Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-30
Thrift-A National Need
BY F. A. eTEARNs.


manned. Billions of do lars in war
equipment and supplies have been
dumped into the maelstrom, and still
the awful destruction continues, con-
Stunning human lives by the thousands
and natural resources by the n lions
even billions-of dollars. Waste, death
destruction everywhere! The pains
taking progress and saving of centur-
les apparently gone for naught. What
does il mean? To what will it lead?
To get at the real significance of this
war we must look, not at the battle
front-at the network of trenches, the
roaring guns nor the wagering. charges
of infantry-but back into the inter
tors of the great countries at war; at
the peoples, their thoughts, their GUS
toms and their conditions.
Go into the interiors of Germany or
France or England and note the frame
of mind in which the people work-the
determination with which they aC
complish every task and utilize every
effort and every cent. War has cost
them fabulously in men and resour-
ces; but it set up in them spirit of
energy, efficiency and Thrift that
cannot be denied-a spirit that will
recover for them in a few short years
every loss incurred in the great war.
There is Europe's salvation. There is
Americas great problem!
The Germany which before the war
was an ideal of efficiency and Thrift
is but a wasteful spender as COM
pared to Germany during and after
the war. But where efficiency and
Thrift have done wonders in Germany.
they have worked miracles in England,
To the 1Gnglishman who before the
war gave not the slightest heed to saw
ing, Thrift has come to be his very
life. The fires Of patriotism and the
necessities of war combined to teach
him that Thrift IS the emily sure means
of ultimate suCCess-in war or any
other human activity.
Where new clothes would be better,
he continues to wear the old; where a
servant could be used he does the
work himself; where his motor car or
a tram could help him on his way, he
covers the distance on foot; where
tasty delicacies and rare viands would
please a pampared palate, he satisfies
himself with plain and staple foods
And so the warning pow ers entered
in a great contest of Thrift-fully as
colossal as the contest of aims, and
certainly to be more far-reaching and
lasting in it's effects.
Thus-while all Of Europe was being
taught and learning well their lesson
of Thrift America was indIlging in
Tine greatest OTSN Oh WIFI anu ISCktGSS
spending that it has ever known. Eu-
ropes geld flooded the country, plac-
ing more money i'll circulation than at
any time in the history of the country.
Prices on everything-lu and
necessities sIke-have scared sky
high; and still the people demanded
them in greater quantities than ever.
With this rush of prosperity came a
prodigality and carelessness for the
circumstances FinanCiers and men of
affairs admitted the precarious posi-
ton Of this country If conditions were
not changed. They predicted that un-
less her Wasteful career was checked
in time, America was riding for q fall.
The instability of our almost unprece-
dented prosperity undeniably due in
a large part to the war-Can be seen
in the wide fluctuations of prices and
stocks at even the slightest rumors OF
peace.
a thrifty, energetic regenerated
Europe will face us after the war. fore
ed to recuperate her losses. E1rope's
workers, returned from years of hard
ship and priyations in the trenches.
and accustomed to the merely nominal
wages of q soldier, will welcome with
gladness their places in factories and
mills at wages next to nothing. Eu-
,
war time efficiency and manned by
her army of women workers in addi-
ton to her returning army of men, will
be in position to turn loose her flood
of low priced goods and win back her
lost markets.
Americas great problem today is to
start saving and cutting down on
needless waste-to practice Thrift on a
national scale to meet the Thrift com
petition of Europe. We must wipe out
our prodieality of methods and hab-
it's and develop a national spirit Of
conservation. There is no one issue
in this country at the present time Of
such great and far-reaching import
ance as a systematic development OF
Thrift and efficiency in our citiZenry;
and our national Thrift Day is a long
step in the right direction.
Copyright, Collins Publicity Service,
Philadelphia