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February 1944 Popular Science
 [Table of Contents]
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early
electronics. See articles from
Popular
Science, published 1872-2021. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
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I'm probably one of the few people remaining who fairly regularly recite the
World War II (WWII) era slogan of "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do, or Do
without." One of the primary killers of economies has been inflation, whatever the
cause - usually deficit spending by government and/or printing of fiat money. Wartime
typically produces high inflation levels due to the need to produce the equipment
necessary to wage a battle. Supply and demand are another cause of inflation. If
the demand is greater than the supply, prices go up because owners want to maximize
profits. If the need for skilled labor is greater than what is available, workers
demand higher pay, and the price goes up. During WWII, as the chart to the upper
left shows, inflation rates were sky high, and the government propagandists called
on the citizens to "do their part" to keep prices under control by not creating
a higher demand then the supply chain could accommodate. This was in addition to
citizens who were already donating paper, cloth, clothes, tires, metal cans and
iron, electrical, electronic, and mechanical components, and just about everything
else that could be melted down or otherwise repurposed.
War Advertising Council AdWar Advertising Council Ad
 Never mind "who done it" - pitch in and
help get it down!
This is your Uncle Sam talking - but I'm going to talk to you like a Dutch uncle,
to keep all of us from going broke.
Ever since the Axis hauled off and hit us when we weren't looking, prices have
been nudging upwards. Not rising awfully fast, but rising.
If this keeps up - we're all going to be in hot water.
The government's done a lot to keep prices down. That's what price ceilings and
wage controls are for. Rationing helps, too.
But let me tell you this - we're never going to keep prices down unless we all
help - Every last one of us.
All right, then. Here are the seven rules we've got to follow as Gospel from
now until this war is over. Not some of them - all of them. Not some of us - all
of us, farmers, businessmen, laborers, white collar workers!
Buy only what you need. A patch on your pants is a badge of honor these days.
Keep your own prices down. Don't ask higher prices - for your
own labor, your own services, or goods you sell. Resist all pressure to force your
prices up!
Never pay a penny more than the ceiling price for anything.
Don't buy rationed goods without giving up the right amount of coupons.
Pay your taxes willingly, no matter how stiff they get. This
war's got to be paid for and taxes are the cheapest way to do it.
Payoff your old debts. Don't make any new ones.
Start a savings account and make regular deposits. Buy and keep
up life insurance.
Buy War Bonds and hold on to them. Buy them with dimes and dollars
it hurts like blazes to do without.
Start making these sacrifices now - keep them up for the duration - and this
country of ours will be sitting pretty after the war ... and so will you.
Use it up • Wear it out • Make it do • Or do without
This advertisement, prepared by the War Advertising Council, is contributed by
this magazine in cooperation with the Magazine Publishers of America.
Buy War Savings Bonds and Stamps regularly.
Posted December 29, 2023
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