Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-30
GREAT INVESTMENT IN HUMAN
LIBERTY

Gus money investment in human liberty and the blessings
that 90 with it. The call is out to them to buy s $780,
ooo, 1000 worth Of government bonds at a sitting. so to
speak.
No true American who understands why the nation
is at grips with a dangerous foe was stunned when Sec
rotary cAdoo announced these figures as the goal to be
aimed at All good Americans. have forgotten how to
lift their brows in surprise or to scruple at things like
this. They have bought billions in bonds hitherto.
OF them. There is every reason to. hope they will do
likewise now. They have set the scale of their purpose
to the performance Of big things. knowing that .small
doings will not avail in the crisis through which the war
torn world is passing.
Six billion dollars! 1t is a vast, incomprehensible
sum. No human mind can quite grasp what it means,
Speaking in terms Of dollars. it is the topmost single in
vestment Of all time. II a man should undertake to count
1t at the rate Of $1,000 a minute. working ten hours a
years Of his life.
1t will be a wonderful Investment, indeed, but not
nearly so fine as the investments that are being made
glory goes to the men and women who are investing
their hearts blood and their lives in the securities Of a
great cause. Compared with what they are doing and
daring. the lending Of $e,ooo.o 600. 900 seems after all, a
little thing. The money will come back to the lenders
with interest. With it will be an incalculable bonus-a
safer national life. a better democracy, a happier people
q more richly endowed posterity, a closer relationship,
it may be hoped. with the God Of love, justice and mercy.
The soldier who invests his life in a righteous cause
is not without his return part Of which he gains before
he makes the supreme .%sacrihee.N. He wins a priceless
friend in the sense Of an exalted duty well performed
and another In an applauding conscience that is right
his life for his friends he shall find a more abundant life.
The American people are in the war, not from
choice. but from the compulsion Of an ungodly foe. They
recoil from the horrors that go with tests Of arms IN
battle. but they do not shirk from the thing they con-
ceive to be q plain duty. In such a time they stand
ready to yield up their usual pleasures and to control
their lives to the necessities of the occasion. s'
Asked what arguments could be made for the fourth
Liberty Loan. Secretary McAdoo replied: Z
General Pershing and our heroes in France,
The people Of this country understand now as never
before what that means. No other argument should be
needed. They cannot hold to the precious boons of ma
service of these heroes. The latter cannot keep the
shield lifted and strong enough without the aid Of the
millions they have left behind in the civil walks Of life
On every man. woman and child, therefore. lies a coin
mand of duty. j.
In buying government bonds we shall do moro for
ourselves than is reclaimed III terms Of spirit. Much aol
the money is used to build q mercantile neet. When the
war is over the United States will have the largest and
best argosy Of commerce in the world. It is not, unbe-
coming to think of that, although the immediate mis-:
sion Of this great feet is one OF mercy and justice
Possibly great sums more will be lent to our hard.
pressed Allies who are lighting our righteous battles
with us and for us. We are investing, therefore. in in.
ternational good will, in a neishborhood Of friendly ma
tons such as mankind neves has looked upon before.
Every buyer Of & bond sets down his or her name
under the new charter OF world liberty that is to be-
It is purposed that this charter shall be perpetual and
that It shall be to all the earth as q f~ructifying June
rain. The Allied armies are clearing away an old, un-
slightly, condemned structure Of society that a new may
be reared in its place. For this disagreeable task they
must have such tools and habiliments as only a united,
loyal, helping people back home can furnish.
The United States has been called the "hurry-up''
nation. Its people have been, wont to do stunningly big
things in peace days with amazing dispatch. They are
in a hurry to get through with this war. They wish to
so'to ."the end of tne end with the least possible loss t
life and treasure. THAT accounts for the huge scale Of
their present activities and for the immense sums Of
money needed TO carry. on Every other enterprise in
the country makes way for this one supreme business.
Every community, big or little, in the North
west have been tested in bond buying loyalty.
The reserve district has redeemed every promise
made on its behalf by those having to do with the con-
duct OF loan campaigns. The stirest test is now before
this. people. measured in, dollarss.and cents, but the test
IL made easier by what gallant American soldiers are
doing IN Europe. II is mp tosthem increasingly to clear
the way for the ANAL signing and w~itnesstns OF the great
charter. Every foot Of ground taken. every prisoner
captured, every enemy gun conhscated. every American
soldier BODY naainsd OF slfsss forfeited-each of these is
m sIoausnf argument Tor the buying Of more liberty
b-pndae--Ninnsapef Tribune.