The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1918-09-19

keep from making other folks sell US
things and work for us instead of for
the government, and SO that GU the
things and the work that would be put
into products and efforts for our per-
sonal use and enjoyment shall be COM
PEELED TO turn to the kinds of prod
ucts and work that the government
must have to win the war. Every dol
lar, every cent, that we spend for
something that we could go without
completes in the market with the gov
eminent, and by just SO much impedes
the big cause.
Even if we saved the money and
buried it in the back yard we should
be helping the government. But there
is better thing to do~with 1T. The
government must have money, in Inn
mense amounts, in order to buy ma
terials and work. And we are asked
to lend it to the government for that
purpose, in addition to what we pay
as taxes.
Bonds Are More Than Receipts.
The Liberty bonds are the receipts
which the government gives us for this
loan. But they are more than re-
ceipts; we get receipts for the taxes.
A Liberty bond Is not only the gov
ernment's acknowledgement that you
have loaned the money; it is its prom
Use to pay 1t back upon certain day,
and to pay you in the meanwhile, at
certain intervals, for the use of the
money. All of the resources Of the
country In materials and the labor
of the people-our own good faith to-
ward each other, our permanence as a
civilized nation--are pledged to the
payment of principal and interest In
strict accordance with the terms OF
the transaction as printed on each
bond. There is not safer or more
valuable piece of paper in the world
When this war is over there will be
only two kinds of folks in the United
States--those who did all they could
and gave all they could, and those who
didn't. Among those who didn't will
be the ones who tried to keep on using
and enjoying things and the work OF
other people, as they used to do; those
who failed to do their utmost in the
way Of really useful work, and those
who demanded for themselves unnec-
essary things and labor which might
have been used for the purposes OF
the government in winning the war.
All You Can, Is the Measure.
Every man knows in his heart what
he can do and whether he is doing 1t.
He may be able to deceive the govern
ment; by lsud-mouthed professions of
patriotism, saluting the flag, cheering
at meetings, and other noisy and con-
spicuous displays he may deceive his
neighbors; but he cannot fool himself.
He knows whether he has done all ne
couldi And "all he could"-honestly,
on the level, every man the judge OF
his own effort in the squarest kind OF
dealing with his own soul in kind OF
Judgment day-that is the measure.
He is poor creature who thinks OF
the Liberty bond solely as an invest
ment-a grudging gift to his country.
with a string on it. But no one need
be ashamed to lend to the govern
ment. Uncle Sam will take what he
needs without money return. in the
form of taxes, and we shall pay in will
ingly, cheerfully. We are doing a work
for the future-the world will be
cleaner and better to live In for all
time by reason Of what we are doing
now; therefore 1t is right that a part
of this burden should be met by those
who will come after us and reap the
longtime benefits.
In the finest spirit our young men
are. going to the battle front to offer
their utmost, their very flesh and
blood, In unutterable toll and agony,
in doing what must be done there. They
hope to come back, but they are will
ing to die there IL that must be. And
thousands of our best are doing just
that. In like answering spirit we who
stay at home must do our part-going
without things and making those we
have serve to the utmost-and through
this self-denial furnishing to the gov
ernment-your government-which is
taking care of our boys, the means to
get the enormous amounts Of materials
and labor needed to take care of them
and to equip them for what they have
to do.
This is the meaning of the Liberty
bond.