WAR-TIME BUILDING

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9796, 20 October 1917, Page 3

WAR-TIME BUILDING

LEGITIMATE SPENDING A VIRTUE.

In a recent issue the Chicago "Tribune” had the following to say on the subject of building in war-time; — The Illinois Legislature has abandoned its plans for extensive building operations in its State departments and institutions, and with the ear of faith we already hear applause the country over. Bravo! Lot cities, commonwealth, and the Federal Government follow suit! To which impending outbursts wo reply, “Be orthodox, brethren, but don't'be more orthodox than Ills Holiness the Pope." Paris has not suspended public building operations because of the war. Neither has Berlin. To curtail such operations, if by curtailment you mean putting a check on wild and wanton extravagance, is doubtless advisable. Self-confessed porkbarrel expenditures piust halt, and there are other pork barrels besides the celebrated casks of iniquity at Washington. Pork kegs, wo might term them. States and cities have each their own. Away with such 1 But not with the long-projected and long-needed improvements that have an incontestable value. Just because wo are no longer able to throw money about, it does not follow that we must scrimp or perish. Neither does it follow that .scrimping will prevent our jierishing. it may even help us to. As we look at it, 'n quietus clapped on legitimate public building enterprises would rank with the mania for private economy that is now impoverishing milliners and dressmakers and many a distressed tailor. Fine—is it not? —to see her ladyship economise by starving her modiste! Inspiring to see her husband economise by skinning his tailor! For that is wlia l "' it comes to. And they call it patriotism. Patriotism! To gods and little fishes! One plain duty of patriotism in war-time is to keep the pot aihoiling. 'Waste is’ wicked, but legitimate spending a virtue. Within the bounds of rea c on go on spending. It

promotes building as usual. It steadies the State. And what applies to the individual applies equally to the municipalities, Commonwealths, and the Federal Government. Let there be no havoc wrought in the building trade and its half-dozen allied industries in the name of patriotic economy. To put a peremptory quietus on legitimate and ■sorely-needed public building projects is to sow disorder, unrest and distress, at ■the very time when such calamities' would work a maximum of mischief. Let us keep our hair on. In avoiding vvpste. lot. ns ,-ilso avoid the economy that in the end spells extravagance.