“He who injures one threatens many!’
THE total value of all of the products of the mine, the forest and the farm consumed in the United States ranges from 25 to 30 billion dollars annually at present values.
Our excess of exports over imports which amounts to from three to five billion dollars accounts for about two billion dollars’ worth of these raw materials.
As the entire cost of living of all of the people in the United States at present prices amounts to 73 billion dollars annually, it would appear that the value of the raw materials is just about multiplied by three by the time these natural products reach the consumer in the form in which they are to be used–this form may be furniture for the dining room, shoes for the children, implements for the farm or pleasure automobiles.
It is an interesting but deplorable fact that, of these original raw materials, about three billion dollars’ worth are wasted, thrown away,–wilfully or carelessly destroyed. Some of this waste occurs in the raw material itself and some in the finished products, which means that the probable value of the wasted material at the time it is thrown away is five or six billion dollars each year which is $50 or $60 for every individual in America or about $225 for every family.
The great bulk of this waste occurs through a disregard of other people’s property. We waste some of our own things but we waste infinitely more of the other fellow’s belongings.
In a day’s observation one might see:
A building burned from a carelessly thrown cigarette.
A plate glass damaged by the scratch of a diamond.
An automobile tire destroyed by a carelessly thrown milk bottle.
A piece of machinery ruined from lack of oil.
A ton of paper wasted in a print shop through careless handling.
A plate glass window in a beautiful home made a target for stones.
Pounds of food passed to the garbage by careless housekeepers and servants.
A costly and beautiful marble front damaged by a match-scratcher.
Hotel, restaurant and household china smashed through carelessness.
Beautiful mahogany furniture injured by careless feet.
Such a list, if continued, would make a volume.
You have probably noticed that skilled workmen who furnish a portion of their own tools usually keep them clean and bright, while the tools furnished by the employer are thrown in a heap at the end of the day’s work.
Of course you have noticed how much less food is thrown away by the housewife than by the hired cook.
You can tell at a glance from its appearance whether the tool or machine used by an employee belongs to him or to the boss.
By watching a driver you can determine whether the team belongs to the driver or to his employer.
Most of us through heedlessness and carelessness damage and destroy enough of our own belongings but all of us, without exception, destroy more of the other fellow’s property.
If five billion dollars’ worth of property is destroyed each year then every family in this Country must pay $225 of this amount and if it were not destroyed next year, then every family would be ahead just $225 on the average.
Everything you throw away or destroy is partly or wholly paid for by yourself and everything you see the other fellow throw away or destroy means some loss to you, unless it is his own property, and even then, it means an economic loss to the Country, which means some loss to you.
In the face of such a condition should we willingly continue to destroy the other fellow’s property knowing that we must in the end pay for that property? The waste and destruction we have referred to is only that part that could be computed and valued and there is probably as much more which cannot be determined.
Even if we should forget to save in any other way, we would as a nation grow fabulously rich in one generation if we could eliminate only the avoidable waste and destruction of which we are guilty.
In twenty years’ time the material wealth of this Country would increase one-third and the salvage and its accrued interest would buy South America, Africa and Australia.
If you are twenty-one years old, that is what we have thrown away since you were born–just three continents, just one-fifth of the present value of the whole world outside of the United States. Think of it again–our salvage in seventy years would buy the whole world.
If you agree with us that the time has arrived for us as intelligent human beings to stop the destruction of our own property and the other fellow’s property, then let’s begin today to cure ourselves of this destructive habit and do what we can to make other people stop their destruction of our property and of the property of others.
Perhaps it was your own great-grandfather who first said:
“Wilful waste makes woeful want.”–Basil.
And someone else said:
“By the hands of many a great work is made easy.”–Horace.