The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1919-12-04

urecarious. There never was a pys-
chology so extraordinary.
Expenditures are terrific. The peo-
pie are on a mad financial spree. Nor
NAL business principles are dead.
Thoughts of thrift are forgotten. A
mans hat at $40 has become a COM
monplace. Portland dealers placed
them on sale and the supply was ex-
hausted. The dealers were plunged into
wonderment and awe. They are now
buying hats that will be sold at $50
and $50.
Nothing is stable. New York manu-
facturers and jobbers 70 longer quote
prices Of goods ON future delivery.
They tell you the price now and say
that the price on future orders will
be controlled by the market prices.
Meanwhile, operatives in the factories
demand higher and higher wages and
operators grant them Operators have
found that any price asked will be
paid, and the advanced wage is grant
ed and added with increased profit to
the price at which the goods 60 to
the retailer The public comes along
and pays whatever is asked.
And so the pyramiding goes on. Peo-
pie were excited during the war. In
many ways they are crazy now. They
Eever saw so much money spent before,
never saw it spent so lavishly, never
saw it come and go SO easily
All have forgotten that it was gov
eminent money that we have been
spending. 1t was the great sums told
off in billions that fed the shipyards,
the munition factories, the machine
works, the spruce camps and all the
other works of production. In all the
history Of the world, money was never
poured into industry with such pro-
digal hand.
The spirit Of those days has be-
come epidemic. Though the great sup
ply source that the government main
tanned during hostilities is cut off,
the spending goes ON. 1t is without end
or shape or limit. The shipworker's
$1,000 automobile, and Milady's$20OO
fur, the houscmaid's $3.50 tailor suit,
the stenographer's 5000 coat, a wo-
mans handbag at $3.50, lady's gown
displayed iE San Francisco shop win
dow at the price of a house and lot.
These are parts of the long array of
expenditure
People seem crazed with the notion
that any extravagant thing, any pro-
d1gal purchase, any figure CT wage,
any measure of profit is obtainable.
Do you realize what havoc habits of
unthrift are working in America
In Portland in 1918. with an increase
OF 1900 in population, we built 266
dwelling houses. We bought $500 auto
mobiles We spent something over half
a million for houses; more than ten
million for automobiles. The mortage
Indebtedness placed on homes for the
purchase Of automobiles was 100000
listen: Sixty six out of every
hundred persons who die in the United
States leave no estate whatever, and
OF the remaining thirty four only nine
leave estates larger than $4,000. AT
the age Of 65, ninety seven out of every
hundred persons in America are par.
x.yha
tives friends or the public for their
daily bread, for their clothing and
for roof under which to sleep. Ninety
eight per cent of the American people
are living from day to day ON their
wages, and loss of employment would
mean pauperism for all but two pei
cert
Fewer than 100000 American fam
lilies own their own homes, 100000
are carrying mortgages, and II ,00O. OO(
are renters. Every seven years, one
third of the population of the city OF
New York applies for charity. Ono
person in every ten who dies in oul
large cities is buried in a pauper's
grave.
These figures are from Government
statistics. They are terrifying story
of poverty. Surgeon General Gorgas
who made the Canal Zone habitable
said in public address: physician.
have located the great cause of genera
I'LL health I'm novertvn Doxsartv /,
here directly attributable by an emf
nent authority to the great American
habit of unthrift.
Poverty means dirt. Cleanliness /,
luxury. 1t demands leisure, peac,
of mind, hot water, soap, bath tub ant
good plumbing. The very poor carno
he clean, and filth and dirt mean IL
health, consumption and a pauper.!