The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-09
Speech Of Secretary MAdoo in the City Auditorium

TO the women of America for the work
they have already done in supporting
the country in these colossal opera
tons.
We cannot wage wars of course
without money. The treasury of the
United States underlies every govern
mental activity. The man who is
secretary OF the treasury of the Unit
ed States must be at all times able to
meet any drafts or demands that may
be made by any other department Of
the government; and while that is
true, he has no control whatever over
the estimates of expenditures of other
departments of the government. 9th
ers control the bung-hole others
handle the spisot The duty of the
secretary of the treasury is TO keep
the tank fun of liquid credit or money,
so that those who turn on the spigot
will never find the tank dry
Now my problem. ladies and gentle
men, is your problem. The problem
of your secretary of the treasury is
the problem of the American people
and IL is upon you that We must finally
rely n these great operations are to
be carried to a successful conclusion
II Is for that reason TINT ] have gone
30 the country with every liberty loan
and have asked the people of America
themselves to do this great thing for
themselves: not to do 1t for the gov
eminent, not to do IL for the secretary
Of the treasury, but to do 1t for them
selves, because II Is their business that
i am engaged In. I am merely try
ing To serve YOU and protect your in.
tcrest.
But lending money to the govern
ment Will not alone win the war
We must do more. Ii is by economy,
by saying, by prevention Of waste and
by using the savings thereby effected,
and lending them to your government,
so that it may have the means to buy
the things required for the gallant
soldiers and sailors who are shedding
their blood for your lives and liberty,
that We can help more.
Importance OF Economy.
1 should like 10 explain to YOU in
as simple = way as / car the import
aucc of saving and economy. At this
time we have the double burden OF
carrying our own part in this war,
financing the colossal part that we
must play IN f. and also Of extend
ing credit TO the allies who are fight
ing with us, hecanse their credit has
been SO exhausted that they have not
the means TO buy I'm our market the
goods and supplies essential to the
maintenance of their armies in tho
field ard the support Of their civilian
population. Therefore. We must raise
INN "nse sums Of money TO take care
of them In addition to that we must
produce the things which they must
have, and which they pay for with
Tho credits we extend 10 them. II Is
a question Of production and OF saving,
and the civilian population. who do
not carry guns. are Just as essential
in this great conflict. and have Just as
important a part 30 play, as the IN en-
who actually light in the trenches.
They do not have the same sacrifices
to make, There ls no sacrifice so
noble. no sacrifice com para Bile TO that
of giving ones life for ones country.
Hut I'm order that those who give their
lives for their country may not give
them INA vain. the duty deyoivc~ upon
every man. woman and child I'm Amer
ica 10 do with equal patriotism and
fervor Of snul hack nj the lines what
must bss done in order that our SOL
diers and sailors may want for moth
ing that viii enable them tn fight this
battle successfully and VIGOROUSLY.
Let me advert % my homely fashion
TO some Of the things YOU can do. The
food supply of the world is short
today Food Of course is funda-
mental People must have food In
order TO sustain their strength agd
health, in order that they may pro-
duce other things required by the
war. and The chief burden devoives
upon America of furnishing the food
required not only for our own people,
but the soldiers and civilian popula-
tion Of our allies as we'll That Is the
reason, fellow citizens. that it has be
come necessary recently TO economize
with wheat. The wheat crop in the
United States was short and We have
had to substitute something else for
wheat bread, and you are eating bread
these days you never saw before, But
what could he more inspiring and
noble to the patriot who can't fight
than 30 eat anything over here that
will keep body and soul togethe
thereby releasing those essential sup
piles for the support of our fightiug
men mt the front and the civil popuia-
ton behind them? II is pleasure to
help any man who wears a blue jacket
or a khaki coiored uniform. IL is not
"a sacrifice to stop eating wheat bread.
IT In not hard for us TO do that. We
should have begun sooner. All that
the American people need to know, as
l have learned as | have been over
the country and have talked TO them.
is, what is the thing to do What is
the intelligent thing to do that will
enable US TO help most7 And when
the American people have learned
what To do | have never seen any
people SO responsive TO the call of
country.
Patriotic Saving.
Let US take the case OF wool There
is scarcity of wool in the world
Every ounce of wool that you can
save IL direct contribution to the
fighting men in the trenches and a
direct contribution to the ciFil popu-
1ation in Europe whose health and
strength must be kept up in order that
they may make arms and supplies for
those in the field
There is a scarcity also Of leather
in the world, and ii Is very difficult
70 get the necessary supply to make
the shoes required for the armies in
the field and for the civil populations
in Europe.
So, therefore, my friends, when you
refrain from spending money upon
clothing. unnecessary
shoes and unnecessary food, don't YOU
see that you release supplies that viii
contribute immensely to the success
of the armies IN the field Don't you
see that ii is vital to the success of
our arms that those things shall hS
done? Unless YOU save and economic
Ia I Is A. r.