The Evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1917-1920, 1917-10-30
DOING AWAY WITH THE UNNEC.
ESSARY

: We have been pictured as a large
rich nation, too selfish and too fat {,
fight A part of this picture ma.
J have been true, but we have showl
the world we can and will fight.
Will we who are here at home real
ize we are in war to the extent o.
doing away with the unnecessary?
Wouldn't it be a blessing If the wal
would help us get rid of wastefu
habits and teach US to practice econ.
omy so successful that it would be.
come not only habit, but fashion
able occupation?
With the war brought to a success
full end we should have as a by
product of the war increased efficiency
of individuals, of the individuals IS
purse and of the individuals business,
profession or occupation.
The war-cry of the private citizen
should be "Do away with the un-
necessary" Two great wastes of our
| country are styles and the so-calle6
free-delivery systems. Efforts are
being made to simplify styles of both
men and women and to do away with
unnecessary deliveries by retail
stores.
The women want to do their part
why not help simplify styles? The
essence of fashion has been constant
change. Competition to be in style
or ahead of style has become so
strong among women that we have
straw hats the first of March and boas
and furs the first of August. With
such competition it is impossible to
have anything like a permanent de-
sign in women's dress.
Some clothes, not only for women,
but also for men, seem to be designed
not because of practicability, dura-
bility or desirability, but to test the
ability of wearers to pay for them.
AS war expedient we could forget
some of the needless ruffles, belts,
tucks and other things which cause a
useless waste of wool; wool is needed
for clothes for the soldiers.
Such actions would make a greater
stability of styles. and a man could
wear his overcoat until he got his
moneys worth and the woman could
wear her suits several times instead
Of being forced to discard them fer
fear someone would think they
couldn't afford to buy clothes of a
slightly newer design or with an eA-
ira bit of wool on it or not on it.
More attention is being given now
to the useless wastes in delivery. In
many stores we see a sign asking US
to carry our goods home. The man
of ordinary means can easily carry
home all he can pay for. and aside
from this the delivery cost is perhaps
the most extravagant, and to great |
extent useless, expense of American |
retail stores. The Department of
Commerce, as a result of an inves-
tigation, finds that in most cities the !
local deliveries and carriage cost more |
than the total freight and express
charges.
Doing away with unnecessary |
things would do away with a system
Of delivery that costs more to take
The goods from the retailer to the
consumer than it does to carry the
goods from the wholesaler to the re-
.ailer. A person who will ask mer-
chant to send his delivery auto or
wagon many blocks to make sc or
l0c delivery, merely because it looks
common or vulgar" to carry a
package is Stacker who causes the
high cost of living to go still higher.
Very often the actual cost of delivery
exceeds the total amount of the pur-
,hase, and the next buyer must pay
he bill
Examine your job, examine your
examine the requests
'ou make of others; then do your bit
md help do away with all unneces-
AIRY things, especially if they are