Imperial Valley press., 1919-04-02
PLEA MADE FOR
SUPPORT FIFTH
LIBERTY LOAN

, H. S. Mckee, Southern California
chairman for the Fifth Liberty Loan
drive, today issued the following.
statement on the Victory bonds:
"Now the question is asked every
day, Will the public buy them p
! There is a great deal of slovenly reas-
/ oning on this subject and there is one
particularly unscund view which is
based wholly On error and loose rea-
soning. 1t is this: Men are occasion
ally heard to say that, while thev
bought bonds willingly when the coun
try was fighting for its life, they do
not feel obligated to exend their cred
1T to the nation now in time of peace
They say:
If the government wants to bor-
row money, let it apply to those who
have money to loan"
In reply to this it should be for
chilly pointed out that if the govern
ment were borrowing this money for
the purpose of undertaking some new
project which the public had not pre-
viously authorized. that view would be
perfectly sound and correct; but un-
der the circumstances that do exist
it is entirely unsound.
What are the circumstances We
were at war for our very national
life and personal libery. We were
determined upon victory at any cost
in ether wealh or human life. We
ordered victory and we placed no
limit on the price. Our government
got 1t for us. 1t got it nearly year
sooner than we expected, at far
lower price than we were prepared
to pay in both lives and money. 1t
is exactly the kind of victory we
wanted. We are we'll pleased with
1t. But in hurrying back to the pri-
Vate pursuits of peace, we are losing
sight of the fact that it has not been
paid for yet.
This is no new obligation that we
may enter upon or not as we please.
1t is a just bill that we have eagerly
incurred and must honorablv nay, and
there is no great money-lending class
to whom we may direct the govern
ment and thus evade our individual
responsibility. There is no such sum
as six thousand million dollars of
surplus wealth in the hands of any
body merely awaiting attractive terms
for investment. These bonds must
be bought Tor like amount in taxes
levled) and they can be bought in
only enc way-by all the people of
America, each in appropriate proper
tion to his ability, just as heretofore.
They must be paid for either. out of
savings that have already been made,
or by borrowings which shall be paid,
in turn. out of the savings of the fu-
ture. There is no other method. f
the war were still going on and the
expense still piling up, as we ex-
pected it to be. we would have bought
not only this, but sixth and sew
enth loan, and perhaps others as well.
But now this one is the last. It's sue
cess rests upon the honor and integ-
rlty of the American people. They
chose their government: its acts are
their acts and they will fulfill its obi-
cations Not only some of them will
do it, but practically all of them will
do it. Personal honor and integrity
will impel most of them. Public opin-
ion will compel the remaining few.
When the government calls upon the
people of this country to buy its
bonds where it may discharge a lust
Indebtedness which the people of this
country ordered it to incur, the viii
ling. the patriotic and the loyal who
do their full proportion, are not going
to submit to an additional burden be-
ing placed upon them by allowing
few delinquentS to evade their lust
responsibility upon the specious plea
that there is no need of paying the
hlll, now that the danger is over