The Vegan Winter 1952 by The Vegan Society

T H E VEGAN SOCIETY bounded

November,

1M44

^ A D V O C A T E S that man's t o o j should bo derived from fttJits.nuts, vegetables and grains, and E N C O U R A G E S the use of alternative* to all products of animal origin.

Minimum

K- ^

•

subscription, 7s. 6d. per annum, which include^ " T h e , Vegan. Life Membership, 11 7s. Od.

* ^ Honorary Secretory: •Mrs. HILDA HONEYSETT, » Honorary Treasurer : Mrs. EVELYN ROWLAND,

, Ewell, Surrey. Torquay, Devon.

THE VEGAN J O U R N A L OF T H E V E G A N .. - i ij

SOCIETY

Editur: Miss V E R A S T A N L E Y A L D E R , Advertisement Manager: Mr. J A C K S A N D E R S O N , 6 S.W.10. LOCAL V E G A N G R O U P S L O N D O N . — M r . Donaid Cross, YORKSHIRE:—'Miss Nr. Leeds.

Stella

AND

, Ewell, Surrey. London.

SECRETARIES Hatch End,

Rex,

M I D L A N D S . — M r . Don Burton, War. B R I S T O L . — M r s . E.: Hughes, M A N C H E S T E R . — M i s s Ann E. Owens, S C O T T I S H SECTION. Miss Dina M . Liberton, Edinburgh, 9.

Middlesex. .

Garforth.

Stratford-on Avon Knowle, Sutherland,

(Please communicate with your nearest Group

Bristol 4. Northenden .

Secretary)

THE

NATURE CURE HOME I HEALTH HYDRO Invercsk House, Inveresk, Midlothian

( 6 miles from Edinburgh) Treatments include : Fasting, Dietetics, Colonic Irrigation, Spinal Manipulation, Massage. Bergonie Therapy, Radiant Light and Heat, Baths, etc. Dieting is on non-flesh food reform lines. sympathetic toward- Vegan principles. A fully qualified physician is in residence.

THE

VEGAN

Journal of The Vegan Society Vol. VIII.

W I N T E R , 1952

No. 4

WELCOME TO 1953 T Christmas many of us feel that we are celebrating the birth of the " Christ consciousness" within our hearts. We remember the words : " Lo, I am with you always ! " W e are reminded that all things are possible to us, such as divine realisation, happiness, health and right living, if only we will clear away the mental rubbish and accumulations of the past, which clog our minds, veil our sight, and obstruct the free passage of our birthright of health and radiance. All that is wonderful in life is here all the time—within us. " The colour is not in the rose but in ourselves !" W e can never get anything really from outside. There is only one road to wisdom, happiness, health and freedom. That road is short and straight— the road to our own heart! Barring the way is our mind, with its weavings and machinations, its excuses and escapisms and ambitions, its fixed ideas and pet inhibitions ! It uses up a vast amount of our energy and health with its endless repetitions and indecisions and misconstructions. No wonder that one of the classic ancient sayings was : " The mind is the enemy of the real ! " Man is always talking about FREEDOM. There is only one way to reach freedom and that is to set oneself free—from the inside. W e should achieve freedom from fear, ambition, worry, fixed ideas, concentration on unessentials, criticism, and secondhand information. Under the burden of all this we are never free, nor are we even real people, thinking our own real thoughts. This time of the year always brings us a challenge, to begin again, to make a fresh life for ourselves, to get out of the rut. In order to achieve the rebirth and renewal implicit in the message of Christmas and New Year's Day, all we have to do is to see this mind of ours as it really is. Only by understanding it utterly can we make it our valuable servant instead of the tyrant it usually is. And when freedom is achieved by each of us individually, which is the only way in which it can be done, we will find that collectively the result will be a free world. In such a world, which has replaced fear with trust, and cant with common

THE VEGAN

sense, greed with sharing, and isolationism with integration, life will be inconceivably more joyful and fruitful. Let us each help by achieving some measure of this freedom for ourselves during 1953. V.S.A.

THE ELEMENT OF WATER "jy/TAN, animal and plant are able to subsist because of the interplay of the four elements, air, earth, fire and water. The combinations of the radiations of the air with the solid matter of the earth cause frictions and changes, heat and moisture. T h e formation of W A T E R is one of the main things which makes life possible. In fact it could be said that water represents the beginning of life, in that it is itself a living entity. For water has a life of its ownâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it is not justâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;water ! This fact has been much studied and demonstrated by such pioneers as Victor Schauberger, who has shown that, just as every living creature degenerates under pressure, so water when subjected to certain influences deteriorates, with loss of vitamins and hormones. In its natural state water comes together from the tops of mountains or hills, and is held and guided into little streamlets and falls, by Nature's arrangements of tree and rock. It is soon directed to form the source of a river. As this river grows its personal magnetic life grows also. T h e river soon has a core of electrical life at its centre. The river bed takes on a certain tubular form which allows the river to roll round its own core in a spiral movement as it progresses. This centripetal motion hoards energy and produces magnetism. T h e river has become a living entity. From its magnetic core it sends out electrical radiations which keep " alive " all the water in its vicinity beneath the surface of the earth, so that all that grows upon it is in good health. If the bed of the river is disturbed by man, formed into dams, altered in its course or cut into canals, its living core is destroyed, magnetism and radiation depart, and all moisture in the vicinity becomes stagnant, resulting in lifeless and poor vegetation. W i t h this in mind we can realise what happens to the water in our artificial reservoirs, and therefore to our tap-water. It is all comparatively dead water compared with what man would drink in a natural state from well, river or rain. Those of us whose bodies are becoming more sensitive and who depend more upon our drinking-water, would surely do well to become more waterconscious. W e do not want to weigh ourselves down with stagnant or dead water. W h a t , then, can we do? W e can help things considerably by drawing off our drinking water into a jug and exposing it to the

5 THE VEGAN fresh air for twenty-four hours before using it (covered, if necessary, with a piece of muslin to keep out the dust). W e know we should do this before watering plants, so obviously it would be best for ourselves also. If we wish to give still more life to our drinking water we can do so by holding a glass of it in our left hand and placing the right hand palm down over it for a minute or so, thus recharging it from our own electric battery ! V.S.A. CHRISTMAS

PRAISE

" A donkey braying seems to say— ' Kind friends be good to me to-day ' The cows that low for mercy, cry, Lest by fierce means their calves should die And they would have us all remember That distant day in cold December W h e n Love within a stable found, Lay small and helpless on the ground. • Now let Love grow to mans estate T o shield the weak from greed and h a t e — T o shelter creatures meek and low, W i t h gentle hands, from every foe. Then shall be sung at Christmas-tide Glad hymns of praise on every side And hearts shall make a joyful noise With fathers, mothers, girls and boys." MARION R E ID. AN

ART

EXHIBITION

Wilfred Pickles opened the very interesting exhibition of pictures by Elva Blacker which was held at Park Lane House last month. She had selected as her sitters many of the pioneers in the humanitarian world, and therefore the crowd that met together for her Private View was a convivial one enlivened by the meeting of fellow-spirits. Many of the portraits were most sensitive, and particularly appealing were Miss Blacker's portraits of dogs. V.S.A. 1st J A N U A R Y SUBSCRIPTION

RENEWALS

The Honorary Treasurer appeals to members to note that all subscriptions are due on 1st January. Prompt payment is asked for to minimize clerical work in sending out reminders.

THE VEGAN

IS EATING NATURAL ? T T O W much further can we go in this astonishing search for good health? T h e final note would appear to have been struck by the N A T U R A L S C I E N C E S O C I E T Y , 2803 S. Bumby Street, Orlando, Florida, who send out a manifesto entitled : " Is Eating Natural? " O n e picks up this pamphlet with a smile and the thought : " Now here are some real cranks ! " But the smile wears off as one reads, and one is struck by the courage, daring and simplicity of their statements. They make no bones about it ! They simply say " W h y eat at a l l ? " T h e y point out that practically every disease is cured by fasting, which can even in some cases cure thinness ! W h y , then, once cured, go back to the unfortunate habit of eating, which made you ill? T h e Natural Science Society declares that man was born to live by breathing, not eating, that when he first existed he could draw all his sustenance direct from the air, and that the intake of food or drink through the channel which we call the alimentary canal should merely have a stimulating action like that of the water which turns a mill, stimulating the cells to nourish themselves from the cosmic rays but not from food. T h e false habit of eating, which developed through greed, and was part of the Fall of Man, has overdeveloped the digestive organs at the expense of the lungs. T h e Society publishes a course of training, showing the steps by which man can regenerate himself and approach to the perfect state wherein he has no needs. Mention is made of a few examples, including the famous London lady who does not eat, Madame Barbara Moore Pateleewa. N o w such pioneers as the Vegans will certainly treat other pioneers with the respect which they themselves merit. Therefore it behoves us to look upon the non-eaters with unbiased eyes, and even see what arguments we can produce in their favour. On the face of it, one must confess that, whereas it is very hard for the human being to injure himself by too much breathing, walking, sleeping, or even working, it is remarkably easy for him utterly to ruin himself through eating, even average eating. This produces over-stimulation, leading, as all stimulation does, to demands for further stimulation, which is sought for in sex excesses, alcohol, smoking, and unhealthy mental stimulation as well. It could be said that all the latter excesses are brought about b y the initial excess, that of eating more than the very tiny amount o f pure fruit and green leaves which are actually necessary to man in his true state. The ideal held up to us by the Natural Science Society may belong to the dim future, but meanwhile it can at least help to clear away many outworn preconceptions about man's needs,

5 THE VEGAN and aid even the Vegans to feel that they still may be giving food too large a place in their lives. Think what would happen to the world economy if people were to cut down their present needs even by half ! There would be no more famine in the world, nor food shortage anywhere. " Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." T h e W o r d being, as we know, the great breath, vibration, the cosmic rays ! V E R A STANLEY ALDER.

MURDER IN THE NEXT ROOM T M A G I N E you have just taken a furnished room in a London house ! One night, soon after your arrival, you hear shouts and screams coming from the next room. Horrified, you rush to the door of that room, only to find it locked. In a panic you dial 999 and the police come and deal with the situation. Your responsibility is ended. You have set the machinery of the Law in motion against the crime of murder. The position of vegetarians (for humanitarian reasons) is exactly like that, except that they cannot appeal to the Law to intervene and prevent the wholesale murder that is going on around them, because the slaughter of animals is legal. If you make a fuss about it, people think you are odd. For custom is like a powerful drug which keeps them in a continual state of apathy and indifference to the cruelties committed in order to supply them with the meat they demand. When a sensitive person is suddenly shocked into a realisation of the dreadful truth, he finds there is very little he can do about it except to refrain, himself, from eating the products of the slaughterhouse. Yet there is something else he can do. W h a t about veganism? Vegans realise that dairy-farming and butchery go hand in hand. T h e dairy-farmer sends his surplus bull-calves and his cows with a decreasing milk yield, to the slaughterhouse. If there are exceptions to this rule they are extremely rare and the available milk most probably does not come from such a source. So the sensitive vegetarian finds that he can take yet another step in protest against the cruel exploitation of animals. He can become a vegan. But this seems very much harder. Apart from the social difficulties, there is the question of appetite. T h e mere idea of taking flesh into his mouth affects the true vegetarian with nauseating loathing. But he does not feel the same disgust over dairy produce. He li\es brown bread spread with fresh dairy butter. He li\es a brown egg with a golden yolk. He li\es creamy milk

THE VEGAN

in his tea. H e Ji^es cream with his strawberries. He li\es cheese. H e likes a hundred delicious foods made from milk. Yet, if he becomes a vegan he has to give up all these and eat an austere meal, whilst perhaps the vegetarians around him are heartily enjoying these forbidden foods as they cast pitying glances upon him. T h e n what is the vegan's compensation for all he has given up? First o f all, he finds that there are quite a lot of nice things left to eat, and when at home he does extremely well. Nut cream provides quite a good substitute for a number of milk dishes. Soya flour is a marvellous standby and with custard powder makes excellent custards. It has the advantage of being much cheaper than the nut creams. But the vegan's inestimable spiritual compensation for his restricted diet is the satisfaction of knowing that he is doing his utmost by his way of life towards the salvation of persecuted animals. H e cannot save them as he meets them on their way to the slaughter, but he is one with them in their tribulation. Those delicious dairy-product dishes are as nothing when he looks into the eyes of one of these victims. He has given them all he can including the delight of his appetite and he knows that, through his renunciation and similar renunciations, one day, in the future, the martyrdom o f defenceless animals will cease and men will recognise in them their own dear kith and kin. M.R.

FIRST STEPS TO HEALTH T H E ANCIENT EGYPTIAN

SEVEN-BREATH

W e have been asked to recommend a system of breathing. T h e famous seven-breath of the ancient Egyptians has been proved to be the safest for solitary practice. It is believed to align the breather with the seven major cosmic rays to which our solar system responds, and which are seen working out, for instance, in the seven days of the week, the seven colours of the spectrum and the seven musical notes. E X E R C I S E : Sitting upright, breathe in to a count of seven seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds, breathe out to a count of seven seconds, pause for seven seconds. Then recommence, repeating seven times. T h e full result must be achieved little by little, without strain. NOTICE V e r a Stanley Alder is hoping to visit France early in 1953, in order to link up with humanitarian work in that country. She would welcome any introductions to fellow-spirits whom she could meet whilst there, especially on the French Riviera.

7 THE VEGAN

GREAT BRITAIN AND THE WORLD S FOOD SUPPLY (By kind permission of the National Institute of Nutrition) By P E T E R F R E E M A N , M.P. (Concluded) Comparative Production.—Using figures provided by the British Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture of the U.S.A., which are approved by the National Farmers' Union, we have the following : — An average acre of land produces : (a) as animal food—168 lb. of beef or 228 lb. of mutton, or 300 lb. of pigmeat, or 400 lb. of poultry, i.e., an average of 250 to 300 lb. per annum of all varieties of animal produce. (b) as cereal and vegetable crops—2,000 to 2,500 lb. of wheat and barley, etc., 3,000 to 4,000 lb. of beans or maize, 4,000 to 5,000 lb. of rice, 20,000 lb. of potatoes, 25,000 lb. of carrots, over 30,000 lb. of swedes. Thus the figure for cereals is over ten times that for animal food, and that for vegetables is about 100 times as large. In addition the animals themselves consume a great deal of food. Thus the pig eats five times his own weight. Over half this food for animals has to be imported and much of it from dollar countries. 5,122,000 tons were provided in 1951—57 per cent of which was imported (Hansard, 4th December, 1951). Very many of these animals are unhealthy and are prone to tuberculosis, foot' and-mouth disease (of which there have recently been outbreaks of over 500 cases in the last six months, each causing an average slaughter of about 120 animals), swine fever, fowl pest, etc. This has caused enormous losses, while in Australia, largely due to natural causes such as drought, it is estimated that half a million cattle have recently been lost. W . S. A. Morgan, the Sanitary Inspector of Port Talbot, in • his official report for 1950, said that of the 1,391 cattle slaughtered, one out of six was wholly condemned after killing (because of animal diseases) and a further 48 per cent were condemned in part —this means that nearly two thirds of these cattle were found to be diseased. 112,485 carcases were wholly condemned in 1950 by the Ministry of Food as unfit for human consumption. (Hansard, 25th June, 1951.) W e have turned to the horse and whale population to help us out with our meat eating demands to such an extent, that our pre-war horse population of 1,250,000 has now fallen to 400,000, whilst international conventions are constantly being formulated

THE VEGAN

and revised to prevent the total extinction of the whale population and a Special Enquiry of the Government is proceeding to prevent all our horses being eaten. T h e " Manchester Guardian " (June, 1952) has recently published a series of articles indicating the suffering of Irish horses as they are transported to France to be killed for food, showing the indescribable misery which such traffic entails. From a study of the above figures, it will be readily seen that everybody who insists on eating meat is depriving about 50 other people of their food supplies somewhere in the world ! About half the world's population already lives practically on a vegetarian regime. During the first world war, Denmark could not import cattle food, and so most of the animal stock were killed off, and Denmark as a country became vegetarian during the war. A t the end of the war, the Danish Vital and Health Statistics reached a higher record than ever known before and amongst the best in Europe. In 1932, the League of Nations set up an International Commission of twelve nations, including Britain, U.S.A., France, Russia, Sweden, etc., inter alia it was asked to report on what it considered to be the minimum ration of meat that was needed to keep a soldier fit and well when on active service. The answer was " none," as such a man could keep perfectly healthy and fit on a diet of cereals, fruit and vegetables. W e can exist without meat— if we don't we are going to starve. T h e fundamental cause of war is fear of our next day's supply of food. Nations go to war to secure their future food supplies. This ever growing fear may lead to a third world war. Land Utilisation.—Turning to other matters, e.g., the available land in Gt. Britain, particularly in relation to the fact that cereals will keep in store, whereas meat and fish storage conditions are difficult and limited, we find that the figures for this country in thousands of acres are as follows : permanent grass, 12,000 ; temporary grass, 5,000 ; cereals, 7,500 ; vegetables, excluding potatoes, only 417 ; fruit only, 321 ; other crops, 3,500 ; rough grazing, 16,000. T h u s more than half the supply of land is only available for grazing. W e know that much of this on the mountainsides may not be practical for crops, but even here we could generally grow fruit and vegetables. Comparative Prices.—Considering prices per ton, on the 14th May, 1952, the average prices of home produce were given in Hansard. For Crops: wheat, £28 ; barley, £43 ; oats, £27 ; potatoes, £11 ; sugar (refined), £54. For M e a t : beef, £183 ; mutton, £253 ;

9 THE VEGAN pigs (pork), £258 ; pigs (bacon), £308 ; veal, £186. Meat thus costs an average of about eight times as much as crops ! It should not be forgotten that about half the food subsidies go for cattle, the relative figures being, in millions of pounds : bacon, £42; meat, £ 3 4 ; milk, £73; cheese, £16; butter, £43; animal feeding stuffs, £3/5/- ; tested herds, £3, and other items. Peron doubled his prices last year and the Argentinians are consuming more of their own meat themselves. Our Ministries of Agriculture and Food might give more consideration to the use to which our land is put and the fact that whereas the figures for bread grains and potatoes, two staple commodities, have remained fairly static, those for cattle have risen steeply, as will be seen from the following (figures in thousands of acres) : 1948 Forecast 1953 Bread 2,340 ... 2,050 Grains 6,016 ... 5,700 Potatoes 1,548 ... 1,220 Production Percentage of 1936 Beef/Veal 82 ... 109 Mutton/Lamb 56 ... 83 Pigmeat 29 ... 92 There are also less apple and fruit trees in cultivation, specially cooking apples and plums. It is not, therefore, surprising that the food situation is growing more acute. What could be done and should be done in the face of the present world situation? T h e Solution.— (1) W e should stop all subsidies on meat which are expensive and relatively unproductive, and spend the money on crops and vegetables. This country could grow practically the whole of our food supplies, except certain dried and citric fruits, etc. (2) W e should plant edible fruit, berry and nut trees in our gardens and villages, in our public parks, hedges and on hillsides, in abundant supplies and in great variety. W e should plant apples, pears, plums, cherries, etc., along all main roads. This is being done on the Continent, particularly in Germany, France and Italy. Surpluses should be reserved for hospitals, old people and children, etc. W e have trained ourselves not to touch expensive flowers in public parks and we can equally train ourselves not to destroy public fruit trees, although no exception need be taken to a reasonable use of the fruit by the public. (3) Every encouragement and greater facilities, etc., should be given by scientific culture, more modern machinery, use of undeveloped land, better conditions for workers, to increase our natural food possibilities.

THE VEGAN

( 4 ) Greatly augment the Allotment Scheme. To-day allotment holders are often treated with scant courtesy instead of with encouragement and subsidies. Distribute seeds, fertilisers, implements free. Give more advice and encourage as many as possible to take a more active interest in the land and grow their own home produce. T h e resulting improvement in national health alone would make it worth while and avoid heavy costs of transport. (5) Increase the kind of work the N A T I O N A L I N S T I T U T E O F N U T R I T I O N is doing in its policy of education and enlightenment. Let Britain become food conscious, and use its land and resources more efficiently. She can then feed herself and lead the whole world in becoming the most enlightened and food conscious nationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the effect on world relations and world peace would thus be incalculable.

BOOK REVIEW E V E R Y B O D Y ' S GUIDE T O N A T U R E C U R E by Harry Benjamin. Health for All Publishing Co., 1 7 / 6 . When one settles down to a lengthy book one is prepared to battle perhaps with longwindedness, and make an effort to sift through and seize upon the essential message hidden in its pages. Not so with Everybody's Guide to Nature Cure. Although it contains 500 pages and a wealth of information about every sort of illness and its cure, the actual message and teaching of the book stands out clearly and simply, and leaves the average reader with a complete grasp of the subject. This is partly because, from the Nature Cure angle, there is only one diseaseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;clogging of all the tissues through wrong habits ; and therefore the cure must consist in every case of a process of elimination and cleansing, together with the formation of new habits which will avoid such clogging in future. W e are shown how all illness is an effort of the body to throw out poisons and unwanted substances. Treatment should aid this process instead of suppressing it, as with many orthodox medicines. This book explains the body's methods of self-purification and the various symptoms and crises which they produce. It gives confidence to the reader to treat himself through Nature Cure, to follow the process intelligently, and to avoid those panicky moments when courage fails and more stop-gap methods are resorted to, thus destroying much of the good already achieved. As this book is already in its eleventh impression its value to the public can easily be assessed. If one were to offer any criticism at all, it seems a pity that so many harsh words are used against the orthodox medical profession and its ways. After all, it has had to carry on whilst Nature Cure was not making itself sufficiently felt. Many orthodox doctors are taking up Nature Cure and collaborating with its practitioners. It would seem more constructive to hold out the hand of friendship to an overworked profession who are in some ways as much at the mercy of their public as ever their public is of them! It could be said that, just as we get the government we deserve, and the friends we deserve, so also do we get the doctors we deserve! The public are too apt to choose the easier, lazier or more spectacular ways to health, and loathe being told to restrict themselves in any way. But, for those who are ready to travel the straight and narrow road which leads to radiant health, this book will indeed be welcomed as their best friend! V.S.A.

11 THE VEGAN

E Christmas Dinner B y MABEL SIMMONS (Teacher of Vegetarian Cookery)

SAVOY

SOUP.

B R A Z I L N U T O R C A S H E W N U T ROLL. PARSLEY STUFFING. C H E S T N U T BALLS. CAULIFLOWERS. STEAMED

BRAISED CARROTS POTATOES.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING.

M I N C E PIES.

COFFEE. Savoy Soup 1 small savoy. 1 oz. margarine. 1 large potato.

1 onion. 1 bay leaf. 2 pints stock seasoning.

Make stock of outside leaves of savoy as well as peelings of all vegetables used for dinner. Shred savoy, cut onion finely, braise both in saucepan with margarine. Add stock, bay leaf, potato cut in slices, boil until cooked. Press through sieve, re-boil, add seasoning, garnish with grated carrot. Brazil Nut or Cashew Nut Stuffed Roll 1 lb. milled nuts. 2 oz. margarine. Seasoning. Wholemeal sauce.

-i lb. wholemeal breadcrumbs. 1 large onion ( J lb.). i teaspoon sage (powdered).

Mix nuts, breadcrumbs and seasoning together. Cut onion "finely, fry golden brown. Mix in powdered sage. Place onion â&#x20AC;˘on top of mixture, pour over about six tablespoons wholemeal sauce, make into pliable dough. Flour board, roll out mixture oblong, spread parsley stuffing on, roll up, cover with greased paper, bake in hot oven half an hour. Wholemeal Sauce 1 oz. wholemeal 1 oz. margarine.

flour.

$ pint good stock. Seasoning.

Melt margarine, mix in flour, gradually stir in stock seasoning, bring to the boil, simmer five minutes.

and

THE VEGAN Parsley Stuffing i lb. wholemeal breadcrumbs. 1 oz. margarine (grated). 1 teaspoon thyme.

2 tablespoons chopped parsley. i lemon rind. Seasoning.

M i x all dry ingredients together, bind with a little wholemeal sauce. Chestnut Balls 1 lb. chestnuts. 1 oz. margarine. Wholemeal sauce.

J lb. wholemeal breadcrumbs. Seasoning.

Put chestnuts into boiling water, remove skins, boil until cooked, mash or press through sieve, add breadcrumbs, seasoning, margarine grated, bind with wholemeal sauce. Form into small balls, roll in breadcrumbs, bake in hot oven until golden brown (about fifteen minutes). Cauliflower Separate and wash each section of cauliflower. Drop into as little boiling water as possible, adding a lump of margarine, and seasoning. Boil quickly with lid on for about fifteen minutes. Braised Carrots 1 lb. carrots.

1 oz. margarine.

1 teacup stock.

Seasoning.

Scrape carrots, cut into rings, melt margarine, drop in carrots and stir until all are glazed. Add stock and seasoning, cook quickly fifteen to twenty minutes. Sprinkle chopped parsley over when finished. Steamed Potatoes Take 2 lbs. potatoes. Scrub well and steam in jackets. Christmas Pudding i i i \ $

lb. lb. lb. lb. lb.

currants. sultanas. raisins. dates. mixed peel.

-J lb. suenut. 4 lb. brown sugar. f lb. chopped nuts. almonds or cashews. I teacup orange juice.

i lb. fresh wholemeal. breadcrumbs. 2 oz. wholemeal flour. 1 carrot (grated).

Clean fruit and mix all dry ingredients together. Grate in carrot, suenut, and nutmeg. Lastly, stir in orange juice. Let mixture stand overnight. Put into greased basin, cover with greaseproof paper and cloth. Steam eight hours and turn out of basin when cooked. Cashew Nut Cream ÂŁ lb cashew nut butter. Rind of -J lemon.

6 or 7 tablespoons very hot water.. Teaspoon sugar.

Beat well and when cold it is ready for use.

THE VEGAN Mince Pies 2 oz. 2 oz. 2 oz. 2 oz. i lb. Rind

currants. raisins. chopped dates. suenut. apples. and juice of $ lemon.

2 oz. 2 oz. 2 oz. i lb. Half

sultanas. peel. chopped nuts. brown sugar. a nutmeg.

Clean fruit, chop finely, add grated apple, lemon rind, suenut, nutmeg. Mix all well together with fork, lastly adding lemon juice. Pastry for Mince Pies 4 lb. wholemeal

flour.

lb. nutter.

Water.

Rub nutter into flour, mix with water into soft dough. Roll out thinly, line patty tins, place mincemeat in, cover with pastry, prick top, bake in hot oven, fifteen to twenty minutes.

ST. FRANCIS O N CHRISTMAS

DAY

St. Francis said : " On Christmas Day T h e helpless little Jesus lay Between an ox and ass ; Therefore the ox and ass shall be Partakers of our jollity And sharers of our Mass. And every bird and every beast Shall be invited to the feast O f holy Christmas joy ; Encompassed thus by peace on earth All living things shall hail the birth O f Christ, that lovely Boy." MARION REID. ANIMALS' FAIR As " The Vegan " is just going to press, it is not possible to give a detailed summary of the Animals' Fair as it affected the Vegan Stall. T h e financial gain to the Vegan Society, as was to be expected, will not be so great as last year—about £20 compared with £30, although the exact figure cannot be given yet. As everyone is only too well aware, money is very much " t i g h t e r " this year, and both individuals and firms have, for the most part, found it impossible, with all the rising costs, to respond with the same generosity as they would have liked. Nevertheless, we are most grateful to those who sent us gifts in cash or kind—we have had very many well-wishers. The amount collected on the stall and from cash gifts was well over £ 5 0 , but from these proceeds have to be deducted the price of the stall, the cost of goods purchased wholesale, and various other expenses. The propaganda side is a not inconsiderable aspect of the Animals' Fair, and those who helped on the stall had some most interesting and helpful conversations with newcomers to the idea of veganism. Although

THE VEGAN

we were very careful to urge those who were interested in our aims that they should not make the change too suddenly, we found a definite keenness on the part of the " idealists " to reduce their intake of dairy produce, and gradually to change over to non-animal products as they found themselves able to do so. T h e ethical side was brought home to many who were present at the Fair. M.E.D.

HEALTH O N

COUNCIL

REPORT

Saturday, the 1st November, by very kind invitation of Dr. and Mrs. Pink, the Inaugural Meeting of the Health Council took place at " Stonefield,'" with about a dozen members present. This Council haa been formed this year by The Vegan Society for the purpose of studying health in relation to veganism. Well-known vegetarian doctors, scientists, nutrition experts and others have expressed their willingness to co-operate in this important work, which will involve a great deal of investigation. T h e more concrete evidence we are able to obtain of comparisons in health before and after several years of vegan living, the more comprehensive will be the results of the investigations. T h e Inaugural Meeting was full of optimism, and we were all conscious of the real spirit of harmony prevailing amongst those present, as the difficulties which vegans have had to face were freely discussed, and we felt most grateful to Dr. Frank Wokes in particular for the considerable assistance he offered, and for his valuable researches which he is so enthusiastically carrying out on behalf of The Vegan Society. It would not be possible here to go into details of the meeting at " Stonefield," but I should like to point out that the Health Council grew out of the former Vegan Diet Group. The significance of this is two-fold. Firstly, we wished to invite non-vegans as well as vegans to join it, so we dropped the name " Vegan " from the title; the second pointâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and more important, we feltâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;was to omit the word " diet." There has been a great deal of stress laid on the dietetic aspect, especially with regard to those vegans who have been ill. One of the chief purposes of the Health Council is to help people to realise that veganism is not just a question of diet; veganism involves not only a physical change, but a mental, emotional and spiritual one as well, and if we are not prepared to consider all aspects together, we shall not be able to reach really satisfactory conclusions. T h e points discussed at the Health Council Meeting were mostly dietetic, as Dr. Wokes has offered to help as much as he possibly can by experimenting with various kinds of food in his laboratory, and trying out different dietetic combinations and synthetic vitamin preparations on himself and others. He will be carrying out tests on different dietetic groups, as he has also asked for volunteeers for this experimentation from long-standing vegans, and about a dozen so far have offered themselves for this purpose. W e feel that this is much more in keeping with our ethical views than by our having anything to do with experiments on animals which, besides being intensely cruel, are by no means conclusive. W e should like to take this opportunity of thanking all those who filled in the Questionnaire which was sent out recently to members and associates (although respecting the views of those who had definite reasons for not wishing to do so). The number of replies we received was very gratifying, and the letters of explanation which accompanied many of the Questionnaires (or were sent instead in some cases) were greatly appreciated. W c hope to send personal replies by degrees to those necessitating an answer, but this has been impossible so far, much to our regret. Meanwhile, the Questionnaires are being used for comparative purposes, in collecting certain data which should prove most useful. M.E.D.

15 THE VEGAN

THE VEGAN SOCIETY Annual General Meeting, 8th November, 1952 Friends' House, Euston Road, London SECRETARY'S REPORT

n ^ H E year 1952 has been one of hope and steady progress. All vegans are alert. There have been several resignations—we hope they are but temporary. The General Committee has met six times this year and vegan week-ends and mid-week meetings at " Coombe L o d g e " and " Libra " have greatly helped with the work and have been much appreciated. Scotland and Wales continue to keep well linked with the: Society, and Ireland has been much more vocal this year. From our well-scattered membership we receive news regularly and their research reports are most interesting. T h e Health Council has been duly formed and the 1952 Questionnaires are being returned in order. In order to help put the vegan diet on a more scientific basis we plan to issue proven Information Booklets. T h e Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has been examined and found very good. Viewing herb drying by Messrs. Pannet 6? Needham o f Wallington was one of the special outings enjoyed by vegans and. their friends. Various commodities have been studied—wash leather and wool' substitutes are the two outstanding findings. Mr. D. Burton states, that cork mixtures make excellent soles. W e offered an advertisement of two lines, free of charge, to all establishments catering for vegans. This has been gladly accepted. Some members hope to plan a Buy and Sell Service of Garden. Produce. It will commence in London and the Home Counties. W h e n Mr. Edgar B. Hewlett was married this autumn, the. gift the Society sent him and his bride was made by a vegan. Mr. George Lane designed a floral plaque and made it into a most effective tray. Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Hewlett are living in Wales.. These two suggestions are offered for your consideration : — (1) A vegan dinner at the Attic Club in the spring—perhaps, at Easter. (2)

A vegan conference to be arranged for a week-end, or a longer period in, or near, London : so that lectures,, talks and discussions could be enjoyed by all.

THE VEGAN

T h e W o r l d Federation of Animals has received attention from the Society ; the Animals " Charter of Rights," issued by Mr. Ernest Swift, was signed by the General Committee at their meeting in October. T h e Animals' Fair takes place this year on the 28th and 29th November. Beside the stall for all vegan commodities we plan to have a literature table. TREASURER'S

REPORT

M y report last year was not one of great cheerfulness, but rather one of the necessity for caution in expenditure and an appeal to members to come forward promptly with their subscriptions. This year, the outlook is much brighter, for we ended with a balance in hand of £ 1 7 1 , and with an excess of Income over Expenditure of £92 3s. 2d. Owing to the ending of the financial year being altered from 31st October to 30th September, the balance in hand would, in the 12 months, actually be about £ 1 2 0 . Before subscriptions commence coming in again after 1st January, this balance will be reduced to about £70. T h e year has been one of marking time to a certain extent, whilst trying to accumulate a little reserve over and above our actual unavoidable expenditure. W e again owe thanks to those members of the Committee who do not charge any expenses; to Mrs. Arnaldi, who' gives us the hospitality of her flat for committee meetings, and to those members who generously pay more than the minimum subscription. T h e majority of subscriptions this year have only been forthcoming after reminders have been sent out, and it seems that although the 1st January is an easy date to remember—as we thought—it has not, so far, very often been connected with the renewal date of vegan subscriptions! Over 300 reminders were sent out with the Spring magazine, and 120 with the Autumn number. There are still about 100 subscriptions not paid for this year, and some of these are for two years. In August, 51 circular letters were sent out to those with subscriptions outstanding for several years, and these resulted in 48 cancellations—the majority not replying to the circular. There have been 40 further cancellations this year, the majority giving the cost of living as the reason. As against these cancellations, we have had 27 new members or associates, and five Life members. W e are pleased to say that four issues of our magazine have been possible this year, and if the response from old and new members is maintained, it will continue to be possible. Stocks of literature are now very low, and as it is some time since we published anything, we hope with the little reserve we are beginning to accumulate, that at least a new recipe book will be possible to meet many requests. I ended my report last year with a hope that the results of the Animals' Fair would relieve our immediate financial anxieties. The result was far greater than we expected—thanks almost entirely to Mrs. Drake. A substantial profit once again, coupled with a resolve on the part of members to remember the 1st January, would enable us to commence 1953 with considerably more confidence in the finances of the Vegan Society than we have felt for some time. But in saying this, we must remember that we are dependent on the work of the Society being done on an honorary basis, and the thanks of everyone in the Society are due to Mrs. Honeysett for the full-time work which she gives to the Society.

17 THE VEGAN S T A T E M E N T OF A C C O U N T S F O R T H E Y E A R E N D E D 30th S E P T E M B E R , 1952. RECEIPTS.

£ s. d. 78 19 9 * 201 11 2 26 3 7 32 7 114 30 10 3 1 7 6

Cash in hand and at Bank, 3 1 / 1 0 / 5 1 . . . Subscriptions and Donations Advertisements in The Vegan Sale of Literature Animals' Fair (net profit) December, 1951 Proceeds from 1951 A.G.M. and Social . . .

£371 PAYMENTS. £

117 31 30 13 6 171

Printing The Vegan Printing, Stationery and Advertising Postages, Carriage, Telephones Travelling expenses—Secretary and Treasurer I.V.U. Subscriptions and Sundries Cash in hand and at Bank, 3 0 / 9 / 5 2

£371 Audited and found correct by MRS. C. CROSS, Uxbridge. 23/10/1952.

MRS.

s. d. 1 11 10 14 17 6 12 5 2 Hi 0

ROWLAND,

Hon.

Treasurer.

LIVE LETTERS YORKSHIRE.

" No silver-scaled fish, nor yet Gay-feather'd barnyard fowl; No Springtime's joyous lamb, piglet, Or patient mild'eyed cow, Shall spill its blood that we may feast Upon this Christmas Day. The cabbage firm, the tight-packed sprout, The carrot's tangerine; Sweet apples, nuts, gold turnips stout, The lettuce crisp and green; All these shall on our board be spread Upon this Christmas Day. And when all men shall this obey, (The time will surely come,) Then shall we all in full accord, Say H A P P Y Christmas Day."

IRELAND.

Nowhere is the message of Natural Therapeutics more desperately needed than in Southern Ireland. Dublin is virtually ignorant of this vital theme. Dublin swarms with sufferers who have never heard of Nature Cure, who know nothing about sane dietetics. Hence an incompu' table load of suffering is inflicted on the Irish Nation, to their detriment industrially, physically, culturally and spiritually.

THE VEGAN

LONDON.

T h e Committee of the London Vegan Group happiness at Christmas and a Vital New Year. H e r e are four special dates. Please note.

wish you

peace and

Saturday, 27th December.—A theatre party is being formed to go to T h e Muffin Show, with Miss' Annette Mills as the Star, at the Vaudeville Theatre, 4 . 3 0 p.m. Tickets, Dress Circle, 7 / - . Mrs. M. Drake has some tickets and early application is urged if you wish to join the party. Saturday, 2 4 t h January, 3 p.m. onwards.—A Social will be held at 7, Wanstead Lane, Bromley, Kent, by kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Drake. T h o s e who came last year know what an enjoyable time we all had, with games, social intercourse and warm hospitality. If you have not been before, phone RAVensbourne 2809, to ask for your special direction if you do not see Mrs. Drake at the Animals' Fair. Saturday, 21st February, 3 p . m . — A lecture by Ernest Hidson on " Diet and Veganism " at The Friends' Meeting House, Euston Rd., N . W . I . Mr. Hidson is an Australian who is in London for four years' study. He is a vegan, which is a brilliant achievement in Australia. T h e Australian Vegetarian Society struggles against the large meat industry and the fact that Australians are big meat eaters. W e welcome Mr. Hidson to England to the London V e g a n Group. Please bring your friends for a stimulating experience. Saturday, 7 t h March.—3 p.m. Lectures and Discussion. 5 p.m. Tea. 5 . 4 5 p.m. Annual General Meeting. Mrs. Claire Lowenfeld and Mr. Frank Wokes, B.Sc, Ph.D., will talk on " Bircher-Benner Diet in Theory and Practice." This will be followed by question and discussion. Dr. Frank W o k e s is making a special study of vegan diet and will make some observations on it. Full particulars of the Annual General Meeting will be given in the next L.V.L., but make sure to book the date. GOSFORTH, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE,

O u r experiences while on holiday make us want to take that final step to veganism immediately. On big dairy farms they are now burning the horns off the heads of the cows with electric wires! The wire is placed round the horn close to the skull and the current switched on. The bellowings of the poor creatures is terrible to listen to, and we are told that their heads sometimes bleed for three weeks afterwards. They are then treated with some other stuff supplied by the vet at a doubtless high price. T h e idea is supposed to be to prevent the cows injuring each other with their horns and causing trouble to the byreman. I'm afraid those of us who use dairy produce even in small amounts (we haven't taken a single ounce of our cheese ration these last few weeks) have much to answer for! ( M r s . ) NORA C .

TURNBULL.

AMERICA.

Some of the books that I was given on my recent American tour contain recipes that may be new and of practical use to vegetarians and possibly vegans in and around the United Kingdom. These, of course, are at the disposal of your Society and I will gladly send them either to your office or to your " recipe e x p e r t " on receipt of instructions. T h e books are to be returned to me after use as I value not only the contents but their associations. HANWORTH

WALKER.

19 THE VEGAN MISCELLANEOUS