Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-04
THRIFT HABIT ASSET
Of VALUE To NATION
People Now Saving So, 900 900, 900
a Year in w. S. S. and Liberty
Loan Payments.

SolStS iNoW odsitib Po,puusbuu,buu
a Year in w. S. S. and Liberty
Loan Payments.
The impulse to save and lay up money
so POWERFULLY stimulated and so produc-
tivc during the war, must be made per
manent force in the national life. We
say must be, because the need itself is
imperative. il is vital, and of the vital
thing that should be done we are war
ranted in saying that IL must be done.
The thrift habit can be made universal
and permanent in this country, II Will
he made 80 il men who understand the
need and know the way tn meet 1t viii
put their hands tn the work.
What WAS the condition during tho
war; The wage-earners of the country
were earning and receiving high pay,
higher than ever before. That was the
foundation. The Government had need
of billions To carry on the war The
money could be raised only m part by
taxation, for the best recourse was had
to the resources of the people The APP
peal was made, not alone by general eg-
hortation, but by personal sohcltation
Every man and woman, every boy and
girl in the country was asked to sub
EFfIiH LOT fHFftF ffftlitSF W tn " ~
Savings Stamps The appeal was made
first Of course, UPON the ground Of pa
trotism, of the duty to support the Gov
vernment. but stress was everywhere laid
upon the virtue and the value OF the
saving habit Wage-earners were urged
TO subscribe for bonds on the basis OF
bank loans; il was pointed out to thcm
that thev conli paw of the loans IN IN
staImcnts out of their savings and when
paid for the bond would not only weld
AN income. but il would be- an insurance
against need, a provision to Inc drawn
upon IN time Of illness or disability The
response was wonderful. More than 20
600 600 Of Americans subscribed Tor LIB
crtv bonds, and lf War Savings Stamps
be reckoned into the account the total
of subscribers would be much greater
In an article which we publish elsewhere
I'm this issue, Mr.. Ingalls, kIrnball es-
Inmates that the "aales OF War Sav-
ings Stamps and small payments on
Liberty Bonds are proceeding at the
rate of 100000 900 a year.
That Is the habit that must be made
permanent, the habit of putting aside
small weekly or monthly sums out Of
earnings. in short. the habit Of thrift.
The sure way To make the thrift habit
permanent ana htfiFtINtt u W
to make the personal appeal, actual go
, licitation Just as 1t WAS prachoed In tho
war hv tens Of thousands OF volunteer
workers in behalf Of the Liberty loan
and War Savings Stamps sales. Depend
| upon it. somebody is going TO continue
| that solicitation. Ii 1t Is not done for
saving. il will bc done for squanderlng
| Hordes Of agents hawking all sorts of
gewgaws. cheap mining shares, low
priced speculative securities, Innumerable
| articles that wage-carners do not need,
| cannot profit by hut NAV be tempted 10
purchase. will ret the ear and the money
| Of the millions who subscribed Tor LIB
erty Bonds or bought War Saving
| Stamps if, In their own interest, wage
earners ar cnot Influenced by personal
appeals 10 continue the habit of saving.
| Whv should they be given over TO the
| tampters. uhv should they be left to con-
| tract habits of extravaganza and I'M
| provident spending?
Thrift is 4 double protection Tor wage
earners. 1t not only leads to independ-
ence, but 1t produces those aceumua-
tions OF capital upon which. husbanded
and invested by savings institutions,
the industries of the country must de-
pend 1t will keep the wheels turning,
| insure permanence OF employment, pro-
mote activity in business and national
| prosperity. add to the countrvS wealth.
| and provide good wages Money circulating
| from hand 10 hand IS Il conve usenee
necessity, il sustalns trade but accuinuiatea
wealth reproduces itself and III that pro
| cess Of reproduction labor must always be
EMPLOYED The little streams that run down
| the sides of the valley and through larger
watercourses flow unhindered to the sea,
| turn no wheel; it Is when they sre Inn
pounded that they constitute power, CIV
| ing employment to labor and producing
| goods That Is the lesson that must be
| taught to every man and woman who
out of current wages, is able 10 put aside
something against RAINY day, against
| the disabilities Of old age. II must be
an organized effort, undertaken by men
| all over the country who are able to see
and feel the need of making the thrift
habit permanent, who can apply them.
| selves to the task. The point is Illus
| trated by the difference IN the practice
of savings banks and insurance com
panies The savings bank depositor Is
| moved by individual impulse; the insur.
ance companies, through their agents
| personally solicit men to take out poll
cies The problem is this, How is tht
"volme Of savings TO be kept up TO lts
| present rate?' 1t is a question OF vita
| importance to the na,ion, to its people
| 1t should have the answer through or.
ganized effort to continue and make PER
J manent the impulse 10 save, so widely
and proftably stimulated under tn,
stress Of war.-New York Times