The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-06-16

Washington, June 15.-Three billion
American dollars for liberty and
democracy.
This is the chorus swelled tonight
by the voices of 100000 men, women
and children of the United States in
definance of military autocracy.
The figures are not those of certi-
fed accountant, but are as near as ex.
pert financiers at the treasury depart
ment tonight can approximate in
reaching conclusion on the result of
the great Liberty loan which closed
today at noon.
Unquestionably the figures will
mount higher tomorrow. BY Monday,
when the returns will be official, the
chorus will have become an anthem of
freedom to be carried across the seas
to hearten the Allies ard at the same
time awe the Prussians. as a thunder
Gus dirge to tell the Kaiser of states
united in common determination to
fight righteous war to finish. as well
as states united for government under
one constitution.
Never was popular loan brought
to a close more successfully. Never
did a nation respond more gloriously
to war call.
Early in the morning the result was
forecast beyond all doubt The re-
turns tonight were slow in coming in,
but the few officials who came to the
treasury department were jubilant.
Those who did not return to the build
ing after leaving it at o'clock-and
Mr., McAdOo was among them-were
weary and ready for bed. What
figures that filtered in at irregular in
tervals were received by Robert w.
Wooley, director of the publicity cam
paign for the loan. He wired to the
various publicity committee chairmen
in the twelve federal reserve districts
to report as soon as possible by tele-
graph the tentative figures in their
districts. Cleveland was the first to
respond. The message read; aH
Liberty. loan in the fourth federal re-
serve district as compiled by the Cen
tral Liberty loan committee of that
district indicates the following:
Total subscriptions, 1884, GOO;
total number of subscribers will prob
ably exceed 100000"
These figures are not, however. the
figures of the federal reserve bank in
that district, but those of Central Lib
erty loan committee
The following telegram was receiv-
ed from New York tonight at the de-
partment from James e. West, chief
scout master of the Boy Scouts of
America:
Incomplete returns show total of
9,462,000 secured by scouts; probab
ly close to 100000 individual subscrip-
tions"
The basis Of estimating the number
of individual subscriptions for the
entire loan as adopted at the depart
ment tonight was the number of Lib
erty loan buttons asked by the diff
ferent reserve cities. The output for
New York, Boston and Philadelphia
was two million.
Cleveland not only was the second
city to turn in its figures, but it was
the first to report in excess of the
amount expected from it. However,
it was we'll known in advance that
New York would do the same.
While the nation is congratulating
itself on the wonderful answer given
to the request for two billion dollars,
the largest initial loan ever attempted
by any country for purposes of war
it is we'll to remember Mr.. McAdoo's
words at the time the loan was an
He said at that time that
while he hoped for an over subscrip-
tion there would be no over allot-
ment.
One thing is certain. The men who
bought $50 and 800 bonds will get
them. The terms of the loan expressly
set forth that the secretary reserved
the right to reject any or part of any
application made for bonds. Now the
question arises which of the huge in
dividual and corporation subscrip-
tionS will be shaved down