World War II Slogans Resonate Today

[Charles Adler]

A new exhibit of vintage World War II government posters at the Attleboro Arts Museum sounds many themes that resonate today. During the war, the public was exhorted--and expected--to make sacrifices as part of the war effort. Resources were scarce and citizens incorporated rationing, recycling, and conservation into their daily lives. It was everyone's patriotic duty to live frugally.

No one minded making these sacrifices. Everyone knew that resources were in short supply and they were united in common cause to support the troops and win the war. A variety of messages were issued by the federal government: buy war bonds, don't discuss troop movements, etc. But it is the messages having to do with conservation that resonate today as we face environmental and economic peril.

Recommendations today on how to make our homes more energy efficient haven't changed much from the messages issued by the federal government over 60 years ago: insulate, weatherstrip, make sure your furnace has been tuned up, don't heat unused rooms, turn down your thermostat to 65 degrees during the day and lower at night.

Citizens were also asked to recycle tin cans, conserve water, conserve gasoline, to grow their own food, and to avoid tying up telephone lines. They were even reminded to clean up their plates and avoid wasting food, something that every babyboomer remembers being told as a child. The only practice that doesn't sound familiar is recycling waste fats and taking them to the butcher for use in military explosives. Nowadays we don't have butchers and I doubt that waste fats are used today for bomb production. On the other hand, waste oil from fast food restaurants is now being collected by enterprising environmentalists for use in vehicles with modified diesel engines.

There is nothing new under the sun.

[Charles Adler]

I asked Museum Director Mim Fawcett if I could take pictures, then came back later that afternoon with my camera. However, the sun was streaming in, so I couldn't eliminate some reflections. I had to shoot all the posters with flash at an angle, so you wouldn't see the flash reflection. I have more photos of the show. Mim was the curator and did an excellent job researching and writing supporting text for each poster.

[Greg Wehmeyer]

Nice job with the photos. I wasn't sure if it was ok to take pictures, so I didn't bring my camera.