The Elbert County tribune., 1918-08-23
Millions OF Dollars Thrown Away
for Trifles That Ought to
Set Nation Thinking.
SOME WAYS MONEY GOES
Postcard and Cheap Souvenirs Take
Big Sum Every Year-Biiiions
Spent for Needless Telephone
Calls and kilograms.
sy EDWARD MOTT wooLLEY.


itch and wonderful land of ours 1t
should be necessary to conduct mighty
selling and advertising campaigns in
order to rinse money to crush our enc
znies--cruel and dangerous enemies
who are bent on throttling the very lid
rerty ON which our country has been
built. II We really felt the impulse,
we could raise six or eight billion DOL.
lars spontaneously and without the
sblare of salesmanship and publicity;
and we would do 1t 30 easily that Ger
smany and her allies would stand
-aghast at our overwhelming resources
and purpose.
The trouble Is that even yet we do
not realize the tragedy that is over
u.s. The war has not sunk into the
American consciousness. With a mil
'lion or more OF our boys In france, ana
the casualty lists coming nome every
day, we still lack the pulsating fervor
of intrepid courage-the courage that
wells within one and stirs the soul.
Fighting Impulse Needed.
The one unquestionhble evidence OF
Tcourage Is the Willingness to sacrihce.
"A man who sees his child in deadly
,perii Is instantly ready to sacrihce
everything, even MS Ire. IL taxes no
argument to sell to MIN me need Oh
courage. lie gets 1t from WITHIN. Inc
nghung Impulse dominates MS every
instinct. What we most need IN
america To-Day Is nPhtihg impulse
fonce we get IL the doom Oh Hermany'
world VIII be sealed. IL we had TINS
svaiorous, undaunted determination we
''could raise, this coming year, not mere
ny SIX or eight billion, but as many Dill
sion as our country might need. Let
MS search our hearts, therefore, ana
discover why 1t is that brass-band
methods are needed to sell us Liberty
bonds. 1t seems all the more incredi-
Die that such should be the case when
the money we are asked to contribute
rs merely money saved for ourselves.
hueeu, we couiu put through this
nour.h Liberty loan without even iee'
mig !. uirecuy' am no. linking mere
noo"t great shcrinces. WIN merely trlV-
1si ana passing ihhipitioh we can make
.hS iour.h ioan glorious hahiies'a-
uon Vi Ainerieahisn'
never Whs tnere such natlon OF
~penoers-we nteraiiy throw money 10
the winds. Cash runs out OF our pock-
'ets INTO hundred channels OF extrav-
agance. tempted at every turn by
"omething tnat appeals 10 our pleasure
saturated instincts, we hand out the
nimes' quarters ana dollars. we work
'haro' most OF u.s. ana we play nara.
many OF US pihY with an amazing
apanaon mat scarcely reckons the cost
Ana we gratify ourselves not only ut
plays out we satisfy our iuxury-loving
tendencies ana our Vanity In many OF
.he tmngs that enter into our daily
hves.
Let us consider mere merely the mil
mons mat go TOT Trivial things that do
no. count MS permanent investments
e''ner ior u,'i'y OF luxury.
Millions Spent for Cards.
For Instance. take our post card
mania. This habit, which perhaps we
would not criticize In times of peace
Ms almost universal. A dealer estl-
mates that 50.00O,0O0 people spend an
average of dollar year on the
cheaper kinds of cards. and an addi-
fionai sum Of hundred million dol
liars on postage. But on the fancy cards
and more expensive sets, sold largely
TO tourists. the estimate is 100000. 900
in addition to the postage. Including the
cards that are kept by the purchasers.
ut is probable that the total is half n
billion dollars. Many men have made
fortunes in this business. I know OF
one former valentine manufacturer
who retired with lot of money.
1t Is certainly inconsistent that this
great sum should go for such Il
trivial purpose when the nation is In
volved In this mighty war that calls