The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1918-01-12

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tail merchants in Stevens county
have already adopted the regula-
tions advocated by the national
board, relative to maintaining
open stores only between 8 a. m.
and 6 p. m., making but one de-
livery a day, and limiting credits
to 30 days.
These regulations have been re-
quested by the national council Of
defense and are not yet an order.
Compliance with the request will
obviate an order. In placing the
matter before retail merchants,
no arguments are made. The re-
quest Of the government is simply
stated, and the names are taken of
any who refuse to comply, and
forwarded to the state council. 1t
is probable that a strict compli-
ance with this plan will work a
hardship on some merchants
whose trade has been received
largely at night, but the country
at war has had to do many things
which would not be considered in
peace times. A conservation Of
man power, Of equipment, of
sweets which have been largely
purchased in the evenings, and a
cutting down of luxuries has been
deemed necessary by the war
board.
This country has in practically
every case made a request before
it made an order. The railroads
were first requested to move the
necessary traffic, and failure
brought government operation.
The people were asked to conserve
sugar, and failure to get full re-
suits caused a limit to be placed
on sales. Enlistments in the army
and navy were sought, but con-
scription was used as a final re-
sort. Citizens and aliens were re-
quested to preserve war atti-
tude favorable to the work of the
government, but agitators and OBJ
jectors are now put in jail. Peo-
pie are now asked to conserve
meat and wheat, to save on light
and heat, to drop unnecessary
duplication of business efforts. to
run retail stores 9 hours, to oper-
ate sales on a 30-day credit basis.
These requests in war time are
reasonable, and will undoubtedly
be observed. If they are not OBJ
served, we know that orders will
follow. Our government has no
intention of losing this war, and
those who will not help will be
made to help, as the majority is
working as a unit to win.
The one delivery a day program
outlined by the commercial econ--
omy board Of the council of ma
tional defense points out to the
retail merchants specific ways in
which they can help win the war.
The elaborate delivery service
rendered by many merchants may
be permissible in times Of peace,
but it can have no rightful place
in a war time program. Retail
merchants quite commonly make
four and sometimes more regular
deliveries day. By the exercise
Of reasonable foresight customers
can easily anticipate their needs
for one day and order so that one
delivery a day will suffice. The
one big result which the CONNER
cial economy board hopes to ac-
complish,. and the underlying
thought which has guided it in
framing these recommendations,
is to release from 9pn-essentiai
occupations as many men as pos
sible for agriculture, mining,
transportation, shipbuilding and
the like. In view Of the unusual
demands upon our labor supply
for these services, our country can
not now tolerate any waste OF
man power. The commercial
economy boad of the nation has
made a careful study of retail