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Show H WAR MATERIAL FIRST. H At a conference of lumber dealers with the shipping H hoard, it appeared that the lumber men are slow in mak- H lng deliveries of their product. One reason given was ' that private contracts pay better than government work. H -So while the country is pleading for ships, some of the H dumber men are getting rich on private work. Probably B .some of these same men blame the government for lack B o military preparation. H If this spirit should prevail generally, our fighting B -would be one grand botch. Supplies could not go for- B1 -ward until produrers got good and ready. The war would B he delayed while debts pile up and our losses of men B .multiply. B All this would mean an added burden for all indus- H tries. The longer the war is delayed, the greater the H ' load of taxes that all our enterprises will have to carry. B Our country can never get started on a normal basis B tigain until this war is brought to a successful issue. It H can not be brought to that issue until we secure a steady H i -.and ample supply of all kinds of munitions. B 1 So while the country is howling for ships and more B J ships, it witnesses the unpatriotic spectacle of lumber men Bn comfortably making money while the government waits. R Portunately as the result of the Washington conference, B "the lumber men have promised to do better and forward w "their shipments. It was time they did. B' Every man who is helping in even the most humble j capacity in producing war material ought to look at him- B I self as one of Uncle Sam's soldiers. This is a war of ma- B terial even more than of men. Every producer should U he thrilled by the call of his country in this golden cause B "He should render the most prompt service possible. Ger- H many has become the foremost military power by a gen- B oral spirit of self surrender. America can hold its place B In this Armageddon only by universal manifestation of B ;a like spirit. |