But over and above what is bought for soldiers and sailors, there is an immense trade in things of which the buyers would never dream at ordinary times, even at Christmas. Jewellery of the cheaper kind, furs, pianos, gramophones, pictures, furniture, and sweets in such quantities that the sweetshops can scarcely get in a new stock before the old has vanished. matters it that coal is fort; ton and in some places unprocurable at any price? Or, in the general intoxication of buying, that professional and salaried men are cutting down their expenditure to the utmost halfpenny? The spendings of Government are coming back to the man in the street with a directness hitherto unknown, and the man in the street, luxuriating in the strange sense of wealth, will have his fling while he can.
The charge of wastefulness brought against the English is a stale one. As bad accusations and worse might be brought against other peoples. It has to be remembered that half the population at least does not know from week to week whether it will be in or out of a job next Saturday. No doubt that ought to make us thrifty, but can it be humanly expected to do sot In "No. 5 John Street'? the author tells us that, when a man is out of a job, his one thought might be supposed to be how he is to get another; wher the author goes on to emphasize, from personal experience, that exactly the opposite is the case. So is it with regard to saving when earnings are inter-mittens or fluctuating. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we may have to put up with workhouse skilly.
Money in Circulation.
Moreover, there is this to be said for the spending. It makes no difference to the readiness with which we subscribe to the many public charities connected with the war, nay, rather it seems to stimulate our generosity; and it keeps money in circulation in England. The lesson of the drain of gold to America is being learnt with surprising quickness. You hear people expressly asking for "something British please, nothing American." Simultaneously, English manufacturers are striving nobly to supply what has hitherto been taken from abroad, and, as a notable instance of a trade in which Germany was formerly supreme, English. toys a1 making great advancement in general favour, both for price and quality.
At best it cannot be a very merry Christmas. Some people say that Christmas is only for children and that grown-ups cannot share in it with any reality of enjoyment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.