Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1918-07-06
STRAUS ON THRIFT.

The time rapidly is coming In
America when every employer must
see not only that his employees prac.
tice thrift. but their condition OF EN-.
ployment are such that they can prac.
tice it," declared 5. w. Straus, pres
ident OF the American Society for
Thrift. in an address before the Ma.
tional Education Association.
The dollar sign is passing as the
insignia of ruthless power" he said,
and the day is dawning when 1t shall
stand also as the symbol of protec'
ton for the weak and help TO the
worthy.
we have come into a new order of
things. The day of right by might Is
ending. This war marks the darkness
that precedes the dawn OF universal
democracy--a democracy that shall be
lifted to the lofty level of brother
hood.
Into the statesmanship. the poll.
tics. the business of the day that Is
breaking just ahead, will come new
spirit-a spirit Of honesty, generosity
and gentleness.
The craftsmanship of the world
will he successful only insofar as 1t
Is honorable and just. The politician
who achieves success will attain his
ends by worthy deeds alone. The
business man must stand on the broad
ground of real brotherhood, The at.
titude between employer and employe
will be that OF man to man, not master
and slave.
Every man must practice. thrift
and every man must have the chance
TO practice 1t.
Are we fighting this war merely to
crush the power of a coterie of mad
men whose hearts are beating In uni
son with the cruelty and treachery OF
medievalism and whose standards OF
life are those OF Frederick the Great ?
is II alone the object of this wal
to demonstrate that the feudal spirit
OF the eighteenth century was wrong
Are we fghting merely TO prove the
fallacy of autocracy? No, we are
lighting this war for democracy that
shall reach down and take root in the
heart OF every citizen in every coun
try
There Is no such thing as a de
mocracy that Is not universal any
more than there is an autocracy thai
Is tolerant.
These things are TO be the fruits
OF this war And into this order o.
life the universal practice OF thrift
must come, for thrift is the very es
sence OF democracy itself.
Thrift is upbuilding and construc
tive--essentials without which no true
republicanism can permanently en-
dure. These are the lessons we mus
learn from the great textbook of pass
ing history. Unless we rise to thest
newer ideals-unless we catch thu
sweep OF this new spirit of brother
hOOd-unless We perceive the neces
sity of intelligent thrift in this new
and brighter day ahead-we are ia
out Of step with the times.
There never can come a time II
our national life when thrift will no
be a necessity II is as vital to on
success in winning this war as pOwde
and steel And in that critical periOC
Of readjustment which will come will
the beginning of peace thrift will b,
just as necessary, Millions of mel
will come back from the fighting from
prepared again TO take up the occu
pations OF peace The acute scarcit,
Of labor will be at an end. The press
ing demand for war supplies will b.
over Their imitation that now exist
will subside rapidly. In this readjust
ment there will be need for thrift ant
economy to preserve the equilibrium
Living conditions will be revolution
lied over night, as il were, Gone viii
be the days Of abnormal wages. Mer
chants viii find the values of thei
stocks suddenly deprecated 1t viii
be a period OF acute readiustment
and only through practices of thrift
will the economic effect Of the shocl
be tempered,
And as the years go on the pro
digious losses OF this era Of deyasta
tion must be made up By thrift. Hu