RATIONING IN ENGLAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 51, 22 February 1944, Page 7

RATIONING IN ENGLAND

"Et is true that in Britain practically everything is either rationed or oft' the market altogether, .says Lord Elton in ''London Calling." But it is surprising how comparatively little these shortages inconvenience one by now. In fact, some of them are positively a blessing in disguise. Food, for cample. There are no luxuries, of course, and, quite apart from luxuries, most of one's old favourites have vanished. It. is months, years in fact, since 1 have made close acquaintance with a genuine mutton chop. Substitutes, too, arc everywhere and most of what one eats, it seems to me, tastes different. But there is enough. We are learning for the first time, perhaps, the full significance of the familiar adage, "Enough is as good, as a feast" Before the war almost eveiyone, quite unconsciously, ate. too much. And now avc don't. This fact alone had done more for the heaLth of the nation than the whole medical profession put together. I will not say that 1. do not look forward to the time when I shall be able' to eat a mutton chop whenever 1 feel like, it—and that, I think, avill be pretty frequently at first —but on the whole I have no complaints to make. As to clothes, B find myself in two minds. Sometimes I find myself rcgreting that I did not buy an extra suit or two just before rationing'camc in. But sometimes T tell myself that in a dim light Li still look fairly respectable and that, with taxes where they are, L could not afford new suits any way. And on the whole it is pleasanter to believe that you are not buying a new suit because you have not got the coupons than to realise that you cannot buy it because you have, not got the cash. Clothes rationing is harder on women, no. doubt. 1 won't venture to suggest that it is good for their souls, but I do admire the equanimity Avith which even the smartest of them have reconciled themselves to going about with mended ladders, in their stockings."