El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-12-26

frank " VANDERBILT who is in charge Of the thrift
campaign, is so good banker and his business Judg
ment IS necessarily sound most affairs that he
ought better than urge the American people as
he has been doing in the Of his sumping tour, to
down their expenditures to the last cent to do without
everything possible to old clothes and old shoes
long thew be last all to the end that they
may save more money and lend it to the government.
If the whole people acted that advice, the country
would be ruined It is thing to waste money useless
things throwing it about lavshy with benefit and It IS
quite another to spend generously but wisely and save as
much possible.
Carrying on the war next year is not only duty It
Is equally duty keep things going that carry
the another year and still another and much
longer may be necessary That cannot be done by sit
ting tight every dollar possess and adding to our
savings every other dollar capture.
Suppose for two years. FL PasO people made the old clothes
san Antonio and Overland streets would 60 bankrupt
Of business avoid bankruptcy. Every clothing store
and dry goods establishment in town would break under the
strain Of everything going and nothing coming The
shoe stores would be a1ected N the same way as the dry
goods and clothing stores Only the shoe Ieparer would
make living. Suppose for year every FL Pasoan de-
cded not to buy any clothes automobile not to
attend theatrical performance or motion picture show,
to visit ice paTlor buy pound Of candy,
build house paint repair the old to make
the old furniture and rugs another wear
or to buy second hand furnishings when setting up house
keeping Think up "dispensabe businesses to
add 70 the foregoing and imagine every E. Pasoan dess
ing from buying in order to money to lend to the gov
What would be the result? broken and bank
Tupt city, ruined and beggared. What then would a
PROSTATE FL Paso be able to do for the government Where
would be the income tax and that from
profits? Whence would all the other pour
the United States treasury II would have vanished
the closed business would have released many and
employees poverty to struggle for other employ
ment.
Multiply the suggestions Of FL Paso by the
Der Of and cities IN the whole country and you have
q vision Of ruined country, beggaTed and stagnant
country with all money boarded by those who possess
and the remainder out Of work and plunged into desu
ton There could be further saving with income
which to There could be money TO lend the
government The United States would have to drop out
OF the war because Of heart failure.
Strong, vigorous business is the heart which pumps life
through the veins Of nation As long pumps vigoI
ously and the current of money flows increasingly back
and forth through the veins Of the nation
mains healthy Shut off the circulation by COMPRISING
veins arteries and the heart stops beating and the
country is dead
We can't save by reducing expenditures to the
vital elements Of food housing and Just enough clothing
70 escape being rsgamuffins
In fs9s with the coming Of panic fever of spend
ing less hit the country The people increased their
ings 100000 the previous year but bank ceangs
fell S1eoOOOOO0 and commercial failures 40 percent
HIGHER liabilities Did the savings increase another
S73oOOOoO IN 1894? Not at all They not only
minus another $50 100000 but they also minus $685.
100000 which the people forced to draw from their
savings The panic cost savings depositors combined
tual and potential cost Of S111,0oo,00o.
The same thing happened IN the hard times Of 1903