The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-12-20
THE GREAT
QUESTION
3:
PART l.

for me to follow in my private and
business affairs during the continu
ance of the war?
This is the great question con
fronting every American citizen.
Here is common-sense reply:
Before we can settle the matter IN
detail we must grasp those element
airy principles whica govern national
affairs
This does not involve great learn.
ing or research, for economic knowk
edge is little else than commOn-senSs
applied to big subjects.
The war VIII be won by the Ma,
tion which can place the greatest
number of men, the greatest amount
of material in the field, and produce
the greatest amount of foodstuffs to
supply its military and civilian
forces. This fact is SO generally
recognized that it is not necessary
to bring forward elaborate argu.
ments to prove it.
We are a wealthy Nation, and the
question arises as to whether or not
we can win the war by throwing our
surplus wealth into the struggle.
We cannot.
Why? Because our savings. az .
Nation, amounted TO about Billion
Dollars annually before We entered
the war, and our war estimates for
the first years operations call for
an expenditure of about Eighteen
Billion Dollars, or over 81 times as
much as we have saved ever before
in one year.
Now, there are three courses open
to us. We can endeavor to produce
3i5 times as much wealth this year
as ever we did before. We can en-
deavor to save 31s times as much
money as ever we did before. We
can lie down on the whole PROPOSE
ton, and let Germany win.
Having described this article
as common-sense reply to grea1
question, we will eliminate the las
+ mentioned possibility.
, We cannot produce 31z times a.
much wealth this year as ever be
E fore. It will take several years t,
l adjust our affairs so as to produc,
l such results.
: To save 3lh times as much a!
ever we have before Is quite posi-
e BILE, but would mean actual hard
ship for millions of our people.
The most sensible solution Of tn
/ problem is to aim at a combinatio
Of production and sef-denial whic
!. will find lis at the end Of yea
I at least 3k times weather. a.
nation, than ever before.
:, The method indicated has been 70
lowed by our Allies with results ths
= have astonished the world. Ate
! az years of physical and financi,
- strain, England raised recently
- loan of Billion Dollars, eQuivalel
. to Ten Billion Dollars in this Cou,
! try. owing to the fact that We ha,
il about double the population. En-
% land has speeded up her productic
:. of wealth, denied herself SO MUG
that despite the fact that millions
r. her finest specimens of human m
vi terial are fighting, despite the "a
Is that she had raised previously abo
81 a like amount of Billion Dollars
III loans. and is paying 2h Billion d.
he lars yearly in taxes, she was alb
nd still to produce this enormous amou
NJ In 30 day campaign.
he Germany is speeding up her pl
nd duction along the most scienti
cd lines, and is starving herself. TIL
n is the sole reason Germany lexis
re today.
y Are we super-men that we can
III things differently to others?
- Let us forget this talk OF "Un,
~ Sam soon cleaning up the Germa
an when he gets there" The Germa
ho will not be cleaned up. by talk.
:. even by bravery alone. They mi
~. be fought with their own weapo
IL, hard work and self-denial-t
- things that win wars.
ri Again. the man who cries, II
ire the rich man pay has not GRASP
ay- the elementary facts of the situati
The rich man is paying, and WI
lrd pay, for the Government already
tie calling for as much as 500 Of
cry profits in the shape of Income q
ing War Profit Taxes.
ich 1t is true that the Government
ley not taking away the rich mans c
tn ital, but neither is it asking the l
OF wealthy producer to, part with
ION capital. All alike must retain II
ave capital in order to run factor
I'VE farm the land, build ships. eq
armies, and provide wages.
It would be an entirely mistal
policy to attempt to use the cap
n wealth OF the Country to finance
me. me. war What you need. what the /,
one eminent needs, what the whole W.
and needs, is an increase, very 81
increase, in the INCOME of rich
POOR alike.
You farmers must produce m
must work harder; the uncultiv;
my land Of this Country is stans
:eproach to US. You working-n
''' must work overtime. You VOL