THRIFT 



THE NECESSITY FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ECONOMY 



"Extravagance, always a folly, in these days becomes a crime; thrift, 

 always a virtue, in these days becomes a national duty." 



Germany's Example — In Germany, since the war began, strict economy has been 

 the order of the day. The whole population has cut down its living expenses, and has 

 stopped all unnecessary work, so as to devote the greatest possible part of its labour to 

 supplying the fighting men with material. By the Allied command of the sea, German 

 foreign trade has been mostly stopped. But the German people have managed to do 

 without their imported luxuries. The absolute necessities they have managed to pro- 

 duce at home. At the same time the stoppage of imports has relieved Germany from 

 the necessity of sending out exports to pay for them. This has set free a great mass of 

 labour and productive capacity, which has become available, firstly, to produce such 

 goods as will replace the absolutely necessary imports; secondly, to produce war material. 

 In consequence, after a year and a half of war, Germany is able to supply her people 

 with the necessities of life out of the fruits of their own labour: and in addition, to keep 

 her armies in the field plentifully supplied with munitions — and this while she has at 

 least five or six million men in the fighting line. 



Restricting Consumption in Britain — Until a few months ago, hardly any 

 effort was made in Great Britain to restrict consumption to what was necessary, so as to 

 have as large a surplus as possible left for the supply of the war. This was not through 

 want of patriotism, but because people did not see the truth of the situation. Owing 

 to war orders and to the rise of prices, all producers were making great profits, workmen 

 were earning high wages, there was an appearance of prosperity and plenty of money in 

 circulation. People could see no need for cutting down their expenditure — they could 

 live as well or better than before. 



Urging Economy — But the mistake was pointed out, and was soon brought home. 

 People saw that no nation could carry on a war costing nearly half its national income, 

 and at the same time go on living as before, without quickly coming to collapse and 

 disaster. A campaign for economy was started all over Great Britain and is now going 

 on. People are being taught that they must cut down their cost of living to its lowest 

 point and restrict themselves to necessaries. It does not matter whether individuals can 

 afford superfluities or not. Every superfluity consumed means that so much labour has 

 been expended in producing it, which might have gone to producing the necessaries of 

 life or supplies for the army. There is simply not enough labour in the country to 

 produce the necessaries of life for the civil population, the supplies required for the army, 

 and the superfluities as well. If superfluities continue to be consumed, it means that 

 there will be a shortage of the other things. In the same way public bodies are being 

 forced to abandon all work that is not absolutely necessary, whether they have the 

 money for it or not. That is not the question. If they had the money ten times over, 

 by spending it on unnecessary work they are diverting labour which should be employed 

 in another way. 



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