Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-10-17
BILLION MARK
JUST TOUCHED
IN THE NATION

TsS ~ hSss w
Washington, Oct. 16.-With IA work
ing days gone and only 10 more to
come, Liberty bond sales were believed
by treasury officials tonight to have
just touched the $1,000 900, 600 mark.
result which has led them to wonder
If the s5.oo0,000.0O0 hoped for could he
attained in the final days of the cam
paign.
Committees in almost every part of
the country still wire encouragingly
that they can make their maximum
totals. says treasury department
statement. Possibly they can, but
either they are concealing their actual
sales-which is not believed to he the
case-or there must he a most unex->
pected spurt in the offing.
"tertainly there is little about the
sales thus far to warrant great conf
dence that the $5,00000o,o00 mark will
lie reached"
Official figures. representing actual
sales. reported tonight to the treasury
department as of the close of business
yesterday place the total al s52S. .230, $50,
or little more than half the s1.000,nC0
Ws-deiieved to have been subscribed
THESE figures do not include the result
OF the tWo-day canvass made hy 0.000
workers in the Minneapolis district and
place the amounts in other districts far
below the sums reported unofficialiy.
The totals include:
Boston. SOS, ,3n0 900; New York, s3O7.-
10000
Situation Not Encouraging
Granting the most reasonable al
io"ance for unreported sales" the
treasury's statement continues, the
situation is not encouraging Every
day SINCE the beginning of the drive,
October l. the daily quota necessary to
achieving the desired total of $1,000
100000 by Oct. -. the last day OF the
sale. has grown larger until tonight
1t reaches. in all proba bility, the en-
ormous figures of s40O 000000 At the
outset of the sale, a daily average of
slightly less than s21oO00o0o would
have made the maximum total possi-
bic
Tie greatest discrepancies between
the official and the latest unofficial oc-
CURED in the New York, Boston, Cleve-
land. Philadelphia and Kansas Cts
districts. Later reports from New
York and Boston today show their TO-
tails 70 he s4l3,n0a, 00hQ and above $50.
o0o. 900 respectively.
Similar discrepancy undoubtedly
exists in other districts.
Brightest Spot in Northwest
The brightest spot in the cam
pai today appeared to he in the
northwestern states OF Minnesota.
North Dakota, South Dakota and Mon
tana. where the sales forces began
work for the first time Yesterday. Or
Gers soon will be in effect in all those
states for the removal Of state funds
from banks not giving their hearty
'o-ope ration to the sale it was official
~ reported tonight Indications are
howerer. that enforcement of this or
Ger will be unnecessary as the banks
are rallying. along with the most of
the people. TO unqualified support of
til. lean.
Army sales continued to increase
tonight until the boys in khaki had
bought more than $4,000. 900 in bonds.
Speakers throughout the country are
using the example Of the soldiers. who
are willing to sacrifice both their lives
and their dollars for the cause,
1T is contidentally predicted by per-
sons in close touch with the army sub
scription situation that the total will
run we'll above sloo. 900 900 before the
drive closes"
Immediate Subscription Urged
Statements urging the people Of the
country to subscribe now were issued
today by Secretary Houston and Sam
uel Gompers.
Every man, woman or child who
wishes to feel ne has had a part in
bringing about the wider liberty which
is coming to the world through the
war we are fighting can be assured he
Is contributing directly by buying a !
bond" Mr.. Gompers said. AN invest
nent In one Of the bonds is an invest
ment in a liberty with a sure return
or the money invested"
In a statement addressed to the
farmers Of the nation. Secretary Hous-
ton said: 1T is every citizens duty
TO purchase Liberty bond il he is in
a position to do so. The nations task |
is serious one. 1t faces you and me
IL we do not win this war. we must |
prepare ourselves for grave changes
IN cur institutions and TO. lead diff
ferent sort Of life from that which |
We Rad planned to livefrom that which |
our fcrefathers decided to give us the |
right TO live"
Secretary Lane. just hack from a !
Liberty losn tour Of the Middle West. |
told President Wilson and the cab.
iEet today that the West was deter /
mined to do its part.