The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1918-01-05
TIE GREAT.
QUESTION
6,
PART I.

/What is my duty; what Is the
fmost sensible and profitable course
for me to follow in my private and
business affairs during the continu
ance of the war?
This is the great question con
fronting every American citizen.
Here is a common-sense reply:
Before we can settle the matter In
detail. we must grasp those element
airy principles which national
affairs.
This doe not inso. ,.eat learn
ing or research. fer economic knowl
edge is little else than commonsense
applied to big subjects.
The war VIII be won by the Ma
ton which can place the greatest
number of men, the greatest amount
of material In the field, and produce
the greatest amount of foodstuffs ia
supply its military and civilian
forces. This fact is so generally
recognized that 1t Is not necessary
to bring forward elaborate argu
ments to prove it.
We are a wealthy Nation, and the
question arises as to whether or not
we can win the war by throwing our
surplus wealth into the struggle.
We cannot
Why? Because our savings. as q
Nation. amounted to about Billion
Dollars annually before we entered
the war. and our war estimates for
the first years operations call fol
an expenditure of about Eighteen
Billion Dollars, or over az times as
much as we have saved ever before
In one year.
Now. there are three courses open
to US. We can endeavor to produce
SH tines as much wealth this year
as ever we did before. We can en-.
deavor to save 31a times as much
money as ever we did before. We
can lie down on the whole PROPOSE
ton. and let Germany win.
Having described this article
as common-sense reply to great
question, we will eliminate the last
mentioned possibility.
We cannot produce 31a times as
much wealth this year as ever be
fore. 1t will take several years tc
adjust our affairs so as to produce
such results.
To save az times as much as
ever we have before is quite posi-
Bile. but would mean actual hard
+, ship for millions of our people.
The most sensible solution OF the
problem is to aim at a combination
Of production and self-denial which
will find US at the end of a yea
at least 3h times Weather as |
nation, than ever before.
The method Indicated has been fol
lowed by our Allies with results tina
have astonished the world. Afte
"a years Of physical and financia
strain, England raised recently
loan Of s Billion Dollars, equivalen
to Ten Billion Dollars in this Cour
try. owing to the fact that we hav
about double the population. Eng
jand has speeded up her production
of wealth, denied herself so much
that despite the fact that millions O
her finest specimens of human ma
terial are fighting. despite the fac
that she had raised previously abou
like amount of Billion Dollars Il
loans, and is paying 2h Billion Do
I : ars yearly in taxes. she was abb
till to produce this enormous amour
in . 30 day campaign.
Germany Is speeding up her prt
duction along the most scientifi
lines, and is starving herself Ths
is the sole reason Germany exist
today.
Are we super-men that we can d
things differently to others?
Let US forget this talk of "Uncl
when he gets there" The German
will not be cleaned up" by talk. Z
even by bravery alone. They mu.
be fought with their own weapon
hard work and self-deniai-th
things that win wars.
Again. the man who cries, al
the rich man pay, has not graspe
the elementary facts of the situation
The rich man is paying, and WILL
Day, for the Government already
calling for as much as 500 of h
profits in the shape of Income an
War Profit Taxes.
1t is true that the Govcrrp mt f,
not taking away TIE rish min ca
ital. but neither is 1t ask ag the lea
wealthy producer to part with h
capital All alike must retain the
capital in order to run factorie
farm the land, build ships. eou