OCR Text |
Show TEA NOT A "FOOD." j A problem which has stirred certain classes of English folk for some time has been determined by judicial decree. de-cree. A British court has held that tea is not a "food." The determination of . this point, however, merely opens the way for more and ever-increasing controversy. It is all very well to S3y that tea is not a food because, as inferred from the court's decision, it cannot be "eaten," but there are many other liquids which cannot bs "eaten" which have all along boon regarded as food. The London Chronicle confesses its inability clearly to grasp the merits of the legal argument put forth in the tea case. "You do not invite your friend to eat tea leaves ergo, tea, which cannot be 'eaten,' is not a food," says the Chronicle,- "but then, neither do you ask him to 'eat' cocoa-essence cocoa-essence or 'drink' soup, both of which certainly are classed as foods." Of course, there are many medical persons and hospital officials who never have regarded tea as a food, and these have no interest whatever in the court's ruling. The great bulk of the British people, however, to whom tea is a life-giving elixir, and tea-time a witching hour, have suffered a severe blow. Millions of English tea-drinkers and what Englishman is not a tea-drinker? tea-drinker? will sincerely regret that a learned jurist has felt himself called upon to give thoir beloved beverage a lower rank than tradition entitles it to hold. |