ANYTHING OF MINE THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS IT CAN HAVE

A professor of the University was in London at the time of the invasion of Belgium. War had just been declared and the British government was confiscating automobile to carry their troops from the seaports of France to the front. The cars selected were nearly new and the government ws paying the full retail price for them. One morning our professor saw a uniformed officer beckon to a lady in the streets to halt. She stopped and was asked to give a description of the car purchase price her home address etc. the officer started to take possession of the car beginning at the same time to make out an order for payment. The lady stopped him and said "Does the government need my car?" He replied "Very much." "Then" she said "It doesn't matter anything about the details. Take it" and stepping proudly to the sidewalk she walked away with out even giving her name and address. How different is the spirit from that shown by some men of England such as speculators who wished to profit by food shortage manufacturers who demanded huge profits from war orders business men who raise the cry "business as usual" miners who refused to coal the battle ships until their wages were raised farmers who hesitated to enlarge their acreage of potatoes before a minimum price we guaran teed. The spirit of the lady is the spirit that will win the war. Let us emulate her in America. "Anything of mine that the government needs, it can have should be our motto. Our first thought should be service to the govern ment our second thought social justice and fairness in military service and taxation last of all should we think of our personal or our class interests except in so far as a resonable consideration of such matters may enable us to continue in such an economic condition that we may render the most efficient service to the country.

S. Avery