New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-06
The Enemy in the House

If the cook is lacking in patriotism, she
can be fired. But what about Husband?
We would not say it cannot be done. In
deed, with the rich records of the Domestic
Relations Court staring US in the memory,
we may confidently predict tale before
long of an irate patriot haling her spouse
into court for throwing her corn bread and
stewed radish tops in her face. The court
is indeed willing, but its methods are
crude. The average woman must be pre-
pared to deal with treason in the family
as the occasion and her own inspirations
may dictate.
Warning that she must be prepared for
serious trouble in this quarter is given in
the current issue Of the Food Bulletin Of
the Womens City Club. An ominous
note pervades the entire sheet. Food con-
servation is not the joyous undertaking 1t
appeared to be from distance, but for
that reason it is to be the more seriously
waged. Husbands and sons have been
heard from who twill not eat small fish
because they do not like the bones; dis
tracted women want to know how they can
20 without wheat, because none of us eats
corn bread or rice"
Such complaints the Bulletin handles
with brevity comparable only to the off,
cial war bulletins. "Why take these fam
lily prejudices as fnal?" it demands. "lf
our families will not discipline their stom-
achs, we must do it for them"
One cannot choose between husband
with Liberty bonds and one with con-
stitutional dislike for roast beef. One
must keep the husband that has been
visited upon her, plus his bonds, and di-
vorce him from his fondness for beef, lamb,
bread, butter, artichokes and all.
This first engagement won, the COM
pleat patriot must turn her attention to
the kitchen, stamping out hidden channels
OF aid and comfort to the enemy. There
has been rumor for many weeks that all
German housemaids in this country have
taken a solemn oath to waste every ounce
of food they can lay their hands on to pre-
vent it's going to the Allies. There has
been also, not unconfrmed rumor, but un-
questionable fact, that many housemaids
were doing that same thing, without re-
course to oath, for the sheer love of the
game. For such as these, be they anti
British persons with a brogue or anti
economy persons with a color, or anti-au-
thority persons with minds of their own,
there is to be short shrift in war time. The
Bulletin puts it buntly: "You are the cap
tain of that domestic service ship. What
right have you to cook who opposes ma
tional endeavor?"
This is not all. The Bulletin sees fur
Their into the horrors of the domestic war.
what right have you to a cook at all?" it
asks. "What are you doing with your own
fair hands to justify you in keeping an
able-bodied woman out of the munitions
| factories, or the canneries, or the cloth
| ing shops, where she might be helping
the war;"
! This comes pretty near to common sense.
and will be welcome reading to hordes Of
unrighteous spinsters who have laughed
! themselves into nervous declines over the
stories of economical ladies who have been
obliged to take on extra gardeners to weed
the radish patch, and who send the limou-
sine to town three days a week in order
that Gwendolyn may take lessons in max
ing war bread. And since editors of this
generation are seldom shot for their effu-
sions it is safe to say that the cornfed hus-
! band will take it out in growing and leave
the Bulletin secure in its Offices to plan
its next drive on the enemy within the
home.