New-York tribune., 1918-05-26
Luxuries Must
Be Put Aside

1--WE can finance the enormous cost
of this war by spending only for the
things we need, not by spending for
the things we desire. Just so long as
we continue to spend for things we
do not need, just that long do we pro-
long the war and add to the tremen-
dous sacrifice Of life and property. Not
until all Of US realize the stern fact
that all spending, no matter for what,
consumes labor and material, and that
labor and material are the essentials
Of victory, will we be awake to the
fundamentals Of this grave situation
When we do thoroughly grasp this
truth and then act as our conscience
and as our patriotism prompt US, we
shall no longer spend except for those
things necessary for our health and
general wellbeing. And our health
and general wellbeing do not require
many things which through an easy
life we have come to consider as
necessities. Luxuries must be put
aside, actual necessities must be con-
tinued. It would be a grave disaster
if the home-staying population by
foolish sacrifice were not kept fit for
its all-important task of supporting
our armies in the field.
"The nation is now mobilizing its in
dustrial resources in order to put be-
hind our army great productive ma
chine. The output of this machine
must be increased as the army is in
creased, and we now are beginning to
realize how great an army we must
raise before there can be an end to
the struggle. Everything needed in
this gigantic productive machine is
the product Of labor. This labor be-
fore the war, as we'll as tho labor now
part Of our armies, was engaged in
the production Of other things, things
that were needed for our existence, for
our comfort and for our development
as great people. The industrial army
that we had before the war has been
largely depleted and will be more de-
pleted with every new call for troops,
and those who continue in the indus
trial army must produce not only those
things necessary alike in peace and
war time, but everything required for
the war machine. And the things vital
for war must be produced with all
promptness possible.
"No matter how strenuously we speed
up our production on materials, it is
plain that there is limit beyond
which we cannot go. A large part of
our production, now estimated at from
one-fourth to one-third Of our total
industrial productive capacity, must be
given to the government for the prose
cution of the war This means that
only three-fourths or two-thirds of
our normal productive capacity can now
be devoted to making things for do
mestic use. 1t is plain, therefore, that
all of US must reduce our consumption
Of labor and materials, for everything
we buy reduces the amount of labor
and materials available for war pur-
poses. We must confne our consump-
tion to the things absolutely needed
The labor and materials that we in
this way release are placed at the serv-
ice of the government.
"As our army grows in numbers and
as our machinery for producing war
goods keeps pace with the army's
growth, the more we must reduce our
domestic consumption. The problem is
self-explanatory; labor becomes more
scarce. the need for war materials
becomes moro keen.
Money Alone
Cannot Win War
.A...:...