Evening Capital And Maryland Gazette

BOOK LORE.
What The April Magazines Contain Of Interest To Readers.
This is all we need to know about the laws of war as they concern women in their homes; Give Uncle Sam and his army the right of way; employ no unnecessary labor, whether you can afford it or not; don't waste; buy what you need when you need it; make things last longer; save and lend your savings to the government so that the war, well fought, may be over the sooner. It is not much, really. Yet it is the complete answer to the puzzling question, Why not business as usual, and it contains in its spirit the answer to that even more puzzling, though less financially important question, Why not pleasure as usual?
Recreation is not a luxury: art is not a luxury. Give the war the right of way and take all the pleasure that life affords after that. It is again just a question of priority in time and money. If you can not free your maid for war service and at the same time leave your home to go to a concert, do without the concert; if you cannot buy a share of Thrift Stamps and pay the price asked for a seat at a good play, don't go to the play until the managers reduce their prices. Whatever the evil gifts which the war carries in her hand she brings one good one, the best possible cure for boredom, work for idle hands to do.
To thousands of American women whose leisure was a burden because they did not understand the priorities of peace work of war is itself a recreation that takes place of dancing and cards and restaurants. And the work of war which is done in the home, and quiet, unostentatious freeing of materials and labor, is as important a war work as nursing or Red Cross service.
Measure your time as you do your money; leave a margin for companionship and recreation—for whatever to you is recreation—and then add the gift of your leisure to the loan of your savings. Your country needs them both. —Edith J. R. Isaacs, in Good Housekeeping.