Evening star., 1945-10-18
This and That
By Charles E. Truce,pell.

we might rs well spend our money for
the things we want while there is still
opportunity.
This attitude is likely to be one of the
little regarded aspects of what the
greatest mischief worker in history is
likely to do.
Who is going to care whether he buys
a dinky little radio set at S25, or cuts
loose and gets $500 combination?
1t is fact that many persons, either
through lifelong training In poverty, or
near poverty, or having got used to
buying In small amounts at time, are
going to be released from caution by
the idea of what the wonder working"
bomb may do.
Most persons, perhaps, have got in
the habit of thinking they were not
spending so much when they spent a
little at time.
Driblet payments, of course, were lust
a way of kidding ones self, but very
fascinating way, indeed. One had the
idea that by buying a book a week, or
book a month, he was not spending
as much as If he bought $40 or $25
worth Of books at one time.
1t was easier to fool around purchas-
ing three small radio sets, to be dis
tributed through the house, than to 90
all-out for really fine set in beautiful
cabinet.
II this be inflationary, the politicians
Will have to make the most of 1t.
II fellow is going to be blown to
Kingdom Come at any moment, by some
greasy-looking man with a bit of atomic
energy tucked under his coat, it may be
just as well to hurry up and indulge in
atomic spending.
What lot of things there are the
average person wants!
Few Americans can find themselves
in the philosophic position of Diogenes.
who said, as he looked in the stores Of
Athens, How many things there are I
do not wantp'
He was citizen of mean state, in a
little era before atomic bombs had
changed the picture. Furthermore, he
had Zine" to be adhered to, which he
knew people expected him to cleave to,
at all hazards.
For the citizens of Athens to have
heard Diogenes declare, Gee, look at
this-I sure ought to get that!" would
have been tantamount to modern citi-
zen hearing an automobile manufac-
turer speak against motor cars.
Today We want things, and run our
economy on the idea that other people
want them, too, and the more we make
the more they can have them.
X 4
The trouble is that too many persons
are forced, through circumstances. to
have poor ideas as to purchasing things
they want. Circumstances are against
them.
There are great many others who
put up the poor mouth, as the phrase
has 1t, because they have had to work
their way up, and in doing so have ac-
quired niggardly habits.
The atomic bomb is going to have the
greatest delayed effect on these quiet
and industrious persons, who from now
on, in all likelihood, will spend as they
please. to suit themselves at least, after
all these years.
Prospects of being torn asunder at
the least likely moment are not going
to make for niggardliness exactly, we
take 1t.
One may expect even bound sets Of
books to come back into the market
again, For many years, the complete
sets Of an author have been q drug in
the book stores. Nobody bought them
Many reasons were advanced. We be-
lieve that the idea OF buying one book
at time, as one did drinks, was re-
sponsible. From now on, under the Inn
pulse Of atomic energy, it is going to be
with many as with the Washington
drunk who entered an armchair all
night lunch and ordered 4s poachet
eggs. What do you want with II
poached eggs2" asked the counterman
Nobody can eat 48 poached eggs" The
drunk eyed the frank counterman Ii
disgust. Il don't want to eat EN- hi
said. = just want to SEQ what theJ
look Ike