The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-10-27
BY H. N RlCkEY,
Head of The Tribune's Washington

Bureau.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 27.-lt is a
pity that every person in the United
States who has not already bought lib
erty bonds until he cannot possibly
raise another dollar to buy more can
not spend "a hours in Washington talk
ing with the high officials of the gov
eminent, who are charged with the
responsibility Of defeating Germany in
the shortest time at the least cost in
blood and money
If such thing were possible Have
no doubt that ten billion dollars would
be subscribed and there would be ten
million subscribers.
OF course, it is impossible for any
considerable number Of private citi-
Zens out of the more than hundred
million in the nation, to come into
personal contact with the men they
have chosen to lead them.
The great mass of the public must
depend on the newspapers for it's in
formation as to what public officials
are thinking and saying-and the
printed sheet at best is poor substi-
tute for the spoken word
Personal Survey.
| have spent the past two days 60
ing from department to department in
this busy city for the purpose OF get
ting what in movie parlance is known
as "close up" of the views of the
highest officials as to the Importance
of the success of the second liberty
loan.
II there had been any doubt in my
mind, which there was not, as to the
imperative necessity Of making this
loan such huge success that the
world will know next Sunday morn
ing the American people are back OF
their government in this war to the
finish with their last dollar, these
doubts would have been gone when
finished my tour.
If there is a responsible government
official who does not honestly believe
the result of this loan will have a
direct bearing upon the length of the
war, he is not among those with
whom | talked.
Mind you, these men were not striv-
ing for oratorical effects and the van
ity-feeding applause that follows a
high-falutin' peroration. 1t was just
man to man-the newspaper man rep
resenting the public, who must buy
liberty bonds if they are to be bought,
looking straight into the eyes Of the
official representing the government,
demanding the truth and knowing
whether or not he was getting it.
Will Shorten War.
put my question something like
this: "Mr. Blank, aside from the i'm
mediate financial requirements of the
government, which can be met by the
three billion dollar minimum asked for
in this loan, do you believe large
a over-subscription, say double that
amount, will shorten the war and thus
save the lives of American soldiers
and sailors and save American dol
lars?"
In every case l got quick, direct
answer, something like this: Il NOT
ONLY BELIEVE 1T. KNOW 1T. The
psychology of the situation is so obvi'
Gus as to admit of no question:
Then the argument would follow
along this line: IF it is true that
the loans failure or only partial sue
cess would hearten the German peo'
pie by giving them notice that the
American people are not whole heart
eddy in the war, then it follows both
nationally and logically that big over
subscription would have exactly the
opposite effect.
This war is not going to end until
Germany is defeated. Although Ger
many has been on the defensive fol
many months, there is still lot Of
fight in her great military machine
Germanys enemies could make nc
greater mistake than to under-esti
mate the powers of resistance of hel
armed forces.
German Morale Weakest.
'IF THE MILITARY MASTERS OF
GERMANY COULD ABSOLUTELY
COUNT UPON THE UNDYING SUP
POPT AND LOYALTY of the sixt!
million people who make up the civil
population, they might be able to hole
their enemies at bay for years. Wha
this would mean translated into Amer
lean lives and American dollars befor
Germany collapsed, which, of course