The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-13
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
lNFQRMATTDN BUREAU
By FREDERIC j. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington, d. @.
PUTTING OVER THE SECOND
LOAN


States have again and again displayed
an enthusiastic and self-sacrificing pa
triotisnn which the natives find 1t
hard to eouaI The newcomers seem
to regard the war as a splendid OPP
portunity for them to demonstrate
that they are real Americans rms
spirit manifested itself in STRIKING
Way during the sale of the second
liberty loan, when thousands of for
eign born Americans came forward
with their savings under the expressed
conviction that buying a liberty BOND
meant giving the money TO the gov
eminent outright. They had heard
about the four per cent interest fea-
ture, but were under the impression
that this amount was paid to the gov
eminent annually by the-holder OF the
bond. When they learned that II was
the other way about. and that in ad-
dition they would get the original IN
vestment back, they went away
trifle bewildered, but more than ever
enthusiastic for American inst1tu-
tons.
known as pro-Germanisn was not
much in evidence during the cam
paign. In Minneapolis and other CIT
les where many of the residents are
of German ancestry, German organ
5zations with German names got out
and worked for the loan.
Liberty day, and during the last
days of the sale generally. the whole
country cut caperS of patriotic zeal on
behalf of the cause In Boston they
erected a Liberty cottage on the IA
nous Boston common, and the care
of this sacred edifice was entrusted to
women of the greatest wealth, beauty
and social prominence. Immense
crowds gathered to watch society
leaders scrub the floors of the Liberty
cottage, and some of them were suf-
ficiently impressed by this spectacle
to buy bonds. Wealthy ST. Louis Wo-
men offered their services as bill
posters in the campaign.
Liberty loan literature probably
reached every adult citizen of the
United States, for one hundred and
fifty million pieces were distributed.
Many persons receiving this literature
who were too poor to buy bond
wrote to the treasury department ex-
planning this state of affairs and en-
closing amounts varying from 81 up
as contributions to the war fund.
The liberty loan campaign brought
forth a burst of oratory such as the
country has never known before. The
orators varied all the way from the
-four minute men," who did not over
look the smallest of motion picture
theaters, to a thousand men of nation
al reputation who toured the country.
All brands-of talent were enlisted in
the cause-BilIy Sunday and EXPIRES
Champ Clark were at one on the mat
ter of boosting liberty bonds. Mr.
Fairbanks, Vice President Marshall,
Ambassador Gerard, John Temple
Graves, all the cabinet members and
about half a regiment of senators and
congressman added class and variety
to the field.
Great cities Wed with. each other
in devising original methods of at
| tracing attention to the liberty loan.
I I'll -
| captured German U-boat. Cleveland
set up an old-fashioned striking ma
chine of the sort that used to be a
| feature OF every circus and country
! fair. 1t was crowned with an image
of Kaiser Wilhelm's head, and a good
| hefty wallop would ring bell in the
royal dome. Vaudeville actors gave
their services to attract attention to
public meetings on behalf of the loan.
The officials in Dallas, Texas, issued
an order, Don't go to bed before mid
night on the last night of the cam
palgn, and the behest was widely and
| boisterously observed. Atlanta on the
same day erected imposing last
chance" signs, and called the atten-
ton of the public with brass bands
and auto horns.
The largest single investment in lib
erty bonds was made by the Du Pont
Powder company of Wilmington,
Della, which bought S5OOOO.OOO
worth Henry Ford bought more
bonds than any other one man, taking
100000 worth. The president put
! 81 5000 of his savings into liberty
! bonds, and Mrs. Wilson took $4,000
worth.
The oldest American who bought
bonds was said to be Mrs. Hecox, of
Evanston, Ill, age So, who took So
0oU worth. The first place to sell its
full quota was Tucson, Arizona. The
committee there sent a telegram
which stated that while the climate
Of Arizona was fine, it would not be
good for the health of the kaiser.
Three hundred thousand boy scouts
took the field as statesmen, and dis
posed of nearly 500. 900, 900 worth OF
bonds. Airmen were widely used as
an advertising device. On the twenty
fifth of October, they flew from every
army camp, and dropped liberty loan
literature over the principal cities of
the country. One of their paper
bombs contained the presidents war
message.
Liberty day brought about $780,
100000 into the government war
chest and 1t is estimated that three
mllIlon people gave of their time and
effort to stimulate the sale of bonds
on that day.
Posters played a striking part in
the campaign. Every postmaster in
the United states was furnished with a
set of them; and they appeared in
nearly every railroad station. Thev
We're sent to the most remote corners
OF the earth where the United state
mas diplomatic or consular represen-
tatlVeS. Several thousand posters
We're sent to General Pershing,s
headquarters in France; American
aVlators dropped liberty loan posters
over the German lines. One of these
showed Uncle Sam pointing to the
great American army on the nojn+ ~
embarkation. t-''' VI
ABOUT thirty-three million of the
people IN the United States are either
foreign born or have foreign born par.
ms ano many OF the former class
especially, are not vet readers of ESne-
lsh. The reaching of this class was :
special problem which was brillfa ntl1
solved. The foreigners responded a:
soon as they understood. Almos
without exception the I641 fora;1,