The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-12-19
Waste In America.

we are an unduly extravagant
people; and the lesson of the hour is
economy, to add as little as possible
to the heavy burden Of credit which
the country Is now called upon to
Dear. Let us save every dollar we
can against the day Of investment on.
portunity just ahead of us. This is
best for the individual and for the
country as whole, as we will have
no financial help from Europe for
years to come-and great DEVELOPMENT
work will need every dollar that can
be saved."-Ray Stannard Baker.
Now Is a particularly good time for
US Americans to consider earnestly the
necessity that is laid upon us to con.
serve our resources Of all kinds.
One Of the Belgian delegates who
called on President Wilson recently
was greatly astonished at what he
saw In this country Of the reckless use
OF our opportunities. He said:
"On our ride to Chicago We saw
hundreds Of miles Of fertile lands lying
fallow. We saw orchards and fields
with ungathered products rotting on
the ground. We saw miles Of young
trees being destroyed by fires started
by engine sparks and left to burn un-
noticed. Everywhere the farms and
residences were divided nv wooden
FENCES that contained enough luni1c.
to build the homes or az clnpirs.
THE waste OF America is not con-
lined to materials. Never can q Eu-
ropoan believe the magnitude of vast
cd labor in America unless he visits
the cities. Hundreds of thousands Of
men. whose energy might be applied
to production, remain in enforced idle
ness.
In the country, wasted lands; in
the cities. wasted men. On the trees
and plants. ungathered food; in the
centre Of population. hungry people.
Those are the economic elements Of
American life. Why do not the states
men here address themselves to bring
ing about an adjustment that will cure
these evils?
If any Country In Europe had such
bounteous natural wealth, such limit
less land area fit for cultivation, and
such unused labor energy, it would
be quickly transformed into prosper
ity beyond dreams. Why in Belgium
even our dogs work. Every city lot
Is cultivated and most of our garden
truck Is raised on less ground than
Americans waste in unused back
yards"
Undoubtedly there are answers to
some Of these criticisms from this
foreign observer, but we must plead
guilty to being wasteful.
1t Is probable that the great Eu-
ropean war will result in moro thrift
In the United States nationally and
individually. There are several rea-
sons for this belief Every citizen in
America will feel the strain Of this
crisis, and most Of us will be disposed
to rctrench and to intrench ourselves
by putting more money into the
bank as a reserve fund and for in
vestment purposes.
For many years after this war all
the savings OF the people Of Europe
probably will so into the securities of
their governments which will need to
do some tremendous borrowing to
pay the costs Of the vast struggle. So
that littlo capital from Europe can
he expected for a long time to help
American development. as it has in
the past. We must finance ourselves.
Undoubtedly also there will b, a
great after-the-war immigration to
America from the European countries.
This influx will contain many who
both from training and necessity, are
thrifty and in the main they will be
a desirable element in our population.
Quite possibly we can learn some
valuable lessons from them.-T. d.
MacGregor.