Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-17
YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Striking Changes in Ideas, Opinions an
Customs Brought About By the War.

Striking Changes In Ideas, Opinions and
Customs Brought About By the War.
(From "Glrard's Talk Of the Day" in the
Philadelphia Telegraph.)
Yesterday the wrist watch was the fad
Of sissies and to-day It is the necessity OF
soldiers going to battle.
Yesterday Uncle Sam was smashing the
railroads into small units and to-day he Is
preparing to operate them as the largest
trust in the world.
Yesterday 1t was fashionable to see how
much you could waste and then indirectly
brag about "the things one really and
truly must have to get on WITH" while
to-day multi-millionaires are eating corn
bread. 49,. So
Yesterday all the blatherskites pointed
to. big business such as Bethlehem Steel
and Baldwins as public menace, but to-
day we hail them as saviors Of our coun-
try.
/ Yesterday hundreds of men know OF
know about were earning with their brains
tens OF thousands of dollars for them
selves every year, whereas to-day they
are toiiing Tor Uncle Sam at two cents a
| week.
Yesterday it was crime for the United
states to. own a merchant marine, to day
Philadelphia shipyard is preparing to
build so great ships at clip, SO that we
may have merchant marine.
Yesterday it was the fashion for the
vast majority of people to spend every
cent they earned, but to-day ten million
people own Liberty Bonds-mostly paid
for out Of savings.
yesterday we couldn't possibly get on
without limited railroad trains, vet to day
we feel no fatal sensations when those
costly luxuries are not running.
Yesterday girl paying teller in a bank
would have caused a mild riot, but to.
day women are in the bank, breaking
stones on the railroads, conducting troll
ley cars, making big shells for our troops,
running elevators in office buildings and
playing messenger boy.
yesterday we put more money in alcohol
twice over than we put in all public edu-
cation, as men. and few women, too,
couldn't seem to live without John Barley
corn and yet to-day our liquor bill has
been cut in two without q major surgical
operation.
Yesterday we taxed ourselves heavily to
ieed and maintain in semi-luxury or at
least full comfort thousands of crooks.
thieves, counterfeiters and murderers. but
to-day some sensible communities have
set this parasite class to work.
Yesterday milady could scarcely draw
on her own gloves. but now she is knitting
with nimble fingers stout sweaters for
Sammee
yesterday we depended upon Germany
for lot Of drugs and dyes which to-day
we are duplicating-only making better
ones.
yesterday we simply had to eat steaks
and chops three times a day. but now we
find less need for doctors and fewer calls
upon our bank accounts when eating
meat but once a day.
Yesterday the farmers apparently were
raising all the food they could make
mother earth produce. nevertheless one
clear call from Dame Necessity and the
farmers added cool billion bushels of
grains to our supply.
Yesterday the mossbacks yelled that 400
ships of war were too many for a nation
certain never to have another fight. but
now we find 1000 such ships too few, when
we have a war.
Yesterday you Just couldn't be content
without JOY ride, eating up precious
gasolene, but you reduced mileage on the
average by 40 per cent. and still survive
the shock.
Yesterday we had to have our dinner
plates fianked by sugar bowls, but to-day
when the big hotels dole out one lump
of sugar for each cup of coffee we do first
rate and still save over so per cent. in
sugar.
That's what necessity does for us.
You never can tell. BY tomorrow we
may have made sufficient progress to be
able to dine without the din of a brass
band at our elbows.