The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1918-08-23
Millions of Dollars Thrown Away
for Trifles That Ought to
Set Nation Thinking.
SOME WAYS MONEY GOES
Postcard and Cheap Souvenirs Take
Sig Sum Every Year-5illions
Spent for Needless Telephone
Calls and kilograms.
BY EDWARD MOTT wooLLEY.


should be necessary TO conduct mighty
selling and advertising campaigns in
order TO raise money to crush our enc
mies-crueI and dangerous enemies
who are bent on throttling the very lib
erty on which our country has been
built. IL we really felt the impulse
we could raise six or eight billion dol
lars spontaneously and without the
biare Of craftsmanship and publicity;
and we would do it so easily that Ger
many and her allies would stand
aghast at our overwhelming resources
md purpose.
The trouble is that even yet we do
not realize the tragedy that is over
u.s.. The war has not sunk into the
American consciousness. With mil
dion or more of our boys in France, and
the casualty lists coming home every
day, we still lack the pulsating fervor
of intrepid courage-the courage that
Nells within one and stirs the soul.
Fighting impulse Needed.
The one unquestionable evidence Of
courage is the willingness to sacrifice.
IA man who sees his child in deadly
peril is Instantly ready to sacrifice
everything. even his life. 1t takes no
argument to 'ssell'' to him the need Of
courage. He gets 1t from within. The
fighting impulse dominates his every
instinct. What we most need in
America today Is fighting impulse.
Once. we get 1t the doom of Germany.
as a menace to ourselves and to the
world. will be sealed. II we had this
waiorous, undaunted determination we
could raise. this coming year. not mere
IL six or eight billion, but as many bill
lion as our country might need. Let
us search our hearts. therefore, and
discover why it is thai Grassland
methods are needed to sell us Liberty
bonds. 1t seems all the more incredi-
bic that such should be the case when
the money we are asked to contribute
Is merely money saved for ourselves.
Indeed. we could put through this
fourth Liberty loan without even FEEL
ing 1t directly. am not talking here
about great sacrifices. With merely triv-
Iai and passing inhibition we can make
This fourth loan q glorious manifesto
fion of Americanism.
Never was there such nation OF
spenders--we literally throw money to
the winds. Cash runs out Of our peck
cts into a hundred channels of extray-
agance. Tempted at every tern by
asynefhing that appeals to our pleasure
saturated instincts. we hand out the
dimes, quarters and dollars. We work
fard. most Of us. and we play hard.
Many OF US play with an amazing
abandon that scarcely reckons the cost.
And we crafty ourselves not only at
plays, but we satisfy our luxury-loving
tendencies and our vanity In many OF
che things that epter into our daily
k7ireSs
Let us consider here merely the mill
Hons that 60 for trivial things that do
not count as permanent investments
either for utility or luxury.
Millions Spent for csrds.
For instance. take our post card
snania. This bablt, which perhaps we
woalld not criticize In times Of peace,
10 almost universal A dealer esti-
mates that 50.00O.00 people spend an
average of q dollar year on the
cheaper kinds OF cards. and an addi-
eionai sum Of hundred million dol
lars on postage. But on the fancy cards
and more expensive sets, sold largely
to tourists, the estimate Is $500. 900, 600.
In addition to the postage. Including the
cards that are kept by the purchasers,
&c rs probable that the total Is half o
slIlion dollars. Many men have made
fortunes in this business. know Of
one former valentine manufacturer
who retired with lot of money.
II Is certainly inconsistent that this
Rneaf sum should go for such
trivial purpose when the nation In in
v6zved In this mighty war that calls
Tor cash everiastingIy. Here IL one
expenditure that could be eliminated
almost wholly until the war Is over.
Resides this amount put into Liberty
a,onds might mean something worth
while to the people themselves.
Then there Is another class OF sou-
venirs TINT masquerade as merchan-
disc and absorb an astonishing amount
Of money. Travellers and tourists es-
peciaily waste their cash upon these
shings, and immense quantities are
sold to the people everywhere. The
bulk OF this stun Is useless Junk-at
least in war time. when conservation
a the high need. Why spend our money
these days for fancy baskets. card
xrays. wooden claptrap articles. knick-
knacks, trlnkets. popguns, stun and
wilma whamsf The souvenir stores 10
Afiantic City. Asbury Park. Coney Is.
Hand. Revere Beach near Boston. Ven
Ice near Los Angeles. and similar es-
Establishments take more than hundred
rnigsiOn dollars out &c our pockets
every summer. One small tOws con.
Germ in Atlantic City sells a hundred
thousand dollars worth, on which the
met profit Is orer fsty thousand. There
ere factories that turn out this sor,
OF product Id vast quantities. and much