Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-09-12
People Have Learned How
SenseleSS and Unnecessary
Common Practices Are.
RETURN TO SIMPLE LIFE
Those Not Willing to Deprive Them.
selves of Some Comforts migrate
full for What Boys "Over There"
Are Doing for Us.
BY JAMES w. GERARD,


Former Ambassador to Germany.
In the days before the war it often
seemed to me that the immigrant who
came here with practically nothing and
who left an education and often COM
petence to his children lived as all
men should live. He worked hard and
well and saved his money Then as
his circumstances permitted he placed
his family in comfortable surround
tngs. Often he got hold Of a little
piece of ground and raised a part of
his food supply. Such men as these
told me often that American life pre-
sented very few difficulties to a man
who wanted to become wealthy
through his own efforts.
OF course these people did not have
the things that many Of their neigh
bors thought vitality necessary. There
was no show, no ostentation, nothing
merely to impress their associates and
neighbors. And after all man is sim
pie being. His wants are few, once
he gets out of an artificial point OF
view.
Return to Simple Living.
Since the war has come with its ne
cessity of curtailed expenditure many
persons and families are approaching
the state of simple living. They are
being vastly benefited. 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 miserly
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 1t
has at least taught to many persons
the value of thrift. The human mind
is prone to attach labels to things Be
cause a ihin5 is doge Z is Q Ne .1ore
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 q wasteful
use of materials at the present time
is q 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 fit 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 vitalIy 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 eneryating
comfort while they are suffering and
giving their lives that we may survive.
There is for those who are rich or
semirich or who merely have money
and extravagant tastes another and
practical side.