The spectator., 1919-12-12
THRIFT WEEK. |S
 ID BEGIN JAN, r
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WILL BE REMINDED HOW THEY CAN
 HELP GOOD GOVERNMENT.
TEN MONEY COMMANDMENTS
Treasury Officials Say That Despite Much Reckless Spending, Americans Are Paying More Attention To Saw ing Than Ever Before.
By JAMES p. HORNADAY.


 The department of the treasury says that the people of the United States are making use of the lessons in saving they learned during the world war. are, of course, great many persons who are spending money reckleSSly, but all the information on the subject of saving that is coming to the depart ment indicates that the great masses of the people are paying more atten- tion to saving than ever before. The treasury department is undoubtedly good authority on this subject for the savings division. which was established within the department during the war, has been made permanent and is one of the active divisions.
 The thought behind the act of mak- ing this division permanent was that the government should always be pre- pared to lead the people along sound financial paths It is work in which the people everywhere have co-operat- ed in most enthusiastic way. Be- hind the activity of the savings divis- ion there is the further thought that the condition of the individual is im- proved through the observance of sound financial rules and the financial and industrial strength of the nation increases through the enormous sums of capital which accrue through the practice of steady saving and safe in vestments on the part of citizens.
 In order to help along this savings idea the government has designated the week beginning January 17. 1920, as national thrift week. It is proposed during that week to remind the people everywhere through public meetings and appropriate speeches that the cause of good citizenship and good government can be helped along by everybody who has money to spare buying War Savings stamps or deposit ing money in savings banks.
 What We Saved During War.
 It does not seem to be generally known that while the country was buy ing S2O.000 100000 worth of Liberty
 
 bonds, its citizens put away more than S1 GOO, ,OO0.0 GOO in War Savings stamps, and that during the war period sav- ings bank deposits in the United States increased some $S,o00. .oo0, 900.
 It Is expected that out of Thrift week there will grow general cam paign in the interest of careful saving and wise spending. Attorney General Palmer. who has been wrestling with the high cost of living since last Au- gust without being able to beat the cost down to any considerable extent, is advocating the doctrine of careful saving and wise buying as probably the only real remedy for the high cost of living trouble. A good many wom- ems organizations throughout the willing to enlist in the campaign along the lines proposed by the attorney gen eral.
 In connection with the plans for Thrift week 1t has been proposed by the treasury department that the speakers who go out that week dwell on the following ten commandments for the guidance of those who are try ing to administer their incomes care fully: Make budget. keep an intel bank account. carry life insurance, make n will, own your own home eventually, pay your bills promptly. invest In War Savings stamps and other government securities, spend less than you earn, share with others as much as possible.
 More Stamps and Certificates.
 The treasury department says that savings stamps and treasury savings certificates will be available again next year at banks and post offices. It is not the expectation of the treasury de- partment that the government will have to make another bond sale to meet the expenditures incurred during the war, but in order to make both ends meet it will be necessary to sell both savings stamps and treasury sav- inCs certificates The treasury depart ment also points out that people who prefer to invest their savings in Liberty bonds can always purchase them through any banking institution at the current market prices.
 The treasury department is anxious to have the holders of bonds of the second Liberty loan understand that those bonds are convertible into Az per cent bonds as we'll as eXchangeable treasury has already prescribed reg ulations calculated to provide for both exchanges and conversions with the minimum of inconvenience and ex- nense 10 hoth the government md the