Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-16

~ EORGIA and her sister States of the
~ Sixth Federal Reserve District may
we'll be proud of their recent record
in the purchase of Thrift stamps and Treas
ury savings certificates. While the country
as whole shows marked improvement on
that score, this region has the largest num-
Der of States making substantial gains. The
foresight and moral energy thus betokened
augur a happy passage for the Southeast
through the trials of readjustment and the
winning of soundly prosperous future.
If diligence be the mother OF good hap, as
the Spanish proVerb has it, thrift is assured
ly the father Of what we cali good times. But
thrift means much more than saving. 1t
means in the first instance producing. 1t alb
hors idleness even more than it abhors ex-
travagance. 1t honors not only the conserv-
ing stitch in time but every industrious
stroke that brings forth something useful and
swells the store of human good. This sort
or thrift 1t is that will tide us over stua-
ton which President Wilson described as
being more likely to affect the happiness
and even the life of our people than the war
ITSELF. For five years the world has been
spending its wealth and strength in the bust
ness of destruction. Millions of men were
taken from farm and factory to the battle
front, and millions never returned Billions
OF money were drained from constructive en-
terprlse and blown into the red mists of bat
Tie. STOCKS OF all necessaries were depleted
as they rarely or never had been in modern
tlmes, so that considerable part of mankind
IS now straltened for common raiment and
daily bread. The condition is. one for which
there can be no sure remedy save watchful
spending and increased production.
By watchful spending we mean primarily
avoidance of waste and the exercise of bust
ness judgment. When these ends are looked
to there need be no fear of extravaganza;
for true thrift, be it remembered, consists
I'm I'm
wisely. But we must do more than conserve
ii we are to restore the violently shaken bal
ance Of supply and demand and thus speed
| the return of normal times. We must pro-
duce. We must produce goods. We must
produce services. We must keep all proc
esses OF production swift and smooth and
| resent as an injury to the common interests
whatsoever would disturb them in these criti-
cal days. This idea has been effectively
stressed in the Governments thrift campaign
IN the southeast. AS Mr.. Silas W. Davis,
director of the movement, sums it up: Eve
nave sought to check waste-waste of ma
ter1al and money-and to impress upon the
Wage-earner and housekeeper the wisdom of
systematic saving. We are hoping for steady
decrease In waste and an increase in agr1-
cultural and industrial production"
This is gospel Of patriotism as we'll as of
success. Its faithful practice will carry the ma
| ton securely through the troublous transition
| from war to peace, and will safeguard the es-
sential interests of citizen and family 1t is
| highly assuring that the people of Georgia
| and her neighbor States, as evidenced in the
| Districts notable Thrift stamp record, have
turned 80 heartily to this practical wisdom.
| Neither to themselves nor to their country
can they render sounder service than by con-
| tinuing to produce and to save
| The ex-Kaiser should be doubly punished
for bringing on the war and for the painful
process of reconstruction.