The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1912-1921, 1918-07-01
IF THE SHOE FITS.-

tereSted in the winning of the great war wa
pleased when they learned of the detailed work
ings of the so-called Nebraska plan, UNIVERSAL,
employed throughout the country in the yer.
recent War Savings Stamps campaign. The!
were pleased because they were led to believ
the plan was SO workable, so practical, so all-in
elusive in its scope, that it would prove to be
huge drag-net hltQ which would be drawn ever,
man and woman the country, and make o.
them all subscTibs IS and consequently partici
pants and partners in the great war now being
fought. In the actual working out of the plal
the loyal citizens of the country cannot but fee
a keen disappointment
In the previous drives which have been helc
to raise Liberty Loans and Red Cross fund,
there have been weaknesses which provided
loopholes for the slippery, Stacker citizens Of
the country. There was no minute system
which made it possible for the campaign mana
gers to really know who were and who were no
subscribing to the funds. The Red Cross drive
recently ended, was a disappointment in The
sense that the supply of pins and other marks
OF Identification, furnished with the idea of tag
ging each individual who contributed was soor
exhausted and there was no longer any tangible
proof as to whether or not a person had con
tributed. The inevitable result was that a great
many persons said they had given who hae
never intended to give so long as there was any
escape from it.
This was easily seen and understood by gov
eminent officials, and in the Nebraska plan OF
securing pledges for war savings stamps Loyal
citizens congratulated themselves that here at
last was sure trap for the capture of all who
had managed to evade the previous calls made
for war funds. The President of the United
States issued q proclamation declaring June 2S
rs War Savings Day, and the governors of the
various states issued supplementary procama-
tons, adj designed to reach the citizens of the
nation and make it as nearly mandatory as pos
sible without the use of actual force, for every
day and put himself ON record as to just where
he stod in the matter of supporting our govern
nent lover here and our boys lover there" in
the proSecss+ion of the Great War. To further
solidify4 the plan, a roll was called and ones
neighbbrs could See for themselves just where
q pers4n stood on the question.
It ntust be admitted that the plan was not a
succes4 in Martinsburg or Berkeley County.
The response to the call was not fifty per cent
what it should have been and consequently the
amount of pledges was even less than fifty per
cent of what it should have been. Those
who attended the meetings were naturally pro-
voked to find their neghbors still shifting the
responsibility and it dampened their own zeal
to the extent that they did not feel like giving
when their neighbor sezes an opportunity of
eyading his plain duty. No intelligent man or
woman could honestly plead ignorance of the
movement, for not only had all the newspapers
Of the country blazed it forth for weeks but
every citizen had received a summons to be
present at selected meeting place on the night
in question.
Just what will be the result of this evasion
Of duty is hard to surmise. Assuredly, if the
people of these United States, lulled into mac
ton by snug sense of security and safety an
"i-should-worryothree Observation-Disclosures from
the-fghting" sort of attitude, fail to do their
part then the national authorities must take
more drastic action to secure the money If it
cannot raise the money through the medium OF
loans then it will certainly resort to taxation
Money must be raised if we are to prosecute
the. war and we are absolutely and individually
eonsecrated toit prosecution to the bitter end
Men and women who fail in their high duty anc
sacred privilege here at home cannot but be-
considered as undesirable citizens. The longer
the war continues, and it is prolonged every
time we fail to seize an opportunity to furnish