The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-01
Are I ou Busy m f0ur Irencn! WISE SPENDING
 WILL WIN WAR
By W. H. J. TAYLOR President of the Retail Credit Mems National Association

National Association We must save millions to win this war, but in the winning we must spend many millions more. By this I do not mean, as might be supposed, that these many millions must be spent for munitions only. On the con- trary, for every dollar spent for war purposes thousands must be spent in every other line of endeavor. Spent, I said, not wasted-spent judiciously, 50 that domestic and foreign trade may go on and keep going on. We must eliminate waste by all means. Waste is harmful and destruc tive. But spending judiciously is not waste; it is necessary and construc- tive.
 The direct claims of the war must be the first consideration. We must conserve our supply of food, fuel, clothing and all things that are most needed by our armies. We must con- vert as quickly as possible those lines | of manufacture-factorie mines, ships that can be most readily and quickly turned to national use. Army and navy needs must have first call on our | railroads
 But all this must be done sanely and | constructively. The railroads must run, the factories must manufacture | and the mines produce. To do this | they must be supported by the indi- | vidual spendings of each of us in his own sphere You and I must spend so that we may earn. each of us doing l his share for the common good. I emphasize the necessity for spend- | ing, as spending Is the source of fur ther wealth.
 | It Is productive wealth that must l win the war We want prosperity, l not panic. Everyone cannot work di- reotly for the government. but indi- rectly each of us is working for the | government when we produce-and | spend
 And remember that the other mans vocation is as important to him, and
 l through him to the nation, as your business Is to you. Every citizen is
 l figuratively in a trench. There are l ships to be sailed, munitions to be
 ! made, food to be furnished-but be-
 1 hind all this there must be a nation
 l producing. There must be nation l kept going at top speed.
 ! Spending is the motive power, the
 | medium of exchange that will make
 | profits for all. We must have the
 | profits to buy bonds. bandages and ,ullets. And the money spent for
 | hese, in turn, will come back to make
 l further profits for us all. The direct claims of the war first | by all means. But when these claims | demand the exclusive attention of the
 l entire nation, then indeed shall we be getting near the end of our re- ! sources.
 | That time will never come. Our very ability to carry on trade | will be our salvation. Stop trade | and we must pay for the war out of l capital That would be the last-line
 | trench of national defense. Hut we
 are not gong to fight defensively, l but extensively.
 | We are going to push the war to vic-
 | tory and the business of the nation
 l will be the motive power behind this
 | biggest push. So will we spend to
 | win. The counter tax here helps the | counter attacks in France-it isn't
 | such a far cry from the banks of
 l America to the banks of the Seine.
 | (Copyright, 1918. by King Features Syndicate. Inc.)