The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-04-24
TO
ADVERTISE WAR
BONDS GRATIS
Government Will Take Ad-
vantage of Offer to Give
Free Publicity.

wide advertising campaign of extra
ordinary proportions has been decided
upon by Secretary McAdoo as the
most effective means of disposing
quickly of the $1,000, 100000 bond is
sue soon to be offered to the public.
So many patriotic offers of aid have
poured into the Treasury Department
recently that practically every meth
cd Of publicity in the country will be
at the Governments disposal without
charge in helping to make the Issue
success.
Newspapers, magazines, street car
advertisements, even the billboards,
soon may be proclaiming the issue in
big type and summoning every Ameri-
can to do his duty to his country by
subscribing. Large advertising agen-
cies have offered their services free
of cost in writing the advertisements
and otherwise assisting in the cam
paign.
Many newspapers have opened, their
advertising columns, with no charge.
Officials have welcomed such offers
and expect others of a similar nature
There will be no general campaign Of
paid advertising, it was said authori-
tatively tonight, nor the incurrence
of any items of expense whatever that
are not absolutely essential, the s-Ad-
ministration's desire being that the
issue may be placed at the least pos
sible cost.
Five million dollars will be available
for all items of expense, including the
high-priced distinctive paper upon
the mechanical and clerical expense
incidental 10 their issue. A force of
1000 persons will be added to the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing, al
ready working night and day to meet
the present heavy demands of the Gov
eminent, and at least 200 clerks will
be employed in the clerical work Incl
dental to the big bond issue. This
force will be obtained through the civ
il service:
Offers of assistance have been re-
ceived from many unexpected sources
Department stores have offered not
only to accept subscriptions, but to
solicit them, in some cases, to make
subscriptions easier for their custom
ers, by buying bonds outright and ac-
cepting installment payments for
them. Express companies have offer
ed the services of their money orders
departments free. Chains of stores
asked if they might not be authorized
to receive subscriptions.
Patriotic societies, civic organza-
tions, fraternities and hundreds of in
dividuals have urged the departments
to permit them to conduct an active
selling campaign. The chief burden
of distribution will devolve upon the
banks, and it is likely that all finan-
cial institutions with good standing
which apply will be authorized to re-,
ceive subscriptions.
There probably will be at least / 3d.
600 places in the United States where
bonds may be purchased. These in
clude banks, State and national, trust
companies and private institutions, in
ternal revenue offices. Custom Houses
and Post Offices. Every government
al agency of tax collection probably
will be authorized to accept subscrip-
tons, and similar authority may be
given to many private enterprises of
repute.
fed their intention of urging their
employees who can to invest in the
bonds. In some instances fraternal
organizations have decided to use their
machinery as clearing houses for sub
scriptions of members. Offers have
been received from travelling men who
want to do their bit toward helping by
selling the bonds as side line.
Indications are that the big issue
may be offered to the public by June
l. and that the interim will be de-
voted largely to advertising Should
one suggestion before the department
be adopted, as seems likely, subscrib-
ers will be given thirty days in which
to make final payments. This would
make the proceeds available for the
Government about July 1.
Louis Edouard de Shelly, 28 years