Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-15

uhut We iHist uuS duultluuhi iutu III
neutral countries. thereby using ton.
mage that should he kept available for
our military operations and increasing
our difficulties In adjusting our trade
balances with neutral countries.
Hurts Uncle Sam In Many Ways.
To return 10 our story OF the suit
Of clothes: During last year the Cnited
States had to import 42l 100000 pounds
of wool. representing value of about
$172.000O00. About half of this came
from Argentina. Our suits of clothes
called for n substantial portion OF this
wool and therefore 70 that extent rob
bed Uncle Sam of the use Of his ships
Moreover, our factories being busy In
producing the things required for the
prosecution of the war and our home
consumption still proceeding at almost
top speed. the quantity of goods avail
able for shipment to Argentina In pay
ment for the wool Tor for that matter
70 Chile for nitrates. TO Peru for cop
per, and SO on, is insufficient. As q
consequence the United States had to
pay fer more goods in South America
than South America has had to pay
for goods bought In the United States,
thereby causing a decline of dollar ex-
change In these neutral countries. This
shrinkage in the price of the dollar
means that it has lost a corresponding
part Of its purchasing power In neutral
countries. The scarcity OF goods avail
able for our export trade has thus be-
come serious obstacle in our way In
trying TO secure at reasonable prices
or in adequate quantities some OF the
things that we absolutely require from
foreign countries.
My suit of clothes has hurt Uncle
Sam, therefore. In several ways: l
have consumed more wool than neces-
sary and thereby forced the United
States to import CORRESPONDENCE
large quantity Of this article; I have
consumed more cotton goods than nee
essary and to that extent have de-
/ prlved Uncle Sam of the means with
which to pay for the minimum Of wool
/ which we may have to import.
Clothing but One Of Many.
have used the illustration Of new
suit of clothes; it would be easy,
though somewhat tedious, to show that
we have been dealing only with one
case in point. The country Is short
at this time of hides and skins and
has TO import large quantities from
neutral countries because we are ex-
travngant in our individual purchases
of shoes Similarly, though we are the
largest producers of copper, we are
forced to import copper from Peru be-
cause or civilian population has not
begun sufficiently to curtail its use.
In like manner we might ask ourselves
is it at all excusable that at this time
we still manufacture such articles as
silk stockings, when every thread Of
silk must be imported. while we could
use our own cotton?
1t Is impossible and unnecessary to
enumerate the many articles that are
in similar position. Many billions
once we are capable of realizing the
cumulative effect of individual "sav-
ing" take the word Saving" In Its
larger meaning, as involving not only
money, but also goods and services.
If every individual could be made to
see with his own eyes that neglect Of
saving of this sort means decreased
war efficiency, prolongation of the
war, and a larger number of casual
ties: If every one who has son OF
dear relative on the fighting llnel
across the water could be made to fee
that millions Of small savings directly
affect his boy-there would be nc
doubt that we could secure the most
, conscientious and enthusiastic coop
GRAFTON of all the people. Thus far
! we must say with regret-of 10000,
: 600 people, 10O0OO,OOO do not see tn,
} connection between the suit OF clothe.
) and the life Of the boy.
Germanys Enforced Economy.
&, Germanys military success Is large
ly predcated upon her ability to cen
e ter the entire national effort upon thu
2 business of war. 1t is safe to say tina
t she never would have been able Il
5 bear the burdens of the fight as wei
= as she has during these four lonl
a years had ii not been for the enforce,
e savings in material, money and mel
g brought about through the Britisl
= blockade II il had not been for tn
r stern necessities created by that block
0 ade the German people would not hav
d been willing to submit to famine RI
d lions as to food, clothes, shoes an
other similar articles. Industries ca
Q tering to the appetites and extravs
|, gauces of the masses would have KEEP
= men and material from the government
d instead Of making everything ayailabl
d for the war work of the government
r. and financially she would have el
t hausted herself by buying thing
:. abroad that she could 60 without @
q for which she had to strain her u
genuity in finding or creating subst
tuteS.
II Is difficult to bring about drasti
economy without the compulsion e,
> ercised by hard necessity For US tn
Is problem IS whether or not, Of our ow
70 free win, we shall be able TO estal
- fish our own voluntary blockad
+ against waste aud extravaganza. 1t
u Il problem whose solution requires II
10 greatest intelligence and the creates