Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-09-11
Return to. Simple Living.

Since the war has come with its me-
cessity of curtaiied expenditure many
persons and families are approaching
the state Of simple living. They are
being vastly benefited. A mental and
spiritual betterment comes with SIM
pie living and thinking. There is also
great gain In resource. No man need
ever fear that he will become misery
through the practice Of thrift. Thrift
simply means using the right things
for the right purpose and putting
aside the surplus.
If the war has done nothing else IT
has at least taught to many persons
! the value of thrift. The human mind
Is prone to attach labels to things. Be-
cause thing Is done 1t Is done more
and more. Once the individual gives
thought to life and living he sees how
senseless and unnecessary are some
of the practices to which he thought
he was committed for the rest of his
life. Too many people in America are
living beyond their means in order to
vie with some richer neighbor. Why
risk your children's future and edu-
cation through a silly imitation In
duced by false pride?
To do anything well is fine train
ing for any man or woman. The prac-
tice Of thrift is only the utilizing in
the most scientific and exact ways
of an individuals resources. 1t is
character building. and makes of man
almost the master of his destiny.
Prove Superiority to Hun.
The situation of the world at the
present time says to civilized man:
Prove that you are fitted to survive
the Hun; prove that you are superior
to the Hun; prove that you are worthy
of being preserved. For wasteful
use Of materials at the present time
Is a crime against civilization. The
war cannot be won unless the nation
and the individual practice the most
exact thrift. If we as a race cannot
do this we are not at to be the domi-
nant factors In the world. We can
and we will. The Hun and the state of
affairs brought about by him are a
challenge to our civilization. We ac-
cept the challenge and we will win the
victory.
We could not do less. Our own
countrymen and our brothers In arms
are living In the midst of the greatest
danger abroad. They are subsisting
only on the vitality necessary foods and
their general situation is lacking In
comforts. We will deprive ourselves
of some of our own abundant comfort
that they may have the necessities Of
life. We must not prove ungrateful
for what they are doing for us. We
do not wish to live In an enervating
comfort while they are suffering and
giving their lives that we may survive
There Is for those who are rich or
semi1ch or who merely have money
and extravagant tastes another and a
practical side.
Money Must BE Had.
We must have the money to carry
on the war. If money does not come to
the government from the country's
present stock of money, then 1t must
be created, for the war cannot stop.
Additional money means imitation
and that means fall In the worth, In
the purchasing power Of the dollar.
So that every one who has an income.
a salary or invested capital OF any
kind, bonds, mortgages or other obliga-
tons of state or city or railway, should
be vitality interested In practicing
thrift, and thereby maintaining the
value OF the purchasing power of his
own property.
But greatest argument OF all--the
spending of money now unnecessarily
Is shameless. even criminal,
Are we to feast while our sons and
brothers die over there and by our
very feasting put their success In
Jeopardy
No ruler ever led people as efficient
~ 10 war as ioes our great president.
fe#'I1r. j. I'm ft.N