New-York tribune., 1918-01-31
We Must Save to Win
War" Says Root at
Thrift Meeting
All Urged to Spurn
Luxuires of Past
New Workers Asked to Help
in Campaign Of Re
trcnchment

New Ycrk's first thrift mass meeting
was held last night i'll Carnegie Hall.
The crowd which jammcd the building
20 the doors WAS not composed Of wage
carriers seeking means to combat tho
rising cost OF living; it was almost en-
;rcly made up Of men and women high
in the social, financial and industrial
scalc-all bent on meeting tho rising
cost OF war
Although there was not an evening
sown or n suit OF dress clothes in the
asscmblagc, tho meeting. invitation to
Whl'h was by card, Wa essentially a So
Getty function. The boxes, reserved for
subscribers to the seasons concerts and
which ordinarily reflect Dame Fash
IONS latest mood. held their usual au
oicucc, but au audience simply, even
plainly. clab
For the object of the meeting, stated
at the outset by Elihu Root, as chair
man. was TO promote an economy, per
Sona1 and collective, by which a vic
tory OF American arms may be effected.
'hc thousands assembled rocked the
huge hall with cheering affirmation
of Mr.. Roots sentiment that "cyery
name Will spurn the comfort and lux
ury OF times gone by and strive and
sacrifice to the very end to bring us
victory in our righteous cause"
Warning From Root
"lf we Americans fail our flag in
this, he said. then we shall lose this
war. Our liberty. so dearly bought,
Will vanish and we shall become a ma
To 10 Of ott
The meeting was held under the
auspices Of the National War Savings
Stamp Committee for the purpose Of
rallying New Workers to lead the ma
tional campaign for retrenchment be-
ing wagcd by the committee. Freder-
lcS ". Allen, director of the local cam
palgn forces, said that the rest of the
country was counting on New York to
do part in the War Savings Stamp
campaign comparahly equal to that
done here in the two Liberty Loan
drives.
Hundreds of thousands of men and
women during these past months have
been striving to find out what they can
40 to help their country in this hour
OF trial. said Mr.. Foot. "rhis gather
ing must show the whole country how
every man and woman. rich and poor,
those of large incomes and those Of
small ones. must an1 will shoulder a
burden when is :hsj-s
Contest of Supplies
M odern war is az much q contest of
supplies as it is Of arms The vast
armies arrayed on the battlefelds OF
Europe must be fed, clothed, armed and
supplied with ammunition. There must
be railroads and locomotives, cars,
ships and boats to carry supplies.
Where arc these supplies to come
from More than 50.0Oo,O0O of the men
Of tho world have been mobjlized in
armies.
"A far greater number have been
drawn from ordinary productive en-
ployments and confined to the produc-
tion Of things necessary for armies
alone. One hundred millions who were
producing things which the world ir
peace time was absorbing are with
drawn from employment. AS result
there is shortage all over the worc
of food, of clothing. of wool. cotton
linen, leather. materials to make chem
cals for explosives and steel, to make
arms and shells. The supreme test o1
war Is the capacity of peoples to sup
ply necessary materials.
There is only one way we can &C