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Show who ::i the slacker? rl he term "slacker" has and just ly become eye ill' liTeat reproach. The slacker now stands before his j'i How in, II ill his true eo' yellow, ibis ib-is the man upon whom his country has conferred benefits, but whose craven soul refuse's to accord service when in turn his country needs his services. We havi and it is right that it shoul'd be so very little sympathy sym-pathy to waste on the military slac'.er. lint the same time we wis'.! to insist that he is by no ne . ns the only slacker. We, ourselves, pride ourselves our-selves on our complete loyalty, never realizing in our blindness that in many ways we are as great slackers as any. Our government has outlined many ways in which it fxpocts the co-o icration of the people. It expects every individual to contribute his or her help in all these lines. If this help is not forthcoming, the delinquents are as truly slackers as is the man who seeks to evade the draft or the Liberty Loan. Let us see what some of this service consists of. First, conservation of time, labor and materials. What of the man or woman, either wdio willfully squanders time and misapplies labor? When the united exertions of ALL. are needed, can even one sulk and hang back, and the effect not be felt on the mass? Then multiply that one by hundreds, and by thousands, and how long before the objective is lost from inactivity? in-activity? Then there is the matter of needless expenditures. War necessities have already practically practi-cally eliminated many of the luxuries of life, and will -yet eliminate many more. But many still exist and are still indulged in-dulged in, frequently to the great hurt of our cause. The purchase and use of luxuries involves not only a misuse of our means, but.it also involves a misuse of time, labor and material in the production of the article of luxury. And a-gain a-gain are we forced to the conclusion con-clusion . thfft the Indulger in needless luxury is as surely a slacker as is he who dodges the draft. Last .winter we experienced a serious fuel shortage why! Simply from lack of trains to move coal from the mines to the consumer. The government is constantly seeking to impress upon us- the fact that it needs every engine and every car ob tainable, hav.ng use for all. Every person who travels on the train takes from the gov-erment gov-erment just that much engine energy and carrying capacity. True, the business of life must go on, but what of the pleasure travel the joy ride? The rail roads do not need his money and the government does, and also the transportating power that he usurps for his selfish pleasure. And again we are forced" to the conclusion that the aimless joy rider is as truly a slacker as he who would dodge the draft. But why continue the list? There are a thousand ways in which we can, and frequently do, squander and misapply the materials and energy of which our beloved country is just now7 so urgently in need. What is needed is for every man, woman wo-man and child of us to sit down and examine our own conscience, con-science, honestly judge of our actions in the light of the grave duties before each and every one of us, and then dare to act as patriotism and a devotion to our .country's interests demands. de-mands. Are we slackers? If so, will we continue to be suck? that such is the case. This is the fourth of a series of articles on the needs, ideals and future fu-ture of the couirtry newspaper, and the service it can render the community. commu-nity. The next article will appear in an early issue of The Pyramid. |