Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-09-22

Representative Johnson, OF Wash
ington. should not Judge harshay his
FELLOW members in the House because
they rejected his amendment direct
ing tie Secretary Of the Treasury TO
expend 100000 in newspaper adyer-
tisng to sell the liberty bonds He
made a splendid night for splendid
cause; he has earned the thanks OF
every newspaper publisher in the
country and merits the praise OF
every man who grasps the tremendous
Importance of awakening the nation
10 the seriousness OF the war. Never
theleas the combined thought of his
fellow representatives was against
binding the hands OF Mr. McAdoo. on
whose shoulders must rest response
bility for the sale Of eleven billions Of
dollars OF government securities. The
vote against the Johnson amendment
was not an expression OF opposition
TO government advertising II was a
vote Of confidence in Mr.. McAdoo.
The Secretary Of the Treasury must
first pass upon the question Of adver-
Using the great loan. and it must be
remembered the Secretary of thc
Treasury believes in newspaper al
yertising He says so He admits
that even the first loan could not have
been successful save for the patriotic
gift Of advertising space 20 the gov
eminent Now he is facing the flota-
ton OF eleven and not two billions OF
dollars, and he must use every means
OF efficient craftsmanship Very prop
erly the Secretary explains It would
be unjust for the government to ask
for free newspaper space, and natur-
ally he sees It is unreasonable to ex-
pect publishers again to give their
only source of livelihood
SO the problem Of this greater bond
sale becomes acute The force which
sold the first issue is no longer at the
command Of the Secretary. except, as
he admits il should he, on a business
basis.
TO have directed the Secretary 70
carry out that in which he admittedly
believes and which as fact he must
eventually resort to before he had an
opportunity TO put his selling plan in
TO operation would have been hasty
and perhaps shown an unjustifed ele
ment OF distrust This undoubtedly
was the sense of the House in reject
ing the Johnson amendment
There is no reason TO suppose Mr..
McAdoo will decline to use news
paper advertising when he knows it
must be used If he is to meet success.
AS a fact the only question that pre-
sents itself to the Secretary is one Of
sufficient money IT, in his judgment,
his selling allowance is not sufficient
TO engage in newspaper advertising,
undoubtedly he viii so to the Con-
gress and frankly ask for a further
appropriation, for he realizes the vi
tai necessity of selling the bonds
quickly He says frankly each recur
ring issue is more difficult to sell
than a preceding issue, and he can
not split the issue up into too many
offerings. There is no doubt that a
wholesale advertising campaign will
permit larger allotment being put be-
fore the public with safety than could
possibly be absorbed without adver-
Using. In fact, from whatever angle
the situation is viewed 1t is more and
more becoming evident that adver-
Using is the weapon with which to
win the war. Mr. AIeAdoo is too
astute not to see this. and he is too
able an executive not TO take advant-
age of it.