Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-09-23 | Page 6 | Taking Things Easy

TAKING THINGS EASY. An experienced newspaper man, Mr. Martin Green, recently returned to New York from Europe. Asked vrhat impressed im-pressed him most stronglv both abroad and on bis return he replied: , wTbe self-saerif icin spirit of the people in the allied countries and the grim determination of allied soldiers at the front. Here at borne we do not seem to realize tbe magnitude. The seriousness seri-ousness of war as jet. The most noticeable notice-able things at borne are the extravagance extrava-gance of the people in the enjoyment of luxuries, the patronizing of amusement amuse-ment places and expeusive eating houses, while the streets arc actually filled with pleasure vehicles and with men unmistakably between 21 and 31 years of age, who are not in uniform,' Wbat is true of New York ia true of almost every other city in this country. In fact, those who have recently returned re-turned from the Atlantic coast declare that "in Salt Lake City we don't seem to realize, as do the people of eastern cities, that we are engaged in a terrible war. ' Does this mean that we have a larger percentage of men of draft age in civilian attire on our streets than they have in other places? Or that the pleasure vehicles line our rurhs for a greater proportionate mileage? It is said that our principal street corners cor-ners are blocked with agitators and politicians who are willing to save the country with their mouths while living off the public or off aspiring candidates of the several political parties. A movement to seize for military service these comer blockaders ard buttonhole statesmen would not only relieve traffic congestion, but might turn misused energy to a useful purpose. For war is a serious business, not to be conducted on the curb nor criticized by slackers or shirkers who neither fight nor work. Those families whose men folk are at the front, or in training to be sent across, are serious. Those whose loved ones have been ligted in the casualty reports know there is a war in progress. But how many of those who spend their days pleasure riding or ambling through the streets, who have made no real sacrifices, sac-rifices, who have suffered no pangs of apprehension or bereavement, are making mak-ing unstinted offers to help or patriotic sacrifices to win the war? It is not necessary to take on an air of gloom, nor to lose our national assurance as-surance and cheer. But there should be a curb on extravagance, a saving in essentials, a close co-oppration with all war purpose commissions, and a disnosi tion to make pointed inquiries of those who, being of draft age, remain in civilian civ-ilian clothing.