The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1917-06-30
The PEOPLE
HAVE ANSWERED


swered to their cOuntry's call
The first answer was made OF
June 5, when 10000, 600 American
citizen between Il and 80 year,
registered themselves for hationa
service. This answer, though re
CURED by law, was made with &
spirit and willingness that robbed
the registration Of any faint oil
compulsion or servltnde.
The second answer from the
people was registered finally or
June 10, and the answer complet
oil that day was entirely volunta
ry. More than 5000, 900 Ameri
can citizens voluntarily subscrib
ed their money to support the
United States in the war. This
they did, not HISTORICALLY, not In
a spirit Of war fever, but calmly
and IN the exercise of judgment
and reason.
1t is true that the subscribers
to the Liberty Loan of 1917 &c,
full value received for their con.
tribution, but the immense nun
Der Of small bonds bought shows
that 1t was not the wealthy alone
Of the Nation that supported the
Liberty Loan. 1t shows that II
was not the investing public OF
America alone that bought the
bonds. IL shows that the Ameri.
can people subscribed the loan,
and that, while many wealthy citi.
zens invested millions In the bonds,
4 great many more American citi
zens Of small means hastened to
do their part.
More than this, the lists Of sub
scribers show that many citizens
of very small means, perhaps
with no capital and no great earn
ing capacity, were willing to stint
themselves In order to purchase a
Liberty Loan Bond and have a
share In the financial support of
their country 10 time Of war.
The result of the Liberty Loan
Bond sale is an inspiration to ev
cry American. 1t has proved the
patriotism Of the body polite. 1t
has shown that behind the fight
ing men of the Nation is the mon.
ey Of the people; that behind the
man power of the Nation stand
the Unreasonable finances and
material resources Of America.
The Liberty Loan Of 1917 is a
new tie between the Government
and the people Of the United
States. Every holder Of Liber
ty Loan Bond feels more of an
A American citizen, and along with
a sense Of duty done and service
performed feels an individual pc
cuniary interest in the Govern
ment. Each has q certificate OF
citizenship and something that
might be compared to Q share Of
stock in the American Govern
ment.
Germany has been answered
and the reply is entirely satisfac
tory to all who love America.
There ia no mistaking it's volume
or tone. 1t reaches across the
seas and no censorship can rob 1t
Of its significance and strength.
The RED CROSS SOCIETY.
In an age charged with being
selfieh, sordid. and commercial
there has grown mp and developed
the greatest organization for un-
selfish service the world has ever
seen-the American Red Cross.
The growth Of the Red Cross So
ciety is evidenced not to be con
tr0verted that the spirit Of service
il strong in the hearts Of the pe0
pie Of to day. The work Of the
society demonstrates that there
are thousands who are willing to
devote their services to humanity,
and the support given them by
voluntary contributions shows
that there are hundreds Of thou.
sands more who are willing to de.
vote Q portion Of their means to
the alienation of suffering.
The activities of the Red Cross
always have been generously sup.
ported BY the American public,
but only since "Our own" soldiers
began to take . place In the
trenches alongside our armies has
this support become bountiful.
It ia the suffering and comfort OF
the men from "0nr own neighbor-
hoods" as we'll as the physical
needs Of our allies for which the
Red Cross must now mobilize.
The result-the greater and more
imperative duty now coDfronts
the givers IN America.
No appeal to the generosity OF
the American people has ever
been unanswered. Let one part
OF the world be visited by some
calamity like the Mount Pelee and
Italian earthquake, china floods,
the Johnstown flood, the San
Francisco earthquake or any
oreater or laaser calamity. and the