New Britain herald., 1919-09-18
NEW BRITAIN ALWAYS WENT OVER THE TOP IN ITS DRIVES TO PROVIDE SlNEWS OF WAR

and required perhaps more time than any of the other offices.
 Others who assisted as heads of sub-cOmmittees and who rendered valuable aid in putting the campaigns over were Chairman Leon A. Sprague of the publicity committee who was responsible for the devising of various means of keeping the public informed on the success of the campaigns and
 attending to newspaper advertising and write-ups, trolley ad automobile posters; Frederick Chamberlain, head of the speakers committee and w. l.. Hatch the chairman of the team captains.
 Everybody Worked Hard.
 The heads of the various factories throughout the city assisted the com
 mittee greatly by appointing a solici-
 tor to go through their plants and
 take subscriptions for the loans,
 thereby assuring the committee that every workingman in the city would
 be approach ched and given an oppor- tunity to subscribe. This method of canvass was productive of good re- suits and about 90 per cent. of the factory laborers availed themselves of the opportunity presented them
 to subscribe.
 Following an extensive advertising campaign covering a period of about two months and carried out through the agency of the public press and through the four minute speakers, the first Liberty loan was launched
 on June 15, 1917 and the committee
 in charge of the drive here were
 notified that New Britain's quota was
 set at $1,530,000. While everyone was optimistic about the outcome of
 the drive, none expected that on the
 day following it's opening New Bri- tain would not only have subscribed its quota, but would have gone so per cent over the top. At noon the l following day Chairman A. J. Sloper ] announced that New Britain had
 pledged s2,417,050.
 The figures in the hands of the
 committee showed the number of subscribers to be 10000 and of these 1 1000 were factory 1aborers whose
 subscription totaHed $570,050. A l large amount of the remaining bonds
 had been taken by the banks and
 many bought through the clubs con- s.
 Chairman Sloper stated at that time
 that the showing made by New Bri-
 tain was second to none in the state. Because of a change in the govern
 ment policy of making allotments to
 the cities the second loan was
 started on October 1, 1917 and was
 well under way before the quota was
 announced Instead of setting the | Isyoo Eo ife h lxtr nnYt
 as was done in the first loan the
 population was figured in the second ; drive for funds and New Britain's
 share was $1,962, 900 for a minimum ; and $3,135,1 150 for a maximum. In short order the maximum had been 1 surpassed and a total of $3,312, 50
 was reported by the chairman of the
 committee to the New England com mttee.
 The success of the loan was far be- yond the fondest expectations of the 1 drive teams and it was clearly evident 1 that New Britain was prepared to stand back of the boys and finance the
 war to it's end
 Third Loan Planned l Several months elapsed between 1 the floating of the second loan and | the campaign for the third and the
 response to the governments appeal in the new loan, foated April 6, 1918 | indicated that the interim had been | spent diligently accommodating new l funds to be pledged the government. | The quota was announced on the first of April as $1,5S9,00 and on the fifth of the month the campaign was on in | earnest The blowing of factory whistles at 1915 on the opening day and on several days during the cam 1 paign kept the public reminded of their duty to the country and in bringing the city over the top on the drive.
 Several days before the time set for the close of the drive, Secretary John c. Loomis ordered that the red rib bon in the huge therm mometer hang 1 ing from the National Bank building be raised to the quota mark, indicating
 that the city had subscribed it's bit.