Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-16
ON COMING DOWN
BY DR.. Frank Crane

cit isn't an easy thing to change the hab-
its of a country" said President Harding
the other day, addressing a meeting of goV-
eminent officials who had gathered to con-
slider the question of reducing the budget.
''It isn't an easy thing to stand up against
those who want to SPEND
He also told the budget makers that there
doubles would be many heart burnings''
before they got through.
He added, "Our country is calling for a
change, and if it will add to your interest
in your work. let me tell you something else.
The world is watching this well-resolved eX-
pertinent.
eft is no violation of confidence to tell
you that one of the distinguished diplomats
in Washington at this time told me that his
own country had already cabled him to keep
close watch on every step Of our budget en-
terprise and report to his country.
81 take it that perhaps habits and prac-
tees of extravaganza in governmental ex-
penditures are not peculiar to the United
States, and the whole world would like to
profit by our example,
The President is right. The whole world
is now at the most painful and difficult task
which besets poor humanity, the task of
Coming Down.
The business of Going Up, of adopting a
more expensive mode of life, of moving into
a larger house, of getting more servants
and wearing finer clothes, is pleasant enough
Most of us undertake it gayly.
But cutting down expenses is very much
like pulling teeth.
Yet for that very reason it is the best test
of a man. Also woman. Likewise ma
ton.
Any fool can succeed, if he has luck. For
a while, anyhow. But it takes self-mastery
and a strong head to fail and not be demon
allied
1t is said in war that a retreat is as dis
astrous as battle.
Yet m3nV war has haen won nv COM
manders who knew how to retreat skillfully,
such generals, for example, as Fabius and
Washington.
And in life it is true as in war, our great
est gains often come from giving way, and
whoever does not understand the art of
yielding is very likely to lose all.
1t is pretty good practice for any family
whose budget has been ten thousand year
to try year to get along on five.
AS fasting is often the best medicine, and
as many lives have been saved by resolute
starvation as by bounteous food, so in
finances sometimes the essential thing is to
prove to ourselves that we not slaves to
any fixed rate of expenditure, and that Life
means more than Station in Life.
And that holds good of nations. people
who have not resources Of endurance and
character enough to quit splurging and prac-
tice enconomy when necessary are not Wig
orous folk
If Mr.. Harding's administration shall sue
coed in cutting down governmental extrava-
gance it will perform a Herculean task one
that congressman are afraid Of, and one that
is rather sure to be loudly cursed by those
gentlemen whose toes are pinched, while the
vast majority that profit by it are migrate
fully silent.
Every honest American ought to wish him
the best Of luck and promise him the fullest
support.
Copyright, 1921 by Frank Crane)
Peabody Willoughby, the Boston philan-
| thropist, was making appeal for the Chill
| drens Country Week Association of Massa-
| chusetts.
There is a funny side, too,' he said, E'about
| the poor slum childs ignorance of the coun-
| try's beauties and joys. 1 said one August
day to a ragged urchin of seven or eight:
You've got rare treat coming. We're 60
ing to send you to the country for a week.
| Nix said the urchin, as he took a cigarette
| stub out of his pocket and examined it care
| fully. Nix on that, gran-pop.' Why 1 said
| what's your objection to the country?' They
! got thrashin' machines there, amt they?
said the boy. Well, it's bad enough here
| lit his cigarette, stub and Iounged off,