Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-06-07
LIBERTY LOAN A PATRIOTIC WAR
WEAPON.

LIBERTY LOAN A PATRIOTIC WAR
WEAPON.
Many a man who would rejoice to do
some heroic act in this war for country
and humanity attaches little significance
to the purchase Of Liberty bond. From
our point of view It Is little thing for
Q nation to ask Of the people individually
asked to give to the flag. You are merely
invited to invest part Of your money in
bond bearing interest instead Of putting
Il in some other form of investment. and
It is the more attractive because Of its
exemption from income tax. Indeed that
Investment is about as little as you could
do for your country In this war.
There are various other points Of view
from which to consider this subject.
Money not only lubricates the wheels Of
the chariot Of war; but money also talks.
The success Of great popular loan for
the support Of the government in this
war would have almost as much impor-
lance for the significance It would have
other words, the moral effect would equal
It's material influence.
One Of the great objects Of making this
popular loan instead Of a capitalists
investment Is to secure the greatest pos
sible representation Of our people as
measure Of the popular support Of the |
flag in this conflict. 1t will be recalled |
that when the United States was con- |
fronted by vanishing surplus in the
treasury President Grover Cleveland was |
persuaded to substitute popular loan for
a great sale Of bonds through Wall Street. |
and the moral effect was stimulating as
we'll as reassuring for the whole nation. |
New York bankers stand ready to take
all the bonds offered by the United States J
government at this time. but that course
would have two undesirable effects. In
the first place It would put the nation
under the financial control Of few pow
erful interests In the second place II
would make It possible for the Kaiser to
say, as his emissaries are already claim
ing. that the people Of the United States
are not behind the Wilson administration
in this war, and are not in the struggle
heart and soul.
II on the other hand there could be
great popular outpouring Of funds for
the maintenance Of this struggle on our
part It would demonstrate to the Kaiser
as well as the whole world that we mean
business. and that We are determined t"
battle for the elimination Of autocracy
and military absolutism as insidious and
inevitable menaces to the peace Of the
whole world.
At a great meeting for the promotion
of the popular loan in New Yordk. Otto II.
Kahn speaking as one born In Germany.
expressed the deep conviction that the
more Enthusiastically and Fundamentally
they throw themselves into the struggle
which this country has entered in order
to rescue Germany no less than the rest
Of the world from those forces that are,
in President Wilson'S language, the enc
my of all mankind. the better they pro-
tect and serve the repute Of the old Ger
man name and the true advantage Of the
German people.
He closed by quoting the words uttered
by Scotch Parliament member 500 years
ago: 1T Is not for glory. or for riches.
or for honor that We fight, but for lib
erty alone. which no good man loses but
with his life
II do not look toward the future with
pesslmism." said Mr. Vanderlip. for the
by-products which will come out of this
war will make worth while all that II
costs. Two of the chief will he these-it
will teach US national thrift and We are
thriftless and extravagant; and II will
teach us recognition of our duties as citi'
zens-the duties Of citizenship.
'war measures the strength Of ma
ton now as never before. 1t means the
first $4,000. 900 900 is but a start. We arr
going to need sums Of money never
dreamed of. We have got to subscribe Il
the Liberty Loan what we are going Il
save. This war has got to be fought or
the savings OF the future. The wag'
Garner must do Just what the millionaire
must do and fortunately we have tn
banking machinery, through the Fedora
Reserve banks, to meet the situation.
1--WE are going to have the creates
business We ever have had but 1t will b.
OF different type. We have come to b
a spsndthrift nation. We are going T.
learn not to be. We are going to lear
that unnecessary expenditures are unpa
triotic."
These are part Of the consideration
which should move every man to buy
Liberty bond as a form Of investment
as a moral influence upon both friend an
foe, as an actual weapon Of war. a. a
expression Of patriotism.