The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1920-01-24
THRIFT PROPAGANDA

The epidemic of extravaganza and
recklessness among the citizens of
America can and will be checked
during the coming year by inocu-
lations with the virus 20 thrift ac-
cording to William Mather Lewis,
Director of the Savings Division of
the Treasury Department. In out
lining the Government Thrift and
Savings Campaign for 1920, Mr.
Lewis declared that the co-ODeration
and assistance of the solid body of
employees and business men had
SVEN assurance that this was one
movement on which America could
yet together.
The lessons taught by the war,
he said, again would be put into
practice and the country would
lite to enable production again
to overtAke demand through econ
omy and safe Investment
"On the face Of the returns" con-
tinued Mr.. Lewis. sit might seem
that those depressed by the present
situation had cause for their be-
lief. Bur fortunately here and there
are indications that after all the
disintegratlon of national solidarity
is more apparent than real. II is
/ significant that many Oranges, the
Postal Employees. the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, the American Bank
ers' Association, the National Educa-
tional Association, the Elks the
Rotary Clubs. the Modern Woodmen
of America, the Ladies of the Maca-
hees. the National Catholic War
Council of Jewish Women, and hum
dreds of other organizations rep
resenting every shade of thought
and policy have all pledged them
selves during the year to stand be-
hind this one great national move
ment
Even more significant perhaps is
the fact that this movement sprang
from a lesson taught by the war.
When Herbert Hoover fed the nations
Of Europe from the waste heaps of
America and when "a billion of
collars were produced from the mat
tresses and wallets to finance our
war efforts by means Of Liberty
Bonds people began to open their
eyes and say,-"With all of our
boasted progressiveness as a nation
we have been overlooking the best
source of national strength--the ele-
ment of conservation. Here is an
impressive demonstration of the pow
er of thrift II care and prudence
in the use OF our resources can feed
the starving. and load the guns,
and fill the heavens with aircraft,
surely 1t can develop mines and
reclaim waste lands, it can provide
against individual poverty and in-
sure national strength In days of
peace
Yes, they said that, and when
the armistice was signed they be-
gan to see how quickly they could
forget it. The man whom the
Chicago police forcibly disuaded
from feeding ten dollar bills to
a horse is president of the lodge
attended by the youth with the
fifteen dollar silk shirt; the stem
ographer with the four hundred
dollar fur coat, the munition maxi
er's wife with the $35O.000 PEN
dant, and all the Joyous train who
are making the iudicious grieve.
And in this period OF reaction,
OF wild and nervous extravaganza.
officials Of the Treasury Depart
ment of the United States arose
and said: "At hits moment when
the captains and the kings depart
we win call the people back to
thrift of war days. We will justi-
~ that the war cost in money and
material. We viii bring out OF
this chaos of reconstruction a
stronger America"
''And there was created the
Treasury Departments Thrift and
Savings Movement, built upon the
splendid Foundation of the Savings
Campaign conducted during the
war. Among the instruments Of
war finance Thrift Stamps and
War Savings Stamps offered a
means Of saving by which lessons