Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-08-16

| the lotI MS he can, IHless tHul He
done we must buy additional food In
neutral countries, thereby using ton
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
OF wool, representing n vnlne Of about
Sl72,0OO 900. About half Of this came
from Argentina. Our suits Of clothes
called for a 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 n almost
top speed, the quantity Of goods avail
able for shipment to Argentina in pay.
TO Chile for nllrntes, To Peru for cop
per- ana so on), Is insufficient. As a
consequence the United States had to
pay for more goods In South America
thNn South America has had TO pay
FOR goods bought In the United States,
thereby causing n decline " dollar tx.
change In these neutral countries This
shrinknrc In the price Of the dollar
mems that II has lost n corresponding
part Of It's 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 countries.
My suit Of clothes has hurt Uncle
sam, therefore, In several ways: |
have consumed more wool than neces-
snry and thereby forced the United
states 10 import correspondngly
large quantity OF this article: have
consumed more cotton goods than nee.
esSnry and to that extent have de-
prlyed 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 new
suit Of clothes; It would be easy,
though somewhat tedious, TO show that
we have been dealing only with one
case In 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-
trnyngnnt In our individual purchases
OF shoes. Similarly, though we are the
largest producers OF copper. we nrs
forced to Import copper from Peru be-
cause or civilian population has not
begun sufficiently to curtail its use.
In like manner We might ask ourselves
IL II ut all excusable TINT NJ this time
we stu manufacture such articles rs
silk stockings, when every thread ~
silk must be imported while we could
use our own cotton?
IL is impossible and unnecessary TO
enllmerate the many articles that are
IN similar position. Many billions
of dollars can eaSily be saved when
once We are capable II realizing the
cumulative effect OF individual SAY
ing;" take the word Saving In its
larger meaning. as involving not only (
money, but also goods and services.
II 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 n larger number of casual
ties; II every one who has son or
dear relative on the fighting lines
ncross the water could be mnde 10 feel
that millions Of small savings directly
affect his boy-there would be no
doubt that we could secure the most
and enthusiastic COOP
arailon Of al! the people. Thus far
sc must say with regfet-of l05
400 people, lOOOOO,OO0 do not see the
between the suit of clothes
md the life of the boy.
Germany's Enforced Economy.
Germany's military success is large
Y predicated upon her ability 10 cen
en- the entire national effort upon the
business Of war. II is safe TO sny that
HE never would have been able to
lear the burdens of the fight ms well
Is she has during these -four long
ears hid II not been for the enforced
awnings In material, money and men
brought about through the British
blockade II II had not been for the
tern necessities created by that block.
Ide the German people would not hive
'een willing 10 submit to famine ra
ions as tn food, clothes, shoes and
,ther similar articles. Industries ca
ering to the appetites and extrava.
,ances of the masses would have kept
men and material from the government
instead of making everything available
or the war work Of the government,
md financially she would have ex.
lausted herself by buying things
broad That She could go without or
or which she had to strain her In.
.enuity in finding or creating substi-
utes.
II is difficult to bring about drastic
economy without the compulsIon ex-
rcised by hard necessity. For us the
roblem Is whether or not. Of our own
rec Will, we shall be able to estab-
sh our own voluntary blockade
galnst waste and extravaganza. II 10
problem whose solution requires the
reatest intelligence and the greatest
egree Of unselfish patriotism. II Ia a
roblem that will put the spirit of our
eople TO the severest test.
The government ia not ,tavnid ~