The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-03-13
Thrift and Waste

In his call for the diversion ca
the country's activities from peace
to war Secretary McAdoo goes owe.
ground covered so often as to Ge
tiresome, and yet it must be done
anew As Secretary McAdoo remarks
the American people are not sum
GENTLY aroused to the necessity OF
economy and saving in this really Sc
rious time not only in the life OF
America, but of the nations of the
world" 1t may drive his lesson
home to give facts demonstrating in
dividual interest and profit IN sup
porting the country now doing Its
share in the worlds fight for all that
makes life worth living.
1t is usually thought that the rich,
or at least the well TO do, should
save for the country to spend. So
they should. In fact, they are set
ting an example for the humble to
follow. The rich" are saving be-
cause they are thrifty, and they are
thrifty because they know the value
and use of money. Too many OF the
poor are unframed in the use of
funds, shortsighted, preferring the
pleasures of this week or month to
the far future, for which they DO
not plan sufficiently. These are gen
eralities with many exceptions. Not
all rich are thrifty. Many OF the
poor have no margin above existence.
Still, speaking of classes rather than
of individuals, the fact remains that
the rich are doing their duty by
their country, and are making them
selves richer while the poor are max
ing themselves poorer.
The case proves itself. There are
only a few thousand rich, and the
possibilities of their economies are
small. The hundred million are com
paratively poor, but the total OF
their spendings eXhausts the stock OF
commodities and makes them dear.
Upon the average, American con-
sumption of food shows about the
same percentage of annual increase
as before the war, while the average
Englishman and Frenchman are eat
ing much less The increase for this
country is 10 per cent; the decrease
in consumption Of food by our lead
ing allies is 80 per cent. 1t is Off
cially stated that our consumption
of sugar in 1917 was over So pounds
per head, an increase of four pounds
over the five-year period ended with
1916.
Our doctors tell US that we dig our
graves with our teeth, and our doc
tors of finance tell us that we waste
enough to finance the war. But the
blame is not that of the rich. Their
peculiar indulgences are imports, for
luxuries are not Enthusiastically of
American make. But diamonds,
pearls, laces, pushes. ribbons, hats,
and bonnets are lower in ratio
among the imports by from 20 to so
per cent. than before the war. We
used to import only mere millions
worth of cigarette paper, but last
year we imported five millions
worth. The rich are too few to
smoke enough cigarettes to use that
paper, and the rich prefer imported
cigars. The relatively poor increased
the sales of one tobacco company by
twenty millions in it's last report, in
Guiding four billions of cigarettes as
one lien
These are facts, not praise o1-lsel
rich, nor aspersion of the poor. They
are human facts, and do not call for
consciousness. Only in proportion
that the individual is better than the
average is he entitled to spur others
on rather than call them to follow
him. AS the first American, the
President heads the list, and he is
doing more than one mans share in
arousing the spirit of loyalty to i'd
eals which must fire each mans
heart if he is to do his duty in the
trenches or the factory, and each
housewives heart if she is to spend
the breadwinners' earnings so that
they will go furthest against the enc
my of all. Secretary McAdoo is a
good second to the President, and
sets forth economic ideals as well as
the President supports political
standards. In his words:
1T is a sacred duty of every citi-
zen, and it should be regarded as a
glorious privilege by every patriot,
to uphold the Governments credit
with the same kind of self-sacrifice
and nobility of soul that our gallant
sons exhibit when they die for us on
the battlefelds of Europe"
If that spirit could be communi-
Gated to those who are enlarging
their expenses instead of buying
thrift stamps with their enlarged in
come, it would not be necessary to
raise the rate of interest on the funds
we advance to those who are she'd
ding blood and billions far beyond