Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1917-11-23
THE GREAT
QUESTION
.:
PART I.


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,
ary principles which govern national
affairs.
This does not involve great learn.
lnE or research. for economic knowl.
EDGE is little else than common sense
applied to big subjects.
The war will be won by the Ma
lion which can place the greatest
number of men, the greatest amount
IF material in the field, and produce
The greatest amount of foodstufs to
supply its military and civilian
forces. This fact is so generally
recognized that il is not necessary
10 brins forward elaborate argu-
HleHtS 10 prove IL.
We are 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. as a
Nation. amounted to about 5 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. cs Over 3i2 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
81, times as much wealth this year
as ever we did before. We can ell.
deavor to save 3la times as much
IAN lie down on the whole PROPOSE
ton. and let Germany win.
Having described this article
as common-sense reply to great
question, we will eliminate the last
mentioned possibility.
We cannot produce 3E times az
much wealth this year as ever be-
tore. 1t will take several years to
adjust our affairs so as to produce
such results.
TO save -. times as much as
ever We have before is quite posi-.
BILE. but would mean actual hard,
ship for millions of our people
The most sensible solution OF the
problem il to aim at a combination
of production and selfdenial whit b
will find us at the end of year
AT least avg times wealthier as a
nation. than ever before
The method indicated has been fol.
lowed by our Allies with results that
have astonished the world After
2H years of physical and financial
strain. England raised recently a
l'an OF Billion Dollars. equivalent
TO Ten Billion Dollars in this Coun.
try. owing to the fact that we have
about double the population. Eng.
land has speeded up her production
of wealth, denied herself so much
that despite the fact that millions Of
her finest specimens of human ma.
ierial are fighting. despite the fact
that she had raised previously about
like amount Of Billion Dollars in
loans. and is paying ~ Billion Dol
+ ars yearly in tax"s. she was able
. till to produce this enormous amount
In 30 day campaign.
Germany is speeding up her pro,
duction along the most scientific
lines. and is starving herself Tha,
is the sole reason Germany exists
today.
Are We super'mcn that We can d.
things differently to others?
Let us forget this talk of Uncle
Sam soon cleaning up the Germans
when he gets there The Germans
will not be- cleaned up" by talk, OF
even by bravery alone. They must
be fought with their own weapons
hard work and self-denial- the
things that win wars.
Again. the man who cries, LET
the rich man pay has not graspeC
the elementary facts OF the situation
The rich man Is paying. and WILL
: pay, for the Government already i!
calling for as much as 500 of his
profits in the shape of Income an,
b War Profit Taxes.
1t is true that the Government i,
! not taking away the rich mans cap
I ital, but neither is it asking the les
wealthy producer to part with hi
capital. All alike must retain thei
capital in order to run factories
farm the land. build ships, equi
armies, and provide wages.
3. II would be an entirely mistaken
t policy to attempt to use the capita
wealth OF the Country to finance III
war What you need, what the gov
eminent needs what the whole worl
needs. Ia an increase, II very grea