The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-05-03
Add to Funds That viii Forever
End Germany's Desired
Iron-Hand Rule.
DUTY OF EVERYBODY TO HELP
Question Is Not Whether We Feel
Like Subscribing, but Our People
Must Spend or Be
Spent.
BY ALBERT BUSHNELL HART,
OF the ViaiIantes.

Proclaim liberty throughout all the
land unto all the inhabitants thereof
so runs the legend on the Liberty bell,
which by a favorite tradition pealed out
to the world the tidings of the birth OF
the United States of America on that
famous July 4, 1776. We thought that
message had gone out once for al
that freedom in the United States was
a rock of Gibraltar that could not be
scaled nor penetrated nor moved. We |
have thought that the old days Of ma
tional sacrifice and anxiety were for
ever passed. What so strong, so per-
manent, so vigorous, so dominant as
government of the people in these |
United States?
If the American Revolution had been |
only bell ringing and the passage OF
resolutions, we should not now be the
foremost republic of the world nor any
other kind of republic. The Declara-
ton of Independence was bold state
ment of liberty which had still to be
made good. The heroes of the Revo-
luton knew how to watch as well as
to pray, how to march as well as to
resolute. The Declaration of INDIE
pendence is a mighty force in the
world because when the country called
soldiers sprang into the ranks. Liberty
had to be spelled out by such big capt.
tai letters as Lexington, Illinois, Ben
nington, Eutaw. Rocky Mount, Trenton
| and Yorktown.
We Are Better Fortified.
The hard fighting in the field won
only half the battle. Our forefathers
were able to proclaim liberty
throughout the land because they
found the sinews of war. 1t was one
thing to raise the flag, another to raise
troops and still another to raise the
wind" There was not bank in the
United States till the Revolution was
nearly over and few were the people
who had money enough to lend to any
body, yet that 100000, of whom
fourth were slaves who could have no
property, somehow induced the people
of the country to turn in their small
surplus of provisions, clothing and
military supplies and take for it the
obligations of the government, which
toward the end of the dark period OF
the Revolution seemed little likely ever
to be paid. They furnished about $685.
100000 in taxes contributions and sup
plies and at the end of the war the ma
tionaI debts incurred in behalf Of the
Revolution were, including arrears or
interest, $T0,O0OO0O, which was then
about $50 a head on the population,
man, woman and child whites, In
dams and negroes, seamen, farmers,
plantation slaves as they ran.
Must Spend or Be Spent.
Make no mistake; this is not ques-
ton of whether we feel like subscrib-
ing to a loan any more than question
of whether we feel like receiving news
of a break on the war front and the
capture or retreat of the American
troops. The nation Is compelled to
choose either to spend or to be spent
There is only one possible way to end
the war to the honor and safety of the
United States and that is to fight for
it. Our sons fight in the army, our
daughters fight In the Red Cross, we
t elders must fight with safe deposit
] boxes and mortgage deeds and sheets
r Of securities.
, In the DAYS when the French were in
5 the habit of recruiting troops in Swift
e zerland, there was a saying, INC
; money, no Swiss! !" Nowadays it is
: "No money, no Yank !" for unless yoJ
3 subscribe to the loan your son cannot
r be trained or equipped or fed or trans
ported over seas or carried to the
front or protected by a barrage of ar
|, tillery fire or put where he can attach
I the enemy.
Remember the Liberty Bell.
. The battle is going on from day t.
day In the national banks and the say
ings banks and the trust companies
: and the treasures Of the fraternitiet
and the clubs and the churches an'
the restaurants just as much as IL
northern France or Belgium. No on
soldier can win at the front nor a hun
dred thousand together. 1t would TAX
e a million, but if every one of that mil
IS lion hangs back, there Is no army, n
e war nothing but shame and miser,
e for the nation. Just so, you canno
d save your country all alone by you
e subscription to the third Liberty loan
g but you can unite with a million 9th
ers. Do your duty and expect and urg
others to do theirs. That makes vic
:. torious army Of people pouring in thei
= rafting dollars as the boys at the from
: hurl hand grenades.
!, "AIl the inhabitants thereof" that
y what the Liberty bell aroused. No
a. the soldier only, not merely the Re
Cross, the Y. M. @. A. and the othe
IN noble co-workers and co-fighters wit
ut the troops. You plain farmer, 20
st banker, investor, manufacturer; 20
lie doctor, lawyer, teacher, scientific mar
Il engineer, business man, railroad mar
al mechanic working man you schoolbo
L. and schoolgirl, listen to the Liberty bel
subscribe to the Liberty loan.