Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-09
LOAN DRIVE IS
LARGE SUCCESS
The FIRST DAY
Workers Report Subscriptions Of
SI35.S50 as the Results of
Initial Lap.
RUTH FARNAM Is SPEAKER
Heroine Of the Serbian Army Gives
Address to CanyasSerS Gath
cred at Neon.

GiNA a. -tNNh@
That nothing will prevent the
people Of Rock Island from going
over the top" IN the third Liberty
loan was indicated today when the
200 men and women canvassers met
at the Rock Island club for lunch
and reported $179.950 as the result
OF the first days drive. There was
enthusiasm and pep a-plenty. and as
each team reported It's subscrlp-
tons a cheer went up from the
workers.
The solicitors report that they
are meeting with ready response
from the people of the city and only
q few cases of absolute refusal to
buy bonds were discovered. One
canvasser in a district in the west
end of the city reported one woman
who declared that she would rath-
er so back TO Germany than buy
Liberty bond" She was assured
that he would do everything he
could TO start her on her way back
to the land of the kaiser this week
Cases like this only tend to stir the
canvassers to a greater effort The
committee is listing all those who
refuse to purchase bonds on yellow
cards. and they will be filed
The workers were favored this
noon by having Sergeant Ruth Far
nam, the Serbian heroine, as the
chief speaker. Sergeant Farnam
brought home to her hearers the
horrors OF the war and especially
the frightful suferings Of the Ser
bian people, whom she served as
8 member Of g hospital corps. At
the outbreak OF the war she was in
England. but having many friends
IN Belgrade, the Serbian capital,
who were anxious for her to see
conditions which the war had pro-
duced in that country, she finally
went TO the stricken country, and
there did her part TO relieve the
wounded and sick Of the Serbian
army.
Spirit Of Serbia.
THE people Of Serbia gave all
they had for their country" she
said. when war was declared the
men went to the government off,
cials IN their towns and demanded
their right TO fight. Serbia has a
spirit that never can be crushed.
The wounded men never complained.
ne matter # they are forced to en-
dure the most terrible conditions
in the hospitals. The only COM
plant that I ever heard was, I'm
not getting well fast enough They
wanted TO get back In the trenches
70 fight the invader"
Sergeant Farnam described Wv
idly her own work in the hospitals
\ Of Belgrade, where she was called
II upon to do work which required the
highest courage The Serbian army
was entirely lacking in supplies Of
all sorts and the hospital facilities
were OF the meagerest kind. She
pictured the frightful result Of the
typhus epidemic in 1915. Hundreds
Of thousands OF Serbians were car
Tied Of in the epidemic, she said,
but America gave splendid aid
through the Rockefeller institute,
the Harvard medical unit. and in
dependent helpers. When Serbia
wes overruu by the Austrian army,
the central powers offered attrac-
tive peace terms, she said, but they
were spurned by the defeated but
gallant Serbian people.
knowing the cost" she explain
ed, would be little children cruel
fed On the doors o? their homes,
women outraged, young girls sold
into degradation, and boys lined up
before q wall and swept by machine
gun fire, as was done in the first
invasion Of Serbia in 1914. Serbia
did not hesitate in making her re-
ply. In the words Of the brave Ser
bian premier, she made her reply
to the German war lords: It is
better to die in beauty than live in
shame. We fght!'"
Get Behind Nation.
Challenging the people to get be
hind the government in this hour
OF deadly peril to the nation, she
declared that the majority Of the
people were not yet awake 10 the
seriousness Of the situation. But"
she shouted. I'VE have got to win
and we viii win. no matter the
cost. They needn't think they can
scare America Even though they
blew New York into the middle Of
the Hudson river, America Will con-
tinue to fight. As our fathers
fought. so will our sons, united,
mighty, indivisible"
A J. LIndsrOm. chairman Of the
campaign committee for this dis
frict, presided and early introduced
Cadet Sergeant Leroy PhiIbrOok Of
Battery T, who is home on a short
furlough He brought a message
Of cheer from the Rock Island boys
In the southern camp and declared
that the physical condition Of the
boys is 100 per cent better than
when they left home.