The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-29
FOLLOWING USUAL
METHODS BEST PLAN
Least Interference With Accustomed
Ways Will Keep Conditions
Normal

Quite naturally, the advent OF war
has been followed by the offering OF
many suggestions intended to be help-
full in the conduct of affairs. de
feet of many offered with the utmost
sincerity lies in the fact that they
would If adopted, interfere much with
the normal order of things. lhose
who propose them seem to think II
necessary for people. in case OF war.
to depart as far as possible from the
usual ways of living and Of doing
things In reality, the less interior
ence there is with accustomed ways
The better II will be This Is particu-
larry the case with regard to mercah-
tile business In the natural course
If events several hundred thousand
~ the adult population VIII leave
civilian pursuits between now and inc
end of the year. and will devote them
selves to the arts of war. Thelr
p aces will have to be filled il the
work they have been doing is to go
on. With attention to a proper dis
tribution of labor. II is believed TINS
can he done without great difficulty.
4 quite perceptible amount. too, OF
the products of mills and factories.
hitherto mostly of a non military
character will have to he diverted to
war purposes But when these
things are taken into due account,
there still remains the work OF attend
ing to the wants of a hundred million
of the American people. the needs OF
the allies and the demands ~ a grow
ing export trade with many neutral
countries All of these can he looked
after to better advantage IT there IS
no needless interference with custom
airy methods There are enough neCes-
sary changes without making IL adj
visahl to add 10 their number any
%hich can he dispensed with.
Thrift and par~imony.
To ihc movement already In evil
dence for greater thrift and economy
N expenditures the recent address Of
@restdent W iso II has apparently
r.dded some momentum. II Is mis-
AXE IA suppose as some have done,
that all the economy Is to consist N
buying no extra clothes or else cheap
ones. The great fact which has
fre1 CWpha sized over and over again.
Is that most of the economic waste Of
,hN country is in the kitchens OF itS
Femee aud that relatively. il IS largest
me-E The poorer people These lat
toe are under an initial handicap in
get syipg aile To buy 10 advantage be
Crt-e of their limited means To this.
r. too many eases. rs added an *
~~rcrco or inability ~ buy the right
i'd Of things or 10 make use Of what
tlFy do buy IN the most servjceahle
r2anner Il Viii take "a great deal az
tine 10 change tit& condition. So far
as things to wear are concerned. thc
price Increases are likely to prove
somewh7 oj elerk to buying among
- laySc SOC MON OF the people There
Ia airead, a disposition shown by
moro TO have tEipEs repaired rather
han buy 0,S ones More work is
,-ow gwen 10 shoe rrpairers. Cream
IRIS tailCg~. and dressmakers who
make over things and the remainder
of the large class who renoNate rather
than manufacture But any sudden
spaSm toward economy in essentials
on the part of people who can afford
"a buy is apt 10 do more harm than
good. Thrift lis commoudahle at all
times bat parsimony Is not 80 at any
time,