es, and to
what extent is such an aim a worthy one?

The typical money-maker as commonly pictured in our imagination is a
narrow, grasping, selfish individual who has chosen to follow lower
rather than higher ideals and who often is tempted, and always may be
tempted, to employ illegitimate means for the attainment of his ends.
The aims he has adopted are made to stand in opposition to the
practice of certain virtues. Thus we contrast profits and patriotism;
enriching one's self and philanthropy; getting all the law allows and
justice; taking advantage of the other fellow and honesty; becoming
engrossed in acquisition and love of family. Now, such contrasts
obviously prove nothing more than that money-making is and would be a
vicious aim if pursued regardless of these virtues, and it could well
be replied that consideration of patriotism, philanthropy, love of
family, etc., must in themselves impel one to earn and to save. "The
love of money is the root of all evil" implies an exclusive devotion
to acquisition that may well be criticized. But aside from this there
is no doubt that amid the confused ideas held on the subject, aiming
to make money is commonly regarded as in some sort of antagonism to
the social virtues.

That there are other sides to the picture is recognized, however, even
by the loose thought of the day. The man who earns his living, for
instance, it views as one who in so far is performing a fundamental
duty. Indeed, the world scorns him who cannot or will not support
himself and his family. But this is only to say that one must work
to-day to meet the expenditures of to-day. Is this the limit? Is it a
virtue for him to work in order to spend, but a vice for him to work
in order to save? What are the considerations to be observed by a man
in deciding whether or not he should adopt money-making--that is, the
acquisition of a surplus beyond his current needs--as one of his
definite aims in life?

One consideration relates to our country. The United States is now
understood to be spending about $25,000,000 per day in carrying on the
war. In the last analysis this amount must be paid out of the past
savings and the savings from current earnings of the people of the
United States. The wealth of the nation consists mainly of the sum of
the wealth of its citizens. We are therefore told to seek increased
earnings and to economize in our expenditures in order to enhance the
national wealth. The duty here is