The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1917-08-03
A NEEDED LESSON.

With the clouds II war looming
darkIy over the country; with plots
and counter plots against the peace
of our people; with food dlslur.
Dances in the large cities; and with
the price booster stalking abroad In
the land. truly il il time when the
sober sense Of the American people
should be called into USE.
But VIZ are unlike any other peo-
pie on the globe. There seems to
be something In the very air VT
breathe that makes for different
outlook on lie ftam that OF any
lother country. M other land can
vie with us in the vastness OF its re.
sources. The increase in our nat.
ional wealth during the last two
decades would make Croesus ap.
pear u piker, and beside our own
magnIlicence the glory Of Solomon
are rs the moonlight to the radiant
orb OF day. Our strangth and our
resources are boundiess and limit.
less.
But becaus, OF these very facts
we hni ourselves as a people stand.
inv " the very brink Of national
disaster.
We are the most confidently care
less people on earth, hence find our
selves now engaged in gigantic
conflict and lamentably unprepared
ior the task before US. What profits
Us that our resources. IN men and
material are SO vast? Those re
sources as ARE the latent heat OF the
coai-undeveloped and unmobillz-
ed. A strenuous campaign Of prep
aration il on, but the one absolute.
essential etement-tlme"-is IN a
great measure denied us.
Then we are the most magnih.
Gently wasteiul people in the world
tSpsl1r our national extravsg anoe,
The prodigahty of kings is as'plnch'
ing economy. And this trait, too,
il threatening 20 our undolng. Hav.
my hy our own royal ,axtrayaeance
consumed much. and by shipmen.
from the country consumed mucit
more, we find ourselves facing q
jrmaud for unlimited supplies anu
With practically empty storehouses
What matters 1t that other crops
may heraised?, Tha, same element
time 500 may be denied W. err the
ln,I-ttn, tt2mand IN upon us,
The remedy" Several
.,. Ia ,thA hEst ~ptasts teSaoht ,natAnA
that IL urgently needed in this
country, But perhaps you say thai
the European nations must be fed,
Granted, but are VT undo. ohliga
tlons Ia feed them and let our OWE
people suffer tnr food And was il
by any sc. OF ours that the bulk o.
their men are now fighting When
they should be AT peace and pro-
iucing2 II Is well 10 care for oui
allies to the limit OF possibilities
out our own interests must tax,
precedence
Next, get after the pr,ee booster.
Ii there Is any particular class OF
nnmans--lt such they can he call
~d--to whom PRISON gaTh would b.
actually becoming, II Is ,hete gentry
Without mercy. themselves, they
deserve none, without pity. they eal
expect none. Void even Of 4 sens.
Of justice, they @hould have metec
out ~ them the justice at an ty,
Tor an eye and tooth Tor a tooth.
Then. let America 80 10 work Ill
earnest work with the soil. Lei
az not be- satisfied with increased
crops this season, hut let Us plan
inr even greater increases for Year,
10 come. in order tina, tie nation,
oi the earth may be fed and we still
have enough left Tor our eonsump-
lion.
And when We produce it. let u
conserve il and not waste il.
II the experiences through which
We. are passing shall have the etftct
i teaching US a radical ecoromy /
hey viii be worth the price. Ii Ii
! lesson We Ieed and should heed,