The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-10-12
The Royal Road to Ruin.

The United States, according to some
foresighted thinkers, has reached the crisis
of its history.
We have reached that stage, they point
out, which has marked the turning point IN
the history of every nation, and which leads
directly to national decadence or to decreas-
ed prosperity and greatness
The question is not wether we are strong
enough to survive the grave difficulties that
beset us, but whether or not we shall yield
to the lure of too much prosperity.
No one can deny the universal tendency
toward extravaganza and luxury today in
the United States. In our opinion, this is the
natural reaction from the sacrifices of war
times, and will soon check itself.
We believe in the inherent good sense of
the American people. If, as has been said,
the future of the world is in their hands we
are sure the trust is well placed.
But glance at the life story of every
civilization of the past shows that if peo-
pie change from producers to spenders and
idlers they are on the primrose path to
destruction.
Babylon. Greece and Rome were in turn
destroyed by their own prosperity. All great
nations have passed through four stages.
They have had their birth in adversely.
Forced to practice industry and thrift in or
der to survive and grow, they attained pros
perity. In every case wealth was followed
by a period of general extravaganza and
Adversely, Prosperity, Luxury Ruin: this
is the cycle that ancient civilization expert
enced and which confronts US as nation.
We have already passed through the first
two stages
This republic had its origin in as adverse
conditions as any nation ever COPIED with.
First, we fought for our very existence, es-
tabllshed independence; then turned our en-
ergies to developing the natural resources
within our domain,
All this was done by our sturdy pioneer
stock, who knew the dignity of labor, and
who practced the Puritan virtues of SIM
plicity, industry and self-deniaL
AS we conquered the land, developed the
mines and forests, and put a million ma
chimes to work we rapidly increased our
wealth until. recent years find US the richest
nation on earth.
The average workman is higher paid, bet
ter housed, better fed, and enjoys more
comforts of life than laborers of any nation.
Realization of our wealth is turning our
heads temporarily; we are buying luxuries
galore, and demanding shorter working
hours so that we may have more leisure to
devote to enjoying them.s
This, too, at time when war has so re-
duced our supply of the necessities of life
that we are bidding high against each other
to get them, at time when the world needs
not greater consumption but greater pro-
duction.
If our nation is to endure we must avoid
the undermining influences of extravaganza
and luxury as we would a pestilence. If we
turn from production to waste the whole
world will suffer as an immediate result.
But this is more significant for US: if we
fail to read the writing on the wall of his
tory and forsake our old habits of thrift and
industry for the pursuit of luxury and pleas
ure this nation will be in danger of losing
its world leadership
Our course lies in economy and produc-
ton to the utmost--the foundation on which
are based the higher degree of prosperity
this country has so far attained,-The Jay
hawk