Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1917-08-17
LIBERTY LOAN AND THRIFT
A Factor to Establish Thrift as Ma
tional Trait

(By Carl G. Van Dyke, U. s. Con-
~ gresham from Minnesota.)
: There are 3S,O0O,OO0 bread-winners in
the United States, each striving in his
own way for financial independence.
Were each on the average to save only
SIS per month during the next twenty
months for investment in Liberty
Bond, the final payment would find the
average American bread-winner just
500 in saved capital ahead of his pres
ent financial position, and what the
foreign world is wont to call "nation
Of spendthrifts would be the greatest
nation of savings depositors on the
globe. .,
Records of American mutual and
stock savings banks and Of government
postal savings indicate that there are
not quite 100000 savings depositors
in over 100000 people in the Unit
ed States.
Across the Atlantic, the little sister
republic of Switzerland has 100000
savings depositors in a total popula-
ton Of 100000. That is to say, every
other Swiss man, woman and child is a
savings depositor. Norway and Den
mark are likewise very close to the
Swiss record of one savings depositor
for every two people in the nation.
Down in the Antipodes, where gov
eminent and finance are in their in
fancy, the commonwealth of Australia
has 1857 900 savings depositors among
1882 900 people; while New Zealand
boasts 1000 SAVINGS depositors among
1,103. 600 people. Were the per capita
standard of national thrift which pre-
walls among these progressive people
in the South Seas-in New Zealand
which had no parliamentary body un-
til 1876-to be adopted in the United
States, the number of savings depos-
sitors under the American flag would
be quadrupled.
AT the opening Of the present war
approximately one-third Of the popu-
1ation of France, Germany, Great Brit
ain. Holland, Japan and Sweden had
savings deposit accounts; while nearly
one-half Of the men, women and chill
dren of Australia, Belgium. Denmark,
Norway, New Zealand, and Switzer-
land were savings depositors.
In the United States, where the av>
erage wage and individual income is
double the foreign world average, and
where the aggregate national wealth
exceeds that of the three richest ma
tions Of Europe combined, the princi-
pie Of thrift is so little practiced, that
the ration Of American savings depo-
sitors to total population is only one
to nine.
The time, the need, the opportunity
and the duty to drop our spend-thrift
habit and raise in its stead the nation
al standard of thrift has now arrived.
Patriotism and national necessity,
home and self-interest, public and per
sonal welfare and success, unite to de-
mand of us concerted popular action.
The opportunity and the need is the
purchase of Liberty Bonds; the time
and duty are now. And when 3S,000,-
900 American bread-winners rise as
one man to seize their opportunity and
do their duty to themselves. their fam
lilies and their country, the national
character of thrift will become cstab-
lished long before the last Liberty loan
is recorded.
Regardless Of patriotic concern or
need, the instinct of personal
self-interest, Of insuring against rainy
day, of owning little nest-egg of
saved capital, Of taking the first step
toward financial independence, should
be sufficient incentive to join the Lib
erty Loan army. To thousands OF
young men and women, and even of
The middle-aged, the investment will
prove the first substantial and effec-
tive move toward the establishment
Of bank account, home and a bust
ness career. The Liberty Bond is ex--
empt from taxes, and is secured by
Uncle Sans wealti Of two hundred
and fifty billions. It is the nearest to
being gilt-edged, firsproof. tax-prouf
and risk-proof investment of anything
now or hitherto known on earth.
& Moreover, there goas with the in.
vestment the satisfaction, that every
dollar invested goes to buy the pro-
ducts Of American industry and give
added work and pay to American In.
Dor; that it is not only financial in
vestment, but an earnest Of good faith
Il American institutions, and a practi-
,al subscription to the cause of liberty
the world. For these rea-
sons, the next issue of Liberty Loan
Bonds will prove even more success
full than the first. Thrift will join with
patriotism and humanity to make it
20. People should begin to save right
now, so: as to participate to the largest
extent in the next issue of Liberty
bonds when it is announced by Secre.
tary McAdoo.
FOREST FOR TOWN INSTEAD OF
Tho fowno of M;nnosofo ID mt COON