The Weston leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 189?-1946, 1919-11-07
"Police Your Purses

Chlcago-A nation wide movement
to police our own pocket books and
develop courage OF the customer 10
front OF the counter 10 refuse 10 bus
an article which he cannot afford, was
advocated today by Orrln G. Lester.
vice-director OF the savings division
OF the Treasury Department. Speak.
ing before the annual convention OF
the International Lyceum and Chau-
tauqua Association, In session here,
Mr.. Lester said that the development
Of courage 10 refuse TO buy and TO do
II With as much grace and praise as
the clerk behind the counter names
the price. would make economy both
fashionable and respectable in Amer
lea.
1T is estimated" Mr. Lester said,
that for most incomes an average
OF 20 to 80 per cent may be allotted
for food and from 10 to 20 per cent
for clothing. Why should not the
people OF not too small incomes start
a concerted effort TO refuse TO buy an
article OF food or clothing that costs
more than a'proper proportion OF the
above percentages? A dollar is only
half as large as It was four and
half years ago. We must either in
crease the size OF the dollar or adjust
our wants TO the size II now is
Merchant Cooperation
Tn a movement OF this character,
the people would be cooperating with
the merchants In a most practical way.
They would make II possible for the
merchant to render the sort Of serv-
ice that he desires to render TO his GUS
toner and which he can only render
rs the customer exercises discretion
and intelligence in his buying and buys
only those things which his income
justifles.
Goods were made TO use. not to see,
and whom people viii not use them
they will not sell When they will not
sell, they come down In price or go
out Of existence"
In discussing thrift and the need for
the wise use OF money. Mr. Lester
made especial appeal to the women Of
America. He said:
The government movement for saw
ing, conducted through the medium Of
the sale and distribution OF Thrift and
War Savings Stamps and Treasury
Savings Certificates, is very closely con-
nected with the question Of the high
living cost. The practical and lasting
answer TO this question lies more In /
education than In Investigation. The
Federal Food Administration found
that 90 per cent OF products consumed
IN this country passes through the
hands OF the women Of this country.
People Supreme {
'All the proilteers combined and all Z
he combines together cannot defeat G
he people on this question when they
ret interested enough and information ,
'nough to act together. The thing
want to see in this connection is
Refuse to Buy movement among the
'eople OF this country. A prominent {
'roduce dealer of San Francisco said I
he other day, II the people should i
ahc AZ AuNS tAcAA ASkauS " Sup cdtlub
ny one perishable food for Eve days, Il
hey could ruin the market a
"A Pacific Coast newspaper, dis
ussing this statement editorially. put =
IS finger on the cost of living remedy
hen 1t said: 1t may be that prof. =
sering is at the bottom Of present =
Ugh prices, but man cannot profiteer n
you refuse to buy his goods y
Regardless Of investigations and N
riminal prosecutions. we shall have t;
le problem of the high cost of living q
, long as we have an extravagant and 1,
loughtless consuming public" s,
Mr.. Lester concluded with an ap- "
eal for the speeding up of produc. a,
on. the elimination of useless waste,
and rigid economy and saw.
g and Investment of those savings In a.
,vernment savings securities and cS
liberty Bonds. oi
- s.
BUY W. s. 81 -