The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1918-07-12
A Lesson in Economy.

| a Lesson IN economy.
We are inclined to think that the
| Government IS OVERRIDING the bureau
of informGt ton. For instance, the
amount CT literature that comes to
| this paper alone would fill a dozen
or more weekly papers. There is
nothing else to do but to throw it in
the waste basket. 1t is almost
total waste comparatively speaking,
and the same is true of every other
newspaper Office, daily and weekly,
course, the private mail and the tele
grams. The letters wired is an
enormous expense alone. Many of
these kilograms 1--WE know from per-
sonsl experience) are superfluous
and altogether unnecessary. May be
in the confusion of things the Gov
crnment hasn't had time to rrune
these matters. But it does seem to
us that the people should be saved as
much of the waste as possible when
they are freely SuTrendcring every
thing to war. Then the idea of
the Government printing its daily
paper and extra bulletins when the
daily press is doing the came thing in
more extensive and elaborate man
ner does seem unwarrcnted. There
probably never was-there could not
have been-a more united, patriotic
and effective press in any war than
there is. to-day in America. There
never was before as far as history is
concerned greater private facilities
for disseminating public literature,
and there never was war before in
which one-tenth part of it was done.
1t is indeed a most remarkable ex-
ample of the patriotism of the press,
and yet the Government doesn't seem
to have the proper confidence in it.
No other Government, not even Ger
many with its iron power, ever had
the united support of it's newspaper
press as the American Government
has to-day.
Another point to be made is the
lack of confidence of the Government
in the intelligence and patriotism of
its people. Why is it necessary,
when we have unprecedented facili-
ties for general information, to have
such an immense and expensive bu-
reau of public information? The
people of the United States are a
reading people. They are informed |
and they are patriotic. We have
numbers of farmers living in the
country in Obion County who are
every bit as we'll read, as far as cur
rent matters are concerned, as many
of our legislators. They are Just as
loyal. Can they not be trusted? 1t
looks just little bit like the Office
class is suspicious of the people.
The people of America are notably
and naturally patriotic. They have
oohCChih6 " llopliS pull lOIlou. DuJ
they also understand what patriotism
means. 1t is not the worship of Of
flee caste, but a supreme reliance in
the will of the people, which is in
the last analysis the Government it.
self, and that is where our patriotism
is planted.
There is no reason why the Gov
eminent should not strike now with
all it's strength to conquer the enemy
of self government and use every
means for this purpose. But the
cannot afford, no more
than private business concern, to
be careless and thriftlcss with its
means. No doubt most all of us ex-
pect to see an end of the war in
few years, but we may be mistaken.
Suppose it should last for ten years
or more. We will be better prepared
for it if we husband our resources
now.
l like the spirit of the country
editor who wrote that if the Govern
ment. would only send it's printed
material in blank paper he could
linger longer and do better service
for the Government 1t would at
least help to solve the paper supply
and cost problem.
mn 4,