The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-08-28

5!ia1C5s -.----iT IT511..-. Countries.

OtNNil 0ett many
To return TO our story OF the suit
OF clothes During last year the United
States had to import 421 100000
pounds OF wool representing q value OF
about SI72. 100000. About half OF this
came from Argentina. Our suits OF
clothes called for substantial portion
of this wool and therefore TO that ex-
tent robbed Uncle Sam of the use OF
his ships. Moreover, our factories be-
Ing busy in producing the things re-
quired for the prosecution Of the war
and our home consumption still pro-
ceedirg at almost top speed, the guam
tity Of goods available for shipment to
Argentina in payment for the wool Tor
for that matter to Chile for nitrates, to
Peru for copper, and so on. is insult
cient. As consequence the United
States had to pay for more goods in
South America than South America
has had to pay for goods bought in the
United States, thereby causing a de-
cline OF dollar exchange in these neu-
trial countries. This shrinkage in the
price Of the dollar means that it has
lost a corresponding part of its pur-
chasing power in neutral countries.
The scarcity Of goods available for
our export trade has thus become a
FERROUS obstacle in our way in trying to
secure at reasonable prices or in ade.
quate quantities some of the things
that we absolutely require from for
eign countries.
My suit of clothes has hurt Uncle
Sam, therefore, in several ways:
have consumed more wool than neces-
sary and thereby forced the United
States to import a correspondingly
large quantity of this article; | have
consumed more cotton goods than nee
essary and to that extent have de-
prived Uncle Sam of the means with
which TO pay for the minimum Of, wool
which we may have to import.
Clothing But One Of Many
have used the Illustration Of new
suit Of clothes; It would be easy.
though somewhat tedious, to show that
We have been dealing only with one
case in point The country is short
at this time Of hides and skins and
has to import large quantities from
neutral countries because we are ex.
travagant in our individual purchases
of shoes. Similarly. though we are
the largest producers of copper, we are
forced to import copper from Peru be-
cause our civilian population has not
begun sufficiently. to curtail its use,
In like manner we might ask ourselves
is it at all. exeusable that at this time
We still manufacture such articles as
silk stockings, when every thread OF
SILK must be imported, while we could
use our own cotton?
It is Impossible and unnecessary TO
: enumerate the many articles that are
in a similar position. Many billions
Of dollars can easily be saved when
once we are capable of realizing the
cumulative effect of Individual "sav-
, ing take the word saving in its
larger meaning. as involving not only
= money. but also goods and services.
: II every individual could be made TO
T see with his own eyes that neglect Of
saving OF this sort means decreased
Z war efficiency, a propaganda OF the
} war, an e. large. number OF casual
p ties; II every ore who has a son or
dear relative on the fighting lines
/. across the water could be made to feel
, that millions OF small savings directly
= affect his boy-there would be no
, doubt that we could secure the most
q conscientious and enthusiastic coop
. GRAFTON Of all the people Thus far
r we must say with regret of los 900,
l. 600 people 10o.000Go0 do not see the
. connection between the suit Of clothes
s and the LIE OF the boy.
S cermany's Enforced Economy.
Q Cerpany's military success is large
s ~ predicated upon her ability to cen
I ter the entire national effort upon the
D business Of war 1t Is safe to say that
L she never would have been able to
J. bear the burdens OF the fight as well
e as she has during these four lone
years had It not been for the enforced
5 savings in material money and men
r brought about through the British
= blockade II e had not been for the
!. stern necessities created by that block
d AIDE the German people would not have
n been willing to submit to famine ra-
g tons as 20 food. clothes. shoes ami
Z other similar articles. Industries ca
u lsring to the Appetite and o~'rava'
l. gances Of the masses aid kept
men and material from the government
e instead Of making everything avail
. abo for TIC war work of the govern
$ ment and financially she would have
d exhausted herself by buying things
ID abroad hat she could 20 without OF
r for which she had to strain her in
II genuity In finding or creating substi-
g. iatos.
1t is difficult TO bring about drastic
economy without the conpulsion ex
erclsed by hard necessity. For us the
G problem is whether or not. of our owr
5; free will. we shall be able TO estab
Is llsh our own voluntary blocKad,
to against waste and extravaganza. It Il
!; a problem whose solution requires III,
or greatest intelligence and the creates
OF degree Of unsensh patriotism. II Is
Re problem that will put the spirit OF oul