Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-09-19


Inc effort to live on as thin slice Of
the loaf as he can. Unless that be
done we must buy additional food in
neutral countries thereby using tom
mage that should be 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 to our story of the suit
OF clothes: During last year the United
States had to import 421 100000 pounds
or wool, representing a value of about
Sl12,O00000. About half of this came
from Argentina. Our suits of clothes
called for Il substantial portion of this
wool and therefore to 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 70 Argentina in pay
ment for the wool Ger for that matter
to Chile for nitrates, to Peru for cop
pCi' anu 81 tLJ, Is luSulIcIpl1. AS 4
consequence the United States had to
pay for 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 countless
My suit Of clothes has hurt Uncle
Sam, therefore, in
have consumed mOrl
sary and thereby forced the Unllru
States to import a correspondingly
large quantity Of this article; | have
consumed more cotton goods than nec-
essary and to that extent have de-
prived 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 a new
suit Of clothes; it would be easy,
though Observation-Disclosures show that
we have been dealing only with one
case ia 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-
travagant Nin~Our individual purchases
of shoes. Similarly, though we are thp
largest producers of copper, we are
forced to import copper from Peru be-
cause or civilian population has not
begun sufficiently to curtail it's use
In like manner we might ask ourselves
is 1t 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 q similar position. Many billions
of dollars can easily be saved when
once we are capable of realizing the
cumulative effect of individual "sav-
ing;" take the word Saving" in it's
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, a prolongation of the
war, and larger number Of casual
ties; If every one who has son or
dear relative on the fighting lines
across the water could be made to feel
that millions Of small savings directly
affect his boy-there would be no
doubt that we could secure the most
conscientious and enthusiastic coop
GRAFTON of all the people. Thus far
we must say with regret-Of 10J,O0O,-
900 people, 100000, 900 do not see the
connection between the suit Of clothes
and the life Of the boy.
Germanys Enforced Economy.
Germany's military success is large
iy predicated upon her ability TO cen
ter the entire national effort upon the
business of war. 1t is safe TO say that
she never would have been able to
bear the burdens of the fight as well
as she has during these four long
years had it not been for the enforced
savings in material, money and men
brought about through the British
blockade. If it had not been for the
stern necessities created by that block
ade the German people would not have
been willing to submit to famine ra-
tiOns as to food, clothes, shoes and
other similar articles. Industries ca
tering to the appetites and extrava-
gances of the masses would have kept
men and material from the government
instead of making everything available
for the war work of the government
and financially she would have ex-
hausted herself by buying things
abroad that she could go without or
for which she had, to strain her in
genuity in finding or creating substi-
tutes.
1t is difficult TO bring about drastic
economy without the compulsiOn ex
ercised by hard necessity. For US the
problem is whether or not, of our own
free Will, we shall be able to estab
lish our own voluntary blockade
against waste and extravaganza. 1t is
problem whose solution requires the
greatest intelligence and the greatest
degree Of unselfish patriotism. 1t is
problem that will put the spirit Of our
people to the severest test.
The government is not devoid OF