The War Savings Committee has borne down hard on the drinking evil and England’s enormous yearly outlay for liquor—­nearly a billion dollars—­is used as a telling argument for thrift.  A poster and a pamphlet that you see on all sides is headed, “THE NATION’S DRINK BILL,” and reads: 

“The National War Savings Committee calls attention to the fact that the sum now being spent by the Nation on alcoholic liquors is estimated at

L182,000,000 a year.

“And appeals earnestly for an immediate and substantial reduction of this expenditure in view of the urgent and increasing need for economy in all departments of the Nation’s life.

“Obviously, in the present national emergency a daily expenditure of practically L500,000 on spirits, wine and beer cannot be justified on the ground of necessity.  This expenditure, therefore, like every other form and degree of expenditure beyond what is required to maintain health and efficiency is directly injurious to national interests.

“Much of the money spent on alcohol could be saved.  Even more important would be (1) the saving for more useful purposes of large quantities of barley, rice, maize and sugar; and (2) the setting free of much labour urgently needed to meet the requirements of the Navy and the Army.

“To do without everything not essential to health and efficiency while the war lasts is the truest patriotism.”

Under the silent but none the less convincing plea of these posters, backed up by millions of leaflets and booklets explaining every phase of the Savings Campaign, the sale of Certificates rose steadily.  From 906,000 in May they jumped to nearly 3,000,000 in June.  But this was not enough.  “Let us make one big smash and see what happens,” said the Committee.  Thereupon came the idea for a War Savings Week, which was to be a notable rallying of all the Forces of Thrift and Saving.

No grand assault on any of the actual battle fronts was worked out with greater care or more elaborate attention to detail than this Savings Drive.  No loophole to register was overlooked.  It was planned to begin the work on Sunday, July 16th.

First of all, the resources of the Church were mobilised.  A Thrift sermon was preached that Sunday morning in nearly every religious edifice in the Kingdom.  Following its rule to leave nothing to chance, the War Savings Committee prepared a special book of notes and texts for sermons which was sent to Minister, Leaders of Brotherhoods and Men’s Societies.  Texts were suggested and ready-made and ready to deliver sermons were included.  One of these sermons was called “The Honour of the Willing Gift,” another was entitled “The Nation and Its Conflict,” and its peculiarly appropriate text was “Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth.”

A special address (in words of one syllable) to the children of England embodying the virtues of penny saving and showing how these pennies could be made to work and earn more pennies, as shown in the concrete example of a War Savings Certificate, was read by thousands of Sunday school teachers to their classes throughout the nation.