Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1918-04-13
TO COMB THE COMMUNITY FOR LIBERTY
LOAN SUBSCRIBERS.

It is evident from the two announcements
made yesterday, one from the State Council OF
Defense and the other from the local Liberty
Loan committee, that no stone is to be left
unturned in this community in the canvass for
subscribers to the third Liberty Loan The
decision to do it thus thoroughly was made de-
sirable for two reasons, either one of which
would have been sufficient in itself to justify
the conbing of the communicated the same
thing is being done in other Communicates
broad subscription list.
What is needed in floating the Liberty Loan
is to get the bonds into the hands of the peO-
pie, and not in the vaults of the banks or other
financial Institutions So far as procuring the
money is concerned, we presume that the Gov
eminent has little fear of not getting what it
asks if worst comes to worst But money taken
from banks and from the pockets of large in
VeStors, while it is quite as serViceable as that
from the stores of the smaller investors, does
not carry with it the popular sanction which
makes popularity raised loans so effective. A
dollar which comes out Of the ''muSty corners"
of some country person, as one of the state
ments yesterday expressed it. both has the value
Of 100 cents and the approval of the cause
which has lured it from its habitual hiding
place. If, as the State Council of Defense hopes,
100000 homes in West Virginia would each
purchase Liberty Bonds, the subscription would
be just that many times as significant as if one
individual or corporation had given the same
total Of money 1t is this idea which the COM
mittees have in mind when they declare they
are going to reach every Individual in the COM
munity and put up to him the question of buy
ing a bond,-the idea of securing, along with
the dollars, the approval of the people general
ly. Germany fears American public sentiment
far more than she does American dollars SEN
timent rules the work of dollars, even as it gov
ems the passions of the possessors of the dol
lars
Another reason why the campaign seeks to
interest the people rather than institutions is
that the people may more exactly approximate
TO their true responsibility in the conflict which,
while it RACES in actually 5000 miles away, has
a supporting trench running back to our very
doors. Those who have blood of their blood
at stake will feel the reality of the struggle
those who are not so touched will need some 9TH
er interest to key them up. Money is poor
substitute for blood in such an affair." but money
is money.
In absolute keeping with her traditional pol
icy to democratize her institutions and methods
admirable consistency attempted to popularize
everything which has been done here at home
The resort to the draft was nothing but a step
TO the democratic level where every man was
liable to its operation; the Red Cross is phian-
throplc work, popularity financed and popularity
maintained; the War Savings and Thrift cam
palgns are bare appeals to the people to take
a Share,-their share,-in the work Of financing
the war.-a campaign made so simple and easy
that every child has the opportunity to become
partner in this national business; and the Lib
erty Loans have all been conducted on the same
basis. The banks, in some cases, have taken .
considerable amount of the bonds but they have
all done SO with the intention and hope that they
would be able quietly to continue the Govern
ment's plan of selling the bonds in turn to theil
customers between drives on single issues.
II is quite in keeping with the ideal of thc
land to seek to put these bonds ultimately II
the hands of the small investors. The bank.
have simplifed the methods of purchase ever
further than the Government has been able t.
do by arranging for the payment on a MONTH,
basis.
Aside from the Governments efforts, indi
viduals and private concerns throughout tn
country are spending their money and time il
che interest Of getting the people to put thei
money into these securities. That is what tn
advertising means which is being done IN n,