The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-10-24
THE DRIVE FOR WAR SAVINGS
STAMPS
BY John T. Smith


Last summer the people Of the
United States were asked TO buy.
War Savings Stamps and Thrift
Stamps 20 the amount of Two Bill
lion dollars. The whole country
was divided into small districts, and
the people Of each district were ex-
pected TO buy a certain amount al
lottcd TO the district. Some dis
tricts went over the top, some took
their full quota, but some have fallen
fer short. A letter from the state
director Of the campaign in Kentuc-
ky calls attention TO the fact that
Madison County has failed by fifty
per cent Of reaching the full quota
allotted 10 il. Other counties in
eastern Kentucky are far behind.
10 is sincerely hoped that the peo-
pie of each district will rise up with
a will TO do their duty in this i'm
portant matter.
The Federal Government had good
reasons for securing the sale of Two
Billion dollars worth at once. Here
are some Of them:
4. II wanted the Two Billion dol
lars 20 use in prosecuting the war.
2. IL wanted TO teach a great les
son in practical saving, and IL want
ed 10 teach this lesson 10 the very
people who need most TO learn IL.
3. IL wanted 20 have q plan that
would make IL possible for the poor
est man or child TO lend money TO
the Goernment. and, at the same
time, start a savings account.
4. IL wanted TO reach every man,
woman, boy end girl in the whole
country and tell them egain why we
are in the war, and get them 10 feel
an individual responsibility for win
ming IL.
Allotments Not Too Much
Now some OF the districts that
were expected TO buy a certain fixed
amount contain a great many poor
people, and TO some the allotment
may seem too much. | do not be-
lieve this is the case. If the allot-
ments were ten times greater, it
would be ten times better for the
people. Every dollar put into War
Savings Stamps or Thrift Stamps is
a dollar saved. Every idle dollar
that is not put in will probably be
spent for something that will not
bring very great returns. The dol
lars that go in will come back to
the owner with interest. And while
they are drawing interest, they will
be fighting for the freedom Of OPP
pressed peoples, for international
justice and good will, for the sons
and daughters, and the very flreside
Of the man who invests them.
Why the Government Needs Money
have said that the Government
wants the Two Billion dollars to use
in carrying on the war. Here are
a few reasons:
We are in this war TO win. We
have got TO have weapons and other
supplies TO win. These cost money.
We need hundreds of big A6-inch
guns. One of these costs si75.000.
BY the time il goes into action on
railway truck mount in France,
il will cost over half a millionl And
after it shoots 200 times, il must be
taken TO a factory and refined.
We need thousands Of heavy guns
and hOwitzers, which cost about
100000 each. We need thousands of
6-inch guns which cost $4,000
apiece. We need tens of thousands
of 75's' and smaller cannon which
cost from $1,000 TO $1,000, mounted.
We need hundreds of thousands of
machine guns that cost 5000 each,
a like number of automatic rifles
at 800 per gun. and millions of
rifles at s35 apiece.
These weapons are useless with
out ammunition. This must be made
and sent to the front in huge guam
titles. II costs money to do this
When a rifle is fired, il burns up a
nickle, but when a i6-inch howitzer
shoots it costs a-thousand dollars
A great attack costs million dol
lars an hour.
Besides this, our boys must be
provided with comfortable clothing
and other necessary equipment. All
this. not including his rifle, costs
more than a hundred dollars for
each mani
The Government plans to spend
this year for guns, ammunition, and
other necessary field equipment
seven billion dollars. That's why il
needs the Two Billions expected 10
come from the sale of War Savings
Stamps and Thrift Stamps.
Why the Poor Need to Learn
Economy
| have said that the Government
wanted TO teach a practical lesson