Wartime conservation

My parents survived the Great Depression and served in the Army during World War II.  My father is now 98 years old and lives locally.  Following the War, he was a cartoonist and collected a number of books by humorists, and books on jokes and cartooning.  Feeling the need for a laugh, I borrowed a couple of books from Dad's collection the other day.

Below is the publisher's note on the fly leaf of the book - World's Book of Best Jokes, Edited by Eddie Cantor, The World Publishing Co., 1943, when patriotism was at its peak.

                                  Books in Wartime

"Books are weapons in the war of ideas."

   -- PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT 

                                       This book is manufactured in compliance with the 

                                       War Production Board's ruling for conserving paper.

                                         It is printed on lighter weight paper, which re-

                                       duces bulk substantially, and has smaller margins 

                                       With more words to each page.  The text is complete 

                                       and unabridged.

                                         Thinner and smaller books will not only save

                                       paper, plate metal and man power, but will make 

                                       more books available to the reading public. 

                                          The reader's understanding of this wartime prob-

                                       lem will enable the publisher to cooperate more

                                       fully with our Government. 

COPYRIGHT  1943  BY  THE  WORLD  PUBLISHING  COMPANY

MANUFACTURED  IN  THE UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA

Eddie Cantor

Some humor of the day: 

   Sweet young thing:  "It must be wonderful to be a parachute jumper.  I suppose you've had some terrible experiences."

   Parachutist:  "Yes, miss,terrible.  Why, once I came down where there was a sign, 'Keep off the grass,' "

   Son:  "Dad, what was your great ambition when you were a kid?"

   Father:  "To wear long pants.  And I've got my wish.  If there's anybody that wears his pants longer than I do, I'd like to see him."

   Mr.:  "The iceman just told me that every woman in this block is in love with him except one."

   Mrs.:  "Humph!  It must be that woman that moved in next door, the stuck-up thing!"

   Sam:  "I sat through that picture show three times last night."

   Fred:  "Why, I heard it was terrible!"

   Sam:  "That's just it!  It was so lousy I had to sit through it three times to get my money's worth."

Just think... There are over a thousand jokes like this in the book!