The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-28
SENSIBLE SPENDING.


rent it is we'll to remember that that which IS
really necessary to health and reasonable COM
fort must be paid for. If it is not paid for dl-
rectly in money, it will be indirectly paid for
in loss of physical and mental wellbemg which
will make its cost higher than the money de-
manded. When people go without what they
really need because they cannot pay for 1t, this
is not thrift: it is misfortune. When people go
without what is worth more to them than
money, simply to save the money, they save
the lesser value, and this is not thrift. we
need an immense amount OF expensive ma
Iterial and an immense wage fund to carry on
this war These must be paid for IN money
and the money must be earned to put to gov
eminent use. Capital and labor can earn this
money by marketing products which in normal
times are estimated to be worth more to pur-
chasers than their money cost When this estl-
mate is right, the investor is thrifty, however
much or little he spends. When the estimate Is
wrong there is extravaganza People VINO
have spent money for things that do not really
represent value in the satisfaction they give
ought to stop this. People who have only
enough money to buy what they absolutely
need for health and comfort ought to spend
wisely But people who can buy what gives
them satisfaction without depicting their in
money now is as dangerous to public welfare as
boarding of food; nor is it real thrift.
|
The governments decision to take over the
ships now building in American yards was ex-
pected General Goethals, who will have full
charge of the construction work planned by the
emergency fleet corporation, speaking a few
days ago of Rear Admiral Rosseau, his first as
(sistant, said: ''He will appraise ships now on
the ways ships which we probably shall take
over under legislation now pending' About
million tons under construction contracted
for is for British account, and this the English
government is ready to turn over to the United
States. The fullest cooperation between
American yard owners and the administration
seems assured, and the great steel-making
plants will do their part in furnishing material
for the new fleet. In the meantime the i'm
perative demand for ships to carry food and
other supplies to our allies will be met by
taking over vessels now building.
What amounts to enslavement of the Belgian
nation seems to have been begun on larger
scale than ever before. All the ablebodied men
and women of that unfortunate country face
to German soil, there to be put
to work under mastership as definite as that
over the slaves of our days previous to the
civil war Old people and children under the
plan of General Won Kissing were to be driven
over into the allies lines at the point of the
bayonet. We may yet see this done Here is
actual enslavement of nation. It could not
be defended if practiced against a nation that
had precipitated war. Against nation
innocent of any provocation it is unciyil-
lied practice. Germany declares we cannot
understand her. This is true enough. But We
can clearly understand what she is doing.
IF all former members Of the Greek cabinet
ara to ha daporte5 Graaca will ha Inu1afynn