BACON AND EGGS AND OPTIMISM.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 76, 29 March 1924, Page 19

BACON AND EGGS AND OPTIMISM.

MB. CHESTERTON ARGUES WITH MR. SHAW.

WHY AMERICAN'S DRINK IN THE MORNINGS.

Miss Peggy O'N'ell suggested " orange cocktails" nnd other American fruit dishes as a variant on the British breakfast Whereat Mr. G. K. Chesterton waxes Chestortonic, with the further result that Mr. George P.ernard Shaw's views on bncon get a further airing.

Mr. Chesterton opposes the suggestion that fruitarians arc notoriously more '.n----telligent than beefeaters, and saya that breakfasts are absolutely unknown on the other side of the Atlantic.

" I am rery ror.d of America," he Bays, "and admire many things in American society, but they should not raise the subject of breakfast in the presence of Englishmen.

" They sleep in hothouses and wake np so thirsty that they are obliged to devour quantities of fresh fruit and drink of iced water and alcohol. But it is not breakfast. Our Glorious Heritage. " If there is one thing that would justify an armed assault on the United States, v is this attempt to introduce such diet to the British breakfast-table.

'•If there is one glorious thing in Eng land which must never die, it is a breakfast of bacon and eggs.

"Anyone who cannot be bright over such a meal must be a confirmed pessimist indeed."

"Why bacon?" retorts Mr. Shaw. "Do Jews never enjoy their breakfasts? l*eyslmists. who are always confirmed in their views by the morning paper, are usually particularly bright and 'Told you so!' 11 breakfast."

Pigs, Pullets, and Manna. Mr. Chest ertnn concedes that the allege

'• Rohominn's" breakfast fare of a pint of beer Is inadvisable in modern society, Mil carries on with a personal thrnst: Mr. Shaw would liave been a very intelligent man if only he had always had boiled elephant or filed tiger for his morning mea..

•• rardon mo." Mr. Shaw retaliates. "Mr. Shaw 'is ' a very Intelligent man. Methusaleh could hardly have been expected tj co on eating pigs and pullets every mornine for fKiO Tears. Mauna will be the food of the future." Ho concludes with the question: "Must we always be condemned to slops and marmalade? Now if Mr. Chesterton had attacked buckwheat cakes and molasses I shoulfl have sympathised. But fresh fruit. My mouth waters!"