San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-18
A BRIGHTER VIEW

Word comes from New York City
that wave of spending has been in
augurated there due TO high wages. 1t
is stated that the best suites in the fash
ionablc hotels arc the most in demand,
that two dollar moving picture shows
are we'll patronized and that theater
tickets at s. and Sc sell readily and so
on. With bricklayers getting SIG to SIS
day. fair index is indicated OF the
general prosperity oil wage carriers.
To some. extent, this situation is re-
Elected throughout America 1t is an
unhealthy sign since, while it shows
people are prosperous. it also shows they
lack thrift. But it is by no means u
correct picture OF the average American.
This nation always had reputation as
spendthrift because the average man
in America had more money to spend
than the average man i'll any other couu-
try and he lived better and dressed bet
ter and had more luXuries and comforts.
With the people in practically every
European country broke due to I'M
employment, high cost OF living and
war tax burden, Americans have taken
the front position in the ranks of the
thrifty. Despite the fact that we own
ninety per cent of all the motor cars in
the world, that we have high standard
of living and that we insist on dressing
in fashion, we American people have set
new worlds record for saving since
the war taught us how.
1t may surprise most of US to learn
that Mr.. Straus, president OF the Ameri-
can Society for Thrift recently declared
the American people were becoming
world leaders in thrift. He cites the fact
that there has been a five per cent in
crease in savings bank depositors in the
United States in the last year. and de-
posts in financial institutions OF all sorts
have increased four per cent. The saw
ings accounts average in excess OF one
to a family and building and loan asso-
Citations in the United States have more
than five million members. This takes
slno account OF the millions of people who
are paying out on homes on a monthly
basis nor of those buying farm lands
and suburban acreage, endowment in
surance/ policies and who are investing
in conservative securities.
While we are prone to bcmoan the
extravaganza of modern lie and to point
to the Butterfly existence which a GER
tain large element OF Our population is
living, vet it is comforting to know that
1 at the base, we ave sound. There is
very large per cent of Our people who
own homes, who have money tucked
away for rainy day and who arc prac-
ticing thrift in the best sense This is
= bright contrast indeed to the pessi-
: mistic views of certain politicians who
declare the farmer has been ruined, that
|, business is doomed and federal aid is
Z imperative Basically. the American
people are sound. This was the text
of an utterance by the president recently
when he said that he was inclined to
Z view the business outlook optimistically
: Certain phases of business. elements that
Z cater more or less to superficial trade
: channels may suffer in the event of d
slump. But that solid. thrifty element
: which banking figures show is the. larg.
erSpart of Our population, will save the
: Country from distress.
il the majority OF Americans coult
Ne brought to the practice of true thrift
, the prosperity that is now ours woulC