The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-10
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

If it has been weary, upward march from the cave to the civilized man, 1t has also been an uphill fight from the wild boar to the domestic hog. The cave, man fought his way up club in hand, while the hog has rooted his way with
 his snout.
 There is law of the jungle, just as there is a law of the city. The jungle
 is wet with the blood of the slain. just as the city is built on the bodies of men.
 It's root hog or die, or, for man, fight or be slave We are fighting Germany
 today for the right to live as freemen- I am not going to try and give date for mans entrance on this very old earth of ours, but he has been here some time; neither am I wishing to state the exact year when the first wild boar roamcd the forests. It is sufficient to say that it was ages gone by.
 The common hog appears to be native of most parts of Europe and Asia. Thou sands of years ago there roamed through Europe herds of fierce wild hogs. They usually ate fruits, roots, and grass; but when they were hungry they ate snakes, fowl or fish. (And they will even do it after centuries of domesticaton)
 
 Wild noars were common in England
 until the time of Henry II, and then not found until in the reign of Charles l. an unsuccessful attempt was made to raise them in the New Forest. In the time of the conaueror any one killing wild boar was liable to have his eyes put out It was for many centuries fa- vorite beast of chase with the nobles i'll
 Europe, and was hunted chiefly on foot with spear it's strength and ferocity rem dering the sport alike exhilarating and dangerous. There is little boar hunting now, except in India.
 I am not so much interested just now about boar chases, although there IS much of interest connected with it in she early life of Britain and other European countries, and like to think of the wild scenes which took place around the san- quoting boards when drinking deep tae
 boar's head was brought in on a charger and the feasting began. Our Eng.ish forbears were some meat eaters, and got their love for pork not by .the Chinese
 route of roast pig, but by the maniier way of the chase.
 I am more concerned just at present Tn the tanning of the boar and, by the way mans domestication of the wild an1mais is a thrilling story of conquest and tribute to patience. The men who, like on the weak, learned gentler ways and settled down into home making, ana after killing the boars for meat for many years, set out to tame them, and, what is more, did it. If you want to know what 8 task it was. get a picture of wild boar with his long tusks and then look on twentieth century tame one. How did they do it? They have left no record. but reading between the lines I am bold to believe that their women had much to do with it. The poafS, I'll wild state as they roam the forests or hide in the swamps. are generally soli- tary; the females and younger gregari- ous and when assailed by wolves or 1 other beasts of prey, wild hogs defend 1 themselves vigorously, the stronger ami
 mals placing themselves in the front and I the weaker seeking shelter in the rear.
 For long time, particularly here in ! the south. we were satisfied with the 1 razor hack,'' variety about as hardy and as hard to fatten as the wild boafs which roamed the forests of Britain long
 before Columbus thought of discoverlns America. He was the best living exam
 pie of the root hog or die' admonition
 for he made his own living, or. rather