Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1918-03-30
BERKELEY COUNTY Oh AFRlL 9Th.

Potentially, one of the greatest days tnat WlI
,ccur fer long time in the history Of this coun-
tv will come next Saturday. The greatness VIII
ie in the fact that the stage viii be set for the
express purpose Of inapressing upon the people
OF the community two great facts: one will be
something wnlch should nave been realized
year ago to the day,-the fact that the United
States IS a partner in an alIance OF civilized ma
tons against q world menace; the other great
act viii be to make the people appreciate the
statement that this privilege Of being a soldier
# civilization carries with it an obligation, and
that one obligation, so far as this particular sit
uation is concerned, viii be to get the people to
invest in TIE third Liberty Loan.
The public part of the celebration viii be suf-
iciently attractive to draw the crowds and get
their attention 1t viii be an elaborate affair, but
not out of proportion to the deserts Of the OBJ
iective. There VIII be outside speakeTs,-ora-
tors Of note, whom most OF us have never seen.
nor heard and our curiosity win draw Us out.
Our friends win be there: the industries Of the
section viii suspend operations for the afternoon
by request Of the Liberty Loan sponsors; there
viii be nothing else to dc, and We viii follow the
crowd. There viii be excitement: and our cray
ing for the unusual and the spectacular will
draw Us to the celebration. There will be hol
day spirit. end in keeping with that shall fall
into line There probably viii be nothing lack
ing in the way Of the material setting: this day
IS 10 be observed, at the request Of. the Govern
ment, as national holiday; and must fall
into line because every one else will be doing It,
And SO far as the outward demonstration is
concerned, it is practically a success before it is
started The effort to make il success will be
a tremendous one; broad ard inclusive plans
were made last night and re stone is to be left
unturned in the way Of preparations. Successful
it will also be, probably, as q reminder that it
commentaries the entry of our own Country
into the lists for decency and democracy in the
world-narks our willingness to fight for 9TH
ers Few viii be able to witness all that happens
without understanding that back of it all lies
some great idea,-that people would not turn
oft in such numbers for an uninportant event.
And yet even all this viii not fulfill the objec-
tive Of the celebration 1t is not the crowd alone
that is sought for that day; it is not the en-
thusiasm solely; it is not the demonstration by
itself. We hesitate to say that it is money which
is wanted and as matter Of pure fact it is not
money in the cold dollar-and- cents sense that is
wan-e ed The demonstration is aimed to pave the
way for the sale of third Liberty Loan bonds in
tius county it is hoped that the enthusiasm
stimulated by the celebration will react in terms
Of willingness on the part OF the people to place
at the disposal of the Government their dollars
II there We're only the financial remuneration as
an inducement,-an that remuneration it can
not be denied, is not to be regarded as nconsid-
erabe,-the plans might well fall flat We may
not understand it now,--some generation will
understand it in the days which viii come,-but
these investments viii yield a return which is
not measurable in dollars and cents, but which
is inexpressbly more valuable than any amount
Of dollars and cents The return which the fu-
ture will consider viii be the return. in terms o.
democracy and civilization,-the return which
comes from the fight which our dollars make
possible against the forces of evil as personifeC
in the German Kaiser. One cannot tell, but it i.
possible that posterty may look with some dis
favor upon the fact that we even accepted Fl
nancal remuneration for such service.
The people will not be allowed to forget il
inc days to follow the celebration the underlyin.
inspiration Of this celebration which, on the sur
face, will have the appearance Of holiday af
fair They should not be allowed to forget #
the task SCI for the third Liberty Loan is