PART PLAYED BY PAPER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 91, 20 July 1943, Page 2

PART PLAYED BY PAPER

VITAL ROLE IN EVERYDAY AFFAIRS "LIFE-BLOOD OF CIVILISATION 1 ' If all of the pulp and paper mills in the world stopped operating tomorrow, the war would, come to an end in less than sixty days! This is a very startling statement, and many people will lind it difficult to believe and understand. Yet, with a little, analysis it becomes an obvious fact (says Paper and. Print). Throughout the world there is, not over a sixty-day supply of pu'p and paper to carry on the normal functions of business, to say nothing of the war. Practically all of the gunpowder used by both sides in the European war is manufactured from wood pulp, and the United States also will use, enormous quantities of paper for the same purpose. Without pulp, the guns would have to stop firing. There would be no paper lor making blue-prints, drawings and maps. There would be no paper for issuing army and navy orders, for the requisitioning of materials, or for sanitary and health purposes. There woukl not even be any paper available for the print- [ ing of currency and government [ bonds for the financing of the war . effort.. If you Avant to have a real nightmare, imagine not only the. paralysing effect the absence of paper would have on the war,, but what it wpuild do to all of us iln our dfaily lives —. . . all food packaged in paper or cartons -would disappear from the market . . . theref won lid be no newspapers or magazines or correspondence . . . schools, would bci without paper . . . we would not be able to write cheques, keep social security records, write life insurance policies, or even have marriage or death certificates. Paper and paper products are everywhere, performing their invaluable services meekly, modestly and silently. Because of its abundance, we take paper for granted like the air Ave breathe and the Avater we drink,, and seldom stop to think of the vital role it plays i» our lives. Nevertheless, it is like tile bloodstream in our carrying life and energy to every member, making possible that co-ordination and co-operation of individuals which Ave call civilisation. In short, it can truly be said—"Paper is the lifeblood of civilisation!" After reviewing some of the indispensable military uses of pulp and paper, it Avill be. obvious to you all that all of our military activities depend upon an ample and an adequate supply of paper. It is our job to conserve it! Nowhere can we scrA r e our country better.