Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-10-24
LIBERTY DAY

The president has designated today, October "a, as
Liberty Day, the day which Is to be marked by the cul-
mination Of the effort to secure subscriptions to the Sec
ond Liberty Loan in the largest possible number and for
the greatest possible amount. e-5.
On the manner in which this loan is subscribed de-
ponds in no small measure the result Of the war. That
the wal will result ultimately in the victory Of the forces
Of democracy goes without saying. The spirit of freedom
is inherent in the human race. and it must manifest IT.
self. When this war began, and took upon itself the def
mite form of a struggle between autocracy and democracy
for the domination Of the world. its result was deter
mined beyond peradventure. In such a struggle democ-
racy must triumph unless the whole history Of mankind
is ODE reversed.
But the victory. whether of democracy or Of any
other force, is not always Immediate, nor does it come
without trial and suffering. 1t has been inevitable from
the beginning that this war must result in the defeat Of
Prussian ambition. But it has taken time to bring to-
gether the agencies by means of which that defeat was
to be accomplished. 1t has taken time for the world to
reach its present understanding OF, the issues, and our
understanding is yet far from complete. AS time has
passed the situation has been stripped Of the confusing
elements of petty rivalries and irritating incidents. and
as this has been done, and as the issue has come to be
better understood, nations which at first remained aloof
have Joined in the struggle for world freedom. and they.
together with the nations which were among the original
beuigerents, have continued the war in a new spirit and
with q more clearly defined purpose.
The duration of the war, the time which must elapse
before the inevitable result shall be accomplished, de-
ponds chiefly on the clearness with, which the world per-
ceives the real issue. If today the great masses on both
sides in this conflict could see clearly that the utter de-
struction of the Prussian military caste. with all that it
stdnoS II, Is essential TO the preservation OF human lib
erty, and that anything short of this would be disastrous
to freedom, the sun would set tonight upon a truce, to
rise tomorrow on a world of peace.
The Liberty Bond is more than an evidence of gov
ernmental Indebtedness, more than the symbol of a good
investment. more than an agency for the arming of a
nation. 1t is a messenger Of liberty and a harbinger Of
peace.
The minimum sum asked for by the government,
three billion dollars. has already been more than sub
scribed. The immediate material needs are provided for.
But there is needed something more than the raising of
a certain number Of dollars. There is needed the pre-
Of evidence in concrete form that the American
people, representing the greatest Of the worlds democra-
cies, are definitely and unalterably and enthusiastically
enlisted in this war. This evidence is needed for the
strengthening of sentiment and the clearing of issues
among our own people; for the information and encour-
agnet of those who are allies with us, and to present to
the Teutonic peoples an impressive demonstration of the
unity of democracy the world over against the system
which they have been misled into supporting and defend
ing.
The more complete and impressive this demonstra-
ton is made the more convincing will it be to our friends
and Toes alike. and every Liberty Bond subscription, large
or small. is not only an aid to military success, but an
agency Of humanity; for every such subscription tends to
shorten the war, and thereby to lessen human suffering.