26 JANUARY 1940, Page 14

Vegetarian English Pulse, of course, has particular value when meat

is scarce. There is or was, one school of vegetarian, so called, who con- demned peas, beans and lentils as not less evil than meat, on the ground of their likeness. The standard substitute was cheese ; but what a misuse of language to describe cheese- eating as a " vegetarian's " duty. Someone (G. B. S., for example) should invent a word that covers all those who are not carnivorous. Such a coinage is the more desirable as the progressive diminution of the meat ration is the most salient fact in modern dietetics.

W. BEACH THOMAS.