New Britain herald., 1918-10-03
CHARACTERIZATION
 AND LIBERTY LOANS
Investment Creates Bond Between
 Individual and Government

CWritten for the New Britain Herald
 By Francis P. O'Brien, director of
 Americanization Work in New
 Britain.)
 There are certain resiproca1 ad vantages to those people who are not Loan enterprise toward which they may contribute their support. The advantage to the loan is one of simple arithmetic. Each bond sold increases the total raised. The gain to the individual if not so simple and di- rect, is no less certain and definite. Of course there is. the return of in- terest as well as principal But still more of value is that deeper feeling of interest that accompanies his invest ment of money in the government of the United States. It is no longer so remote an institution as it was before. The investor is learning lessons in if nance, in civics, in democracy and in patriotism, when he is persuaded to purchase Liberty Bonds, with an in telligence and understanding of what he does. The Americanization of these diverse peoples implies uniting them in collective activities with the native born Americans for a fuller common understanding, and. to secure through the exercise of self-govern- ment and cooperation the highest well flare of all.
 The issue is perfectly simple. The people of foreign birth can aid tre- mendously in contributing funds, and they should do it. But the citizens of native birth must recognize the need for general unity of action and of spirit. If these people are to feel that this is truly a peoples war against barbarism, militarism and op- pressive autocracy, as it is in fact, then our continued national neglect of and contempt for the stranger within our gates must be promptly reversed. Our residents of foreign birth are daily proving their loyalty to the United States. Those persons whose children are to be the Ameri- cans of tomorrow, and many of whose sons are at present full partners in the world brotherhood for the rescue of democracy, deserve something bet ter from us than a patronizing in difference or perhaps a condescending toleration. Americanism will profit
 
 taking between the Americans that are, and those that are to be. The community of feeling to which we as- pire can be so well promoted in no other way
 Our lack of military preparedness has been splendidly met. Our lack of emotional, intellectual and moral pre- paredness cannot be so quickly and
 
 these elements are more intangible in nature and more deep seated by habit Had we possessed the vision to have begun twenty y-fiVe years ago to Americanize our immigrants in an honest and purposeful way, the result would give us multitudes of these newcomers as devoted as the Polish girl from Rutherford, N. J., reported in the New York Times of recent date. She earned $40 month as house maid. Of this she invested $2O in w. s. S., $5.OO in Polish relief, $5.OO in the Church and $500 in wool which she knits for the soldiers. Tn addition to these things she has pur- chased $1OO Liberty Bond out of her l savings. Millions of our fellows 1 might, and indeed, would have been
 
 duty by them.
 Our country has come to realize almost suddenly the need for uniting all her people in common aims and efforts for the general welfare. If we can gather together peoples of differ ent races, creeds, traditions, and as- pirations and merge them into one, then the United States will have ac- complished the greatest of political experiments. The secret is to reach mems hearts to enlist their spirit, to arouse their aspirations and to inStiIl in them the attitude and feeling of loyalty to this land There is no such thing as patriotism or Americanism unless it is in our souls We must feel it first, and then we must give it expression to make it real Every possibility and opportunity should be developed for the individual to serve his fellows, serve himself and serve mankind. For democracy means in essence a form of associated activity for a common purpose, but again it is the individuals feelings or emotional attitude which determines the direction that he will go. This fact cannot be emphasized. And we may bear in mind that the man or woman who was not born here may have in his or her soul the very essence of Americanism, and may have had it long before he or she ever saw the statue of Liberty or the Golden Gate.
 The Fourth Liberty Loan again offers the oportunity of inviting all to bring forth their savings, that the dollars of democracy may contribute to save democracy. We are ready to appeal for and accept the money of each and all, regardless of the con- tingencies of the time and place of his birth, in order to keep Uncle Sam at