Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-12-25
APOLICE PURSES, =
REFUSE TO BUY"
URGES OFFICIAL
Courage of Customers Only
Way to Cut H. c. L.,
Lester Declares


Chicago-A nation wide movement
to police our own pocket books and
develop courage of the customer in
front of the counter to refuse to buy
an article which he cannot afford, was
advocated today by Orrin c. Lester,
yice-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 to refuse to buy and to do
it 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 40 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 ia only
half as large as 1t was four and a
half years ago. We must either In
crease the size of the dollar or adjust
our wants to the size 1t now is.
Merchant Cooperation
I'm a movement of this character,
The people would be cooperating with |
The merchants in most practical way.
They would make it possible for tho |
merchant to render the sort of ssrv.
zee that he desires to render to dis Gus.
Toner and which he can only render
IS the customer exercises discretion
and intelligence in his buying and buys
'nly those things which his income
ustifes,
Goods were made to use, not to SEQ,
md when people will not use them
hey will not sell. When they will not
ell, they come down In price or 80
'ut of existence"
In discussing thrift and the need for
he wise use of money, Mr.. Lester
made especial appeal to the women Of
america, He said:
The government movement for say.
ng, conducted through the medium of
he sale and distribution of Thrift and +
Var Savings Stamps and Treasury ,
avings Certificates, is very closely con- ]
ected with the question of the high
wing cost. The practical and lastin.
nswsr to this question lies more In
ducation than in investigation. The
ederal Food Administration found
nat 80 per cent Of products consumed
this country passes through slhe
ands OF the women Of this country.
People Supreme
All the profteers combined and all
le combines together cannot defeat
lie people on this question when they
It interested enough and information
iough to act together. The thing /
ant to see In this connection Is a
'efuse to Buy movement among the
'ople Of this country. A prominent
oduce dealer OF San Francisco said
Q other day, II the people should y
Ike 1t into their heads to stop eating
" one perishable food for Ave days.
ey could ruin the market =
"A Pacific Coast newspaper, dis
ssing this statement editorially. put
finger on the cost Of living remedy
len 1t said: 1t may be that prof.
ering is at the bottom of present
On prices, but man cannot profiteer
you refuse to buy his goods. eF
: Regardless Of Investigations and
minal prosecutions, We shall have
problem OF the high cost OF living
long as we have an extravagant and
'ughtiess consuming public,o
Mr. Lester concluded with On ap-
II for the speeding up of produc.
n, the elimination Of useless waste. /
lsistent and rigid economy and saw
and investment of those savings in
,ernment savings securities and
'erty Bonds.