The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-02-06

have been running now for almost
three months. They have tried to
explain many of the details about Lib
erty Bonds, their different privileges
and advanta ges, price changes, future
possibilities of profit, the safety of the
investment, the personal responsible
| ity, and the need for government Dor
| rowing.
Do you remember that wonderfully
human story in the Bible of the rich
young man who went to Jesus for ad-
vice, and who, having stated that he
had observed all the commandments
from his youth up, finally heard this
verdict, zone thing thou lackest. Go
sell all thy goods and give to the
poor" Whereupon "the young man
went away sorrowful, for he was very
rich"
The young mans case is not un-
like our own in some respects.
We may have learned all that there
| is to know about Liberty Bonds
themselves, may appreciate their Won
derful safety and future values, may
| have sensed our own immediate re-
| sponsibility, and yet one thing we
may lack-a right perception of their
relation to our future welfare. And
the reason that we may fail in learn
ing this last most important lesson
| is the same that was behind the
young mans sorrowful departure-for
WE are very rich.
Here we stand,-great, vigorous,
| powerful, healthy. free, rich Ameri-
| ca! Who is there among you that can
count our blessings? For look you
az this but partial list of some of the
| biggest items.
TERRITORY--Over 10000 900 square
miles of land, and $500 miles of coast
| line.
MINERALS-Vast, almost incalcul-
| able deposits of oil, coal, iron, copper,
| lead, zinc, gold and silver.
TIMBER-Forests of almost every
kind of wood in many varied sections
| of the country.
Fisheries and furs enough to feed
and warm nation. Soils and eli
mates of such variety as will grow
millions of tons of grain, vegetables,
fruits, cotton, fax, and hay, and for
the grazing of uncounted herds of
cattle, hogs, sheep and horses.
| Two hundred and fifty thousand
| miles of railways to carry US whittier
we will. Thousands of schools and col
leges whose doors are wide open to
all. Work and wages in abundance
for willing hands and brains. Freedom
| to worship, the right to vote, and the
| opportunity to be voted for. Popula-
tion,-the peoples of the earth, with
hope in their hearts and energy in
their hands, coming to build their
fortunes and their homes upon stur-
dy Anglo-Saxon past of 800 years.
Oh, great and glorious America!
Need any more be recited to crown
you Queen among the Nations
But we, to whom all America be-
| longs, we have neither been storing up
cur treasure like the rich young man
of the Bible, nor have we been giving
of it to the poor; we have been fling
ing it, scattering it, wasting it, pour
| ing it into the sea and sowing it to
the winds.
We have wasted coal and oil and
forests and food and money to the
amount of millions upon millions of
dollars, to say nothing of wasted op-
portunities, wasted time and wasted
health-spilled out, all of them, upon
the ground, burned up on the affairs
of pleasure and care1essness.
We are our own Niagara and Mag
ara is our own best likeness. Just
as the majestic cataract has been
pouring her thunderous volume of
water and of power over the falls, and
laughing and clapping her hands at
her own majesty and beauty, SO we
have been pouring out our bounteous
riches for our pleasure and ease, and
applauding ourselves in the act.
But a day came when the mighty
power of Niagara was harnessed to
turn the wheels of commerce. And
the day has come that has put a
check likewise upon our prodigality
It has taken f1reless houses, unsweet
coffee, unaccustomed, breads. the
breaking up of homes, the splitting OF
blood, and a world afire-all these
and much more to teach US the frs
chapter in the much-needed lessor
of Thrift But we have applied our
selves to the task, and when we have
learned it we shall indeed be the
exhaustible reservoir of power and Of
wealth.
American literature has been botl
strengthened and sweetened recently
by our own nearby poet, Mr.. Herman
Hagerdorn in that prose poem ad
dressed to the Children of America
and entitled, you are the Hope O.
the World" In it he points out tt
them their especial obligation to be
come strong, noble men and wome1
since the war is draining the world O.
that type.
The poet might with equal trutl
have said to the 10000 American
buyers of Liberty Bonds, you ar
the hope of the World" And in hi
own splendid way he might have
gone on to say some such thing a
this:
You are not only the hope of tn,
world, but, if you do not realize wha
you are, you will be the despair O
the world You have been dwelling
in a land of plenty, but you hav
spent yourself poor. The power an,
the glory of freedom, wealth and edu
cation have been yours for the tax
ing, but you have been a prodiga
son with your birthright. Heavel
and earth have been showing yol
their treasures and calling you t.
make them your own, but you hav
eyes and have seen not; ears hav
you and you have not heard. Nov
the great and glorious day of you
awakening has come at last. You
country has entered the knightly list