucoanut, per can. 10c
16-ox. cans Diamond H. Baking Powder
for 25c
16-os. eana Condensed Milk 10c
MacLaren's Peanut Butter, per lb., 12VjC
Ripe OUtc. can IOc
DRIED FRUITS FOR THANKS
GIVING. Seeded Raisins, pkg 12'9c
Fard Dates, per lb 15c
Fancy California Peaches, per lb. . . IOc
and 12Vic
Fancy California Seedless Raisins, per
lb 15c
Fancy California Apricots, per lb., IT'jC
Fancy Cleaned Currants, lb 22c
Fancy Cooking Figs, lb 15c-UVaC
Fancy Muscatel Cooking Raisins, par
lb, 12i,c
Fancy 4060 California Prunes, per
lb. ' Wtc
The Best Mixed New Nuts, lb 20c
The First of the Famous California
Highland Navels are in.
Per Daaen 25c, 30c, 40c
The Best Creamery Butter, bulk, per
lb 40c
The Best, Strictly Fresh Eggs, per
dosen 40c
Fancy No. 1 Country Creamery Butter,
per lb 30c
Fancy No. 1 Dairy Table Butter, per
lb Mc
Fancy Table Butterine, equal to crrnm-
ery Butter, lb 27Vac
The Best Full Cream New York White,
Wisconsin Cream or Young America
Full Cream Owhp, per lb 30c
FRESH SOUTHERN VEGETABLES FOR
THANKSGIVING.
Fresh Beets, Carrots, Turnips, Shalots
or RadUhes. bunch 5c
Fancy Ripe Tomatoes, lb 7 Vac
Fancy Cauliflower, per lb lilAc
Fancy Peppers, 8 for 10c
3 SUlka Fresh Celery 10c
Fancy Brussl Uprouts, lb 15c
New Cabbage, per lb .3 Vic
Red Onions, per lb 3VC
Don't Fall to Get Our Prices and See
Our Mammoth Stock of First Quality
Poultry lor l banasgivuig.
chhstmas nmm
AT PRICES AND TERMS TO SUIT EVERYBODY
PIANOS AND
PLAYER PIANOS
5
00
at lower price, than were ever offered by any reputable Piano House in the country end on the re
markable term, of $5.00 a month.
Buy now while the stock la complete and have delivery mede when yon desire Christine
Eve if you wish.
Pay when convenient Next Year Will Do.
BEAUTIFUL NEW UPRIGHT PIANOS, $156.00 AND UP
BRAND NEW 88-NOTE PLAYER PIANOS, $348.00 AND UP
NEW GRAND PIANOS, APARTMENT SIZE. $435.00 AND UP
You can make your selection from the following world renowned makes
STEINWAY WEBER HARDMAN EMERSON
STEGER & SONS McPHAIL LINDEMAN & SONS And Our
Sweet-toned SCHMOLLER A MUELLER, told at F.clory to-Home prices, saWng yoe fan
$100 to $200. .. .
In slightly used Pianos we offer the following matchless bargains
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In addition to the wonderful low prices and the unheard of terms, we will present eeeh cue-
tomer buying an instrument from $100 up '
ABSOLUTELY FREE
a beautiful 42-pieee Dinner Set, modeled by one of the foremost artiste in thai country. The
pattern is a beautiful scroll in a Royal and Turquoise Blue and b set off handsomely by band
of blue enamel on the edge and verge of each piece.
v l utt.. rUiii... oraaent than a Piano. Player Piano er Phonograph and at
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SCHMOLLER & MUELLER PIANO CO.
The Leading Piano House In the West. Douglas 1623 13U1313 F.rn.ni St, OmaheNen.
Headquarters for Aeolian Voealions and Columbia Grafonolas and their entire line of Fefeiga
and domestie records. .
Goodrich
Black Safety TreadTires
Goodrich Fair-List Prices
laa-il 1 lay
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30x3V, 13.40 34x4 30.05
32x3V, 15.48 36x4Vi 31.60
33 x4 22.0037x5 37.38
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Best m the hong Kurt
LOCAL ADDRESS, 2034 FARNAM ST.
Phone Dougla 3308.
SOLD BY
Omaha Tire Repair Co
nrunv A A Dr D ' i
2201 Farnam Street HLnni n l rroprrewr
A
Tyler 155Z. J