Norwich bulletin., 1917-06-13
CONSERVE NEcEssARIEs
 TO WIN THE WAR
Congressman Husting Advocates Economy in Letter to National Re- tail Drygoods Association.

| tail Drygoods Association.
 1 It is obvious that in order to win this war we must conserve the neces- | saries for the use of our armed forces for those of our allies, and for our home consumption, says Congressman Paul o. Husting of Wisconsin, in letter to F. L.. Howe, secretary of the National Retail Drygoods Association | of New York. The letter follows in part:
 My dear Mir. Howe: You requested me to write you my views upon the subject, Economy in War Times, as affecting business and trade. This is a mighty big and important subject and it is impossible to adequately | treat it within the confines of a letter l in any but the most imperfect and elementary fashion. Consequently, l can present herewith only the barest outline of what might be said upon this subject.
 state of war being an abnormal condition, it is iquite obvious that business and trade, can not hope to continue along entirely normal lines. Per necessity there must be some interruption and dislocation as an in cident to war times and conditions. The best that the government can be expected to do is to interfere as little as possible consistent with the public good I am sure that our gov ernment and our people generally are
 
 manner to the end that our domestic life and our domestic business will be as little disturbed as possible in this war, emergency. We need team work. We must all pull together. We are all anxious to soon mobilize not only cur fighting forces but our national resources so as to bring our greatest and mightiest power to bear upon the enemy. As a part of this team work, we are asked to econOmiZe. Of course, this means that we are to economize in a wise, intelligent and discriminat- ing manner that is to say, to a com mon object and purpose. However, before we can practice or exercise a wise, intelligent and discriminating economy, we must have a clear under standing as to what is meant by econ omy and also in what manner it may be applied to the common object and purpose, which is. the mobilization and conservation of our national re sources for war use.
 Now, economy is defined as thrifty and careful administration; manage ment without loss or waste; as. hOusekeeper accustomed to economy, but not to parsimony; often, frugality or retrenchment in expenditure; strict husbanding of resources t * @. The words in the definition which I think are peculiarly applicable to the pur- rOses for which we are to economiZe are the words "husbauding our re- sources" We are at -ar with a pow
 
 vised economy and the elimination of waste. We are notoriously a wasteful people and we are charged with be- ing an extravagant people. The pres ident and the heads of departments have recommended the elimination of waste and the practice of economy This recommendation was made to initiate a concerted nation wide effort for the husbanding of our country's resources forSthe purposes of the war. (These will term Necessaries for the purposes of this 1etter)
 It. is obvious that in order to win this war we must conserve the Neces- saries for the use of our armed forces and those of our allies and for our home consumption. Of course, no one will have the temerity to advise and particularly at time like this. The poor we have always with us and waste is sin against humanity be- cause it deprives humankind of the use of that which is wasted or de- stroyed
 Primarily. the object of economy in this war is to have our people gen. erally conserve as far as possible the armed forces and those of our allies imperatively require and without which we can neither be successful in the war abroad or maintain content ment and tranquility at home
 On the other hand, the people of the country can not concertedly and completely change their habits of 1iv- ing without bringing disaster upon the business and industries of the country and upon the business world generally and the consequent disaster to our people which would follow in it's train. Consequently, the economy we should practice should be a wise, in telligent and discriminat ting economy
 It is this sort of economy which I feel quite sure the president and others are advocating.
 Of course, the time may come when the supply of money will be so short of money even by the wealthy will become mandatory. But it will be plain to everyone that the mere saving of money and the retention of it in the means will not help the country or the situation any unless the resultant sav- ing finds its way in the shape of taxes or contributions into the treas ury of the United States. But at this time, the mere saving of money by the already wealthy merely to in crease their own wealth does not help the situation materially. It is the Ne ceSsories that We are short on and the supply of which it is imperative that we should conserve and, of course. the supply, already too scant or linn ited for our normal needs. can not be conserved by adding to it a further abnormal and enormous increase.
 Then there is another collateral be- neficent result which follows from such a non-use of Necessaries and that is the necessarily resultant purchase and consumption of articles not ena- braced within the term Necessaries- That is to say, not only does the use of a diversity of food stuffs and wear ing apparel relieve the fierce demand on Necessaries but it keeps all busi- ness engaged in other lines going and business keeps the factories, fields and mines going. These, in turn, keep brings nd the ability to purchase the Necessar- ies required by them. It increases the available supply of Necessaries and reduces the high cost of living. In other words, such economy means lit tie, if any, dislocation of interruption of the industrial or business macl1in- cry of the, country or impairment of our domestic prosperity. The sinews of war must come in large part from the tax on business profits and the in comes which flow therefrom to indi-