Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-27
=. National Lesson in Thrift


\/iRGlNIA will absorb it's full quota OF
Sij.OOO.0O0 assigned 10 il from tho SOW
ernmcnt's $4,000 100000 issue OF war
savings certificates. Nor will Richmond fail
TO take its apportionment Of $4,000. 900.
state and capital have gone hand in land in
subscribing their maximum amounts each time
the country has called upon them. and when
this twelve months drive is ended once more
ii will be found that they have done their
duty right Loyalty. But il is no small task
that confronts tho State. The upportion-
nl"nt is heavy. 1t represents more moucy
than the average mind can conceive Of.
There will be no contributions ranging up to
six figures to swell the total such as have been
mad" in other bond-selling campaigns. This
is an issue Of the people. by the people. and
for the people. in all that implies. 1t is for
the man who must save from his earnings.
1t is for those whose means arc too limited
to permit OF their investment in bonds even
when the denominations run as low as $50.
1t is an opportunity the government offers
to every loyal citizen to contribute of his
substance TO the prosecution OF this war for
liberty; To enable him 10 feel that he is really
aiding his country in the hour OF its ncces-
sity At the same time he is making an in
ves,ment which will give back his principal
with goOdy interest. 1t is not bolieyable
that anywhere in Virginia can one person he
found who Will not want to become the
owner Of one Or more of these certificates
Virginia will contribute its quota and il
will get back principal and interest but il
will also get in return fur more than that
In addition to its value received" lis people
will have been taught how to save. THIS is
the result hoped for. IL is iii largest measu %
the governments object in it's war savings
campaign. II would be a very Simple matter
to raise $4,000. 000,0 in other ways were
that the sole desic-atum. but this nation
must BE- taught thrift. Ii ii is to attain vic
tory over its enemies. il first must achieve
victory itself. We are speuuthrjft
people. We have rrospered above all other
p aopies III the globe and our money mas
flowed from cvcr-Open hands. Now the time
has come when that reckless. thoughtlcss flow
must be checked and serious thought be
given to the future.
II is not that til" government needs tho
actual money represented in the issue Of GER
tiiicaies, but il does need tho goods an, the
services which that money will buy. Every
time one spends dollar for Il luxury or other
nonessential, he has helped TO create a de-
mand which requires labor. human or ma
chine. To supply. He thereby has taken that
much labor away from the government when
il should have been turned into channels tina,
would aid i'll the great common cause TO
"hich We har" been consccrntcd. II is ::
time for sacrifice, not of necessities but of
these things to which we have become ac-
Gnstomed through long years OF easy living
and which We could do without This t. Tho
lesson that must he learned. an the quicker
II is taken 10 heart the better il will be for
us as !; nation. Other nations have learned
the paramount duty Of thrift. and we will
not fall behind hen its imper rtivc necessity
Is pointed out.
This. then. is the real aim Of the issue of
war savings certificates. and i, will prove
worth 10 the country many times the amount
OF money turned into the Treasury at Wash
ington. Once the spirit OF thrift has heen
lhcnicated III III" heart of the people saving.
instead OF aimlcSS Spending. will become the
national characteristic; bank account will
"' INC rune rather than The exception and the
United States vii! 80 happily forward To u
NOR" real prosperity than it has ever known
On" year has been Set aside for tho tcachipp
81 the lesson 1t should be sufficient