The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-12-07
Inside
Washington
BY HELEN ESSARy

why llOt ask for
government subsidy for vo,.
cWn dining room
In this you will be FOLLOWING ~.
lead of congress. Of the sanoo -.
gress who in the house probibitas
food subsidies by 278-117 yoto
Those lucky legislators who 'o oS.
permitted by law to vc,e -,o 49,
selves special privileges are eat
ing mighty well in the restaurants r'
CT the capitol during these fonS
shortage days. Frightening nrin gu
and turkey scareities didn't n,o1S
g thing to their Thank .rton
pocketbooks. wing
For example, on the day befor,
Thanksgiving when you and | were
wrestling with butchers and Nov
sonal purse strings in order P' f.
snare some kind of bird ,ritS
which to celebrate our gratitnda
at being alive, members of con
gress were offered in their canitn,
restaurants a perfectly hsciona
meal for virtually nothing al al
= Read ths menu: Roast Turlar
With Giblet Gravy. Candied yan's
Carrots and Peas. Old Fasbionn,
Cranberry Sauce Cornbread w
Hot Rolls and Butter. Choice NJ
pineapple Upside-doWn Cake n.
Or Ice Cream for Dessert Coffee y
Plus another cup of coffee and
another pat of butter if reouested
And the price for this Pilgrim
Fathers feast? Just 60 cents
! How did they do it? How vorn
simple. AS I have already jndicai.
&c. They voted themselves a food
subsidy, call it an approprjation
if you prefer, Of $685. last ve,r
This $4,000 was named Tho d.
ficiency." 1t was needed for r'm
mig the house and senate restan.
rants. 1t was the difference no.
tween what congressman nav for
their meals and what the nopsIs
ccst the government.
Quite difference Won nav
Well, rather, especially when Won
think of the deficiency that rTfS
from time to time in the cost of
your own meals and your ability
TO pay for them comfortably.
The congressional food differ.
ence, or deficiency, Or Subsidy say
it as you will, may be turned in.
to startling problem in arhne.
tic. Admitting that in an era Of
Billions, $4,000 is mere two,bits
let's work the problem out
thoughtfully.
| Divide the $85, 1000 by the 53l
members of congress. You have
a $160 a year food subsidy for
each member. It's only lunch mon.
ey, too. For lunch is the only meal
members of congress eat in their
capitol restaurants.
Suppose every person in the Uni.
ted States said: There is def.
cheney in my kitchen accounts,
also need $160 year to balance
my food books, -
Very well, then. multiply $3.50 by
i3C, 600, 900 citizens of the United
States and you have a nice total
of $40, 300, 100000. Here's a figure
even 1914 thinker in billions can
understand. Here's a piece of In
flation to conjure with.
l don't say that everyone of the
1870, 000,000 Americans should de-
mand that the government give
him annual lunch money of $3.50
Yet l do think that the taxpayer
who is paying for the substituting
of the congressional luncheon is
entitled to turn the matter over in
his mind now and then. Especially
on such occasions as he feels tW
lean in both Wajstline and pocEst
cook.
Maybe all of US had better ct
en- quick eating terms with those
capitol lunchrooms. 1t would al
most be worth the trouble Of benz
elected to congress to be able 70
get a bowl of coed, hot soup While
the war is on, for 10 cents
Or old-fashioned beef stew FAM
i1y style, with big hunks Of real
meat, buttered egg noodles, green
PEAS and choice Of tea, coffee Or
milk for 60 cents.
Or a Chefs Special A'-FFeSn
Mississippi shrimp, seafood style
with steamed rice, coffee, tea OF
milk and that extra pat Of butter
tor a mere IS cents.
l often eat in the capitol restau
rants because l am member Oh
the press, sometimes because
am a fortunate guest. On TUESDAY
had tenderloin steak sandwich
there with french fried potatoes,
cold slaW and that extra cup
coffee for so cents,
Milk is never over ) cents
glass in the capitol. A pot Of Cd
Goa is IS cents And oyster a'sx
with milk is IS cents. With beaun
-ul thick cream the stew IS /"
cents.
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