Lost ground can always be regained - Lost time never! Don't slow up the ship!
A colour photographic portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in front of an American flag, with his quotation 'Lost ground can always be regained - lost time never!' and the slogan 'Don't slow up the ship!' (with 'give' struck out). The president's name backs the request (testimonial), and the flag lends national authority to a call for steady attendance at work (transfer).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Navy, Incentive Division (printer Lutz & Sheinkman)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Labor, War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Navy, Incentive Division. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1306 (NAID 514919).
Text on the object
"LOST GROUND CAN ALWAYS BE REGAINED - LOST TIME NEVER!" FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT DON'T [GIVE struck through] SLOW UP THE SHIP! Avoid time off! Avoid time out! [imprint:] INCENTIVE DIVISION, NAVY DEPARTMENT S-11-11M [imprint:] LUTZ & SHEINKMAN, NEW YORK
