Imperial Valley press., 1919-10-30
POLICE H.JRSES,
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 hooks 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,
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 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. -. e 49, =
at 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
concerted effort to refuse to buy an
article of food or clothing that costs
more than proper proportion of the
above percentages? A dollar is only
half as large as it was four and a
half years ago. We must either in
crease the size OF the dollar or adjust
our wants TO the size it 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 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
5ustifes. .-.s7 .zs1-+aes 7-''' e. ..s7
Goods were made to use, not to see,
and when a people will 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
~7s' &s People Supreme Fss-~ t.-~
"All the profiteers combined and all
the combines together cannot defeat
the people on this question when they
get interested enough and information
enough to act'together.t The thing
want to see in this connection is a
Refuse TO; Buya movement among the
people of; this country - AZ prominent
produce dealer of San francisco said
he other. day,aIf the people should
axe itFinto their heads to stop eating
any one perishable foodsfor five days.
hey could ruin the market
"A Pacific Coast newspaper, dis
,ussing this statement editorially. put
is finger on the cost of living remedy
when it, said: y 1T may be that, prof.
eering is !atg the be. tom of present
nigh prices, but asman capnot profiteer
f you refuse to buy his goods
Regardless OF Investigations and
criminal prosecutions, ave shall have
he problem of the, high cost of living
so long as we have an extravagant and
houghtless CONSUMING public"
Mr.. Lester ;concluded with an ap-
peal for the speeding up: of Broduc-
ion, the elimination 'of useless waste,
and rigid economy and saw
ng and investment of those savings in |
'0yernment 3SeItn ea.,a savings securities and
F l=aUY v: 9: e. aSQSxS |
Thezstreet railways Iof New York IcoI.
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