The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-10
A FOUR-MINUTE TALK ON BABY WAR BONDS
 AND THRIFT STAMPS

mortal man. woman and child in this country will be glad to have that chance We are beginning to think in 10 figures, but S2,000, 900 Is still a vast sum. They will be material addl- ton to the war chest. We must open our eyes and face the situation. We are a rich, populous nation, but our vast resources of wealth, man power and productive capacity are heavily discounted by the fact we must send our soldiers across 5000 miles of water to the battle lines. This would be a gigantic and costly task, even if there were no submarines. This will not de- press us however. The American spirit rises wherever handicap is put on. We are asked to do our utmost and we are going to do it. Watch us rise when the casualty lists begin to come in frequently. American blood-Ala- bama blood--has already been spat- tered on the flag, but that's merely the beginning. When the roll of our dead and wounded is published nearly every day, if not daily all of us will be drawn together by the kiss of com mon grief and these baby war bonds will give us the opportunity to mani- fest the spirit of self sacrifice which the christening touch of sorrow never fails to arouse. When we cry, What can we dor'
 CEASE WASTEFULNESS The government has already said, DO this; cease your wasteful way of living, save and lend me the money for the sake of your sons and what they are facing death for" Never fear, Jeff, that this thrift campaign will flag in interest. In these baby war bonds the government has given us 9 mt for ,,roFn1ndcSf q which move humanity I call it great safety valve and so it is But states manship does not stop there. It looks beyond the war. 1t proposes to make a nation of savers out of the most prodigal people on earth. Today that looks like miracle. A year hence 1t will have the substance of actu- ality in large measure,
 TECHNICAL PART
 Now, as to the strictly financial part. The interest allowed on these bonds is generous yet practical and permissible by the laws of sound finance. The bondholder is protected in every way even to the extent of having the privilege of selling his bond, if he desires, on a rising mar ket. There is provision for insurins him against the loss of it. either by carelessness or thrift Nothing in his interest has been overlooked. I am told by men of first-rate business ability that the entire plan of the campaign becomes more admirable the closer it is scrutinized. and they say that in this perfection of details the master mind and hand of Frank A. Vanderlip are as clearly seen as is the breadth of spirit shown by the Sec retary of the Treasury and the other government officials who are collab- orating with Mr Vanderlip
 Now for Birmingham. The week has shown that this city can be depend ed upon to do her full part in this as in all patriotic movements. The holiday season Is here, with it's severe demands upon the local postoffice, our banks and retail merchants, and with help harder to get than ever Yet the sale ,of'th stamps by these agencies has been cheerfully assumed and vig- orously pushed. It is gratifying to know that our working people are buying these stamps freely thereby expressing their patriotism in the most practical of all ways. The colored peo- pie are rallying, too-this campaign means more to them, possibly, than to any of us. The papers have been generous with their space and able with it.
 POWERFUL CARTOON
 
 I do not hesitate to say that the news stories, editorials and cartoons in the Birmingham press last week will more than hold their own in in terest, power and expressiveness with chose printed anywhere in the Uni ted States. We are all doing four bit" in this campaign, and, as I say this there floats into my mind the slogan of Rufus N. Rhodes of honored mem :. ory: Great is Birmingham"
 By the end of this week it is ex- pected the campaign will be in fuii progress all over Alabama. The two able business men in charge of the state campaign-Crawford Johnson state director, and J. w. Donnelly, vice state director-are literally working with their coats off. That means re- suits.
 Beg Pardon, Jeff if I have exceeded the space limit, but when one gets going on thing like this it is mighty hard to slow down.