The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-08
WAR THRIFT ARMY
POWERFUL AID TO
BRITISH FINANCE
Campaign Put Victory Loan
Above Billion sterling.
RISING FLOOD OF SAVINGS
HELPS NATION IN PERIL
Forty Thousand Local Associations
Collecting Shillings and Peace to
Help Garry on Successful Struggle.
BY BASIL p, BLACKETT, C. b.,
of the British Treasury.

fMr Blackett, as a special repre-
sentative of the British treasury, has
been stationed in the United States for
some months He had an active part
in launching the war savings campaign
in England two years ago, and has
taken great interest In rapid develop
ment OF the American thrift move
ment.)
English war savings associations are
a powerful factor in drawing in the
treasury the great stream'of individual
savings needed TO finance the war.
These 10000 clubs for national saw
ing, with 100000 members, are not
only contributing many millions to pay
the cost of the war. but they are doing
an even greater service by spreading
the gospel OF thrift to every commu-
nifty in England.
The victory loan OF let7-the
IL, 000 10000 loan was made possible
only by the vigorous efforts OF this
great army OF volunteers. going up and
down the highways and byways OF
England preaching the necessity Of
saving for the nation.
Just before 1t opened the chancellor
OF the exchequer called together In
London great meeting of war savings
workers from all over the country and
appealed to them to help him. II was
/ found itself" and the war savings
associations have since been a great
force In our war finance
L0an Drives Stimulate Savings.
/ English war sayings certificate sales
are greatly stimulated during the war
loan drives. In the appeals for new
| funds for the war chest we seek TO en-
! list the savings OF every citizen. even
down to the pennies. War bonds and
I MAJ IN &C..
10 the treasury mill and the one pound
subscription from the school boy or
schol girl to be paid for. perhaps, a
penny or sixpence at a time. In Just
as welcome as the big check of the
banker.
Il In the FIRST ten months Of the war
saving movement the treasury received
$4,000. 900 (S15sc00, 0o0) from the sale
OF our one pound certificates. In the
first three months of 1917, under the
stimulus of the victory loan. we
doubled this amount In one month
we sold many certificates as during
the whole five months Immediately
preceding. l cite these figures as an
indication of what the American war
savings societies may hope to do dur
ing the third liberty loan.
More than $3.50 900. 900 (st.4oo. 900. o0o)
Of small savings has been raised in
the English thrift campaign. or this
amount, sf12s. 900. or SIS per cent,
has been raised since the war savings
movement started. Receipts from the
| sale of the Il certificates are now
above ss5o,000,0oo while the IS bonds
have brought In the other sTSo,o00. 600
These is bonds are best compared with
the $50 liberty bonds. while our II
war savings certificates are similar
to the United States SIS war savings
stamps.
! In England we had to pillow new
fields 70 SOW the seds of the gospel
OF saving as war necessity. In 1914
thrift was In England scarcely dis
ltinEuished from meanness and counted
as a vice. business as usual proved
the most popular as 1t was the first
catch phrase of the war. No belief
was more universally held or more un~
| reservedly acted upon Than the spend
ing is good for trade"
But we were faced by shortage of
labor and Materials shortage of
ships and men to build ships--a short
age of equipment at the docks and OF
labor at the docks-a shortage of rail-
way cars and OF the men 80 drive the
engines short age of farm labor and
coal and riners-a shortage of many
materials required from abroad.
The workers OF the national war
savings committee have gone up and
down the country pointing to this
shortage and explaining Its cause.
They have enforced the lesson of pa
triotic abstention from seif-induigence
which employs labor and material
: when labor and material are short for
war needs. They have afforded taciii-
i ties for cooperative saving and organ
lied local efforts SO that every man,
woman and child. whether his or her
income were small or large, could by
increased production and reduced con-
sumption help the national cause.
The problem for those who are
fighting the battle for freedom and
self government and the unfolding
of publ, right in the world is to
bring to hear all their resources that
, can possibly be set free and use thsn,
/ 10 win the war.
d These resources can not be In
creased by any juggling with finance
: 1t does not matter to the gunner
I whether the shell which he IS flrinE
cost half as much or twice as much
. as 1t would have cost in 1913. VIVA
I matters is that he should have tn;
shell.
= The only way to increase the mum
Der OF NET and guns and shells ant
supplies available at the front to wiz
/, the war is to reduce the competition
: of private individuals for the goods
a and services the government require,
, for war needs. This can only b.
: done by increasing production of tf'
. things which are necessary and reduc
= ing the consumption of everything
= else.
Il / have had the privilege OF beinl