The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1943-08-05
By KATHLEEN NORRIS

net your affairs in order
I T this year, if you can, and
be able to look forward
with perfect confidence to the
years ahead.
That's the thing we all want.
To feel sure of the future. The
man or woman who can say
well, whatever comes, I'm
fixed" is the man or woman to
be envied. No matter whether
his or her ambitions run to a
modest little farm where a few
apple trees, two dozen chickens
and a COW will help to pay ex-
penses, or to solid investments in
bonds and stocks that will bring in
a comfortable $500 a month, or an
nuities, or rents, or whatever other
form thrift and farsightedness sug-
gest-there is no sensation in life
more desirable than the one that in
sures a self-respecting independent,
comfortable old age.
But old age comes on fast. There
aren't many years in which plans
for it may be made. It has way
of arriving with shocking unexpect-
edness, and to many, many men
and women the moment of its ar
rival is going to coincide with the
conclusion of this war. When that
time comes thousands of young men
are going to come home to the
America they have risked their lives
to save, and we have solemnly
promised each and every one of
them a good job.
That means that thousands of
women, now earning big money, and
thousands of older men, who have
perhaps abandoned their old familiar
jobs to jump into war work, are 60
ing to be dropped from the paw
rolls. There is no other way.
Money Floods in Now.
Today Bill Brown may be making
SOS week, instead of the old steady
$50 he made for so many years.
Mother Brown is earning almost
that, and Sally and Jane are being
paid every week what they used to
earn every month. Bob, James hus-
band, sends home fifty a month-it
sums up to about a thousand dol
lars every 80 days-wealth that the
Browns never anticipated in their
widest dreams.
And isn't it fun to spend money
royalty and recklessly when at last
you have it to spend!
But also nobody knows better than
those of US who remember the last
war, that terrific and far-reaching
changes follow war. Imitation is
an inevitable part of wars, and when
things are sufficiently inflated they
burst. War mutations burst when
peace comes In sudden collapses of
everything. Factories haven't start
ed up yet; building is at stand
still; big salaries stop; unemploy-
1nent grows and grows. Elderly
women, now complacently making
their hundreds month, will be re-
placed everywhere by youth. These
things are inevitable, to some ex-
tent.
Preparedness VIII Soften Change.
Inevitable. But only to the ex-
tent we choose to permit them. If
each and every one of US does her
share to get ready for that time
by sensible action now, we can min
imize the effects of the change from
about war to all-time peace, sur
vive it with very little confusion and
discomfort, and 60 on triumphantly
into Americas future-the bright
est, the securest future any country
has ever known In this world. Moth
ing can keep US from a position of
tremendous power after this time of
war, and as we have always used
that power for good-for peace, for
the prosperity of all our people in
stead of a few, for democracy and
equality, we may believe that civil