For several years the U.S.A. has had a unique opportunity to become in all lines the leading nation of the world; but alas! it has not recognized the existence of this important privilege or taken the steps necessary for its utilization. Latin-America is knocking at our door asking us to do business; the nations of Asia, Africa, and Australasia are eager to enter into commercial relations with us; and the peoples of war-afflicted Europe need both our manufactures and our raw materials. But what foreign business can we do when Americans in general are willing to work only six hours per day and five days per week—and even then with lessened efficiency? That amount of effort is insufficient to provide for home necessities; and, therefore, it is entirely inadequate for the development of foreign trade. The beaten Huns and their deluded allies will have to work long hours for many a year to come, in order to pay the principal and interest of the immense debts which are a just punishment for their iniquitous endeavor to conquer the rest of the world and impose upon it their vicious system of "kultur"; the innocent nations whom they have despoiled will have to labor just as strenuously, in order to repair their damages and repay the money they were forced to borrow in their dire struggle to maintain national existence; and even the people of Great Britain and her colonies will be compelled to work overtime to reduce their enormous indebtedness. While all these peoples are laboring year in and year out early and late for six and even seven days per week, what will eventually happen to this country if its inhabitants cut down the hours of labor and insist notwithstanding upon maintaining an extravagant style of living? There is but one answer to this question, and that is DIRE DISASTER!

Even should the American populace awaken to the fact that it is necessary for them to work full time, the difficulty will still not be overcome; because the average personal efficiency of Americans in all lines is decidedly lower than it was in ante bellum days. This inexcusable evil will certainly have to be corrected; but even then our country will be handicapped, for it must not be forgotten that, notwithstanding our being the one great creditor nation of the world, the war has run us deeply into debt, and that it will require hard work and plenty of it to pay the interest and liquidate the principal.

What then can be done to increase our national efficiency to the extent which is necessary for the maintenance of the improved general style of living of the so-called working classes and at the same time outstrip our competitors for the business supremacy of the world? The answer to this momentous question is not difficult, although the accomplishment of the desideratum may prove to be far from easy. It is to develop throughout the entire country to the utmost limit both the theory and the practice of true economy in every line of endeavor. By the expression "true economy" is not meant depriving people of either the necessities or even the luxuries of life (although, truth to tell, a curtailment of the latter would greatly  aid  in  expediting  the  desired  result),  but  a  universal  increase  in