Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-10-19
farmers WILL BACK
The LIBERTY LOAN
Secretary Houston Shows Why
They Will Do All in
Their Power.
He VIII Help Produce Food and
Aid Soldiers 10 Achieve
Victory.
by D. +. HOUSTON
Secretary Of Agriculture


II is every citizens duty TO pur-
chase a Liberty Bond II he is in q
position to do so, Every patriot will
regard II as a privilege 10 participate
In the Liberty Loan, He will thereby
contribute directly and effectively TO
the successful prosecution Of the war
which Germany has forced upon US.
The nations task is q serious one.
II intimately touches each OF us. II
faces you and me- II we do not win
this war we must prepare ourselves
Tor grave changes In our institutions
and TO lead a different sort OF life
from that which we had planned 10
Eve-from that which our forefathers
died TO give us the right to live. We
shall Indefinitely face the interference
OF the Prusslan autocracy or bear
permanently the intolerabl0 burdens
OF militarism.
To win this war we must have both
men and money. | know that every
farmer wants to do all in his power
for the nation In this day Of trial. He
necessary foodstutrs but will also gen
erously contribute OF his means to
make II possible for the men at the
front to achieve victory.
am confident that the farmers OF
the land will not permit any other
class to take the leadership in sup
porting the government in this crisis,
financially or otherwise.
We are at war with Germany be-
cause Germany made war upon us,
sank our ships, killed our citizens.
and plotted against us while profes-
sing friendship. We were patient
TIL oflenses became so fragrant and
insults so intolerable that It was
merely question whether we would
admit we were no longer free ma
ton or accept the challenge Of the
warmad, hypocritical and medieval
Prussian milltarists. There was one
choice we could not make-we we're
incapable OF making. We could not
choose the path OF submission and
suffer the most sacsed rights OF our
nation and our people to be ignored
and violated"
We are defending our rights as q
free nation. We are resolved that
there shall be an end OF brute force
in international affairs. What Ger
manys victory would mean to the
world is plain. There would be no
right except might. no peace save at
the price OF humilations too bitter to
be borne. Small nations could not
exist.
There would be no sanctity TO
pledge, no solemnity to a covenant.
With the dominance of Prussian mill
tar1sm, the Anglo Saxon struggle for
free institutions and liberty, persist
ing from Runnymede to Yorktown,
with its Magma Charta, It's Bill Of
Rights, and its Declaration OF lnde-
pendence. will have been in vain.
II is to prevent this, to defend our
rights, and to make possible an or
derby and just peace in the world
that We are at war.
The nation calls on it's citizens for
high and noble service. On some It
calls for service in the field on 9TH
ers for service at home; on all, 1t
calls for financial support. am con-
fident that the farmers OF the nation
will eagerly respond to the call for
subscriptions to the Liberty Loan.
In spite OF the advance in wages
and the price OF everything he buys
that is, after allowing for the shrunk-
en- dollar the farmer has made good
money in the last two years. and has
a larger bank account than ever be-
fore. It has been estimated that his
balance is greater than the entire
Liberty Loan.
Now a new call comes TO the Amer
ican farmer. II is the call to support
his country with his money as we'll
as with his crops. To this call he will
respond as nobly as to the other.
The farmers boy has now Joined
the colors, and the nation calls on his
father to help equip, train and support
him while he fights for HIS country.
The better we do this the safer 1t will
be for the boy and the sooner peace
will come.
The ten million farmers Of America
produce more than one third OF the
wealth Of the country They can cas-
fly take one-thlrd OF this loan. II
every farmer will take one hundred
dollars in the three billion, the thing
is done. II steps are taken to bring
the matter to the attention OF all the