Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-03-19

matter Of the use of gas in battle. A
score OF years ago high commissioners
OF supposedly hunaneIy inclined ma
lions met at The Hague, which for
some reason or other II was thought
would be the permanent seat OF hui
manitarianism. altruism and of peace
among the peoples OF the earth.
The use of gas in war was discussed
In that Hague meeting. Great Britain,
France, Germany and some other ma
lions agreed not to use it in the pos
sible wars of the future. France and
Great Britain abided by their pledged
faith until Germany broke its word
with the same lack of conscience and
conjunction that 1t tore up the scrap
Of paper which was supposed TO safe
guard Belgium from invasion and spoil
iation.
Must Be Prepared TO BE Safe.
To get down to the nub of things.
military men here seemingly believe
that no nation can afford TO remain I'M
prepared to meet gas with gas In case
an enemy proves faithless TO its word.
The nation which has gas, they say,
and which uses 1t against a nation
which has no gas will win it's war.
The question that is being asked to-
day - this: "If a nation finds itself
on tie verge of defeat in war and
knows that 1t can be saved by gas, will
A. refrain from It's use because once
upon time 1t signed a pledge?"
France and England will continue
their gas service for purely defensive
purposes; in other words, they intend
to be prepared in case some enemy of
either on the day Of some future Ypres
shall violate it's word and use gas Of
fensively for the overcoming of Its
foe.
The United States, through its chem
zeal warfare service, developed and
perfected in the United States by Maj.
Gen. William L. Sibert, and in the
American expeditionary forces by Brig.
Gen. Amos A. Fries, has a gas equip
ment and a gas knowledge second to
those of no nation on earth. The
choice of the future lies between the
placing of dependence upon the word
of nations. already in one instance VI
olated. or continuing for purely de-
fensive purposes a service which has
shown itself TO be so essential in the
case of withdrawing on the part Of
another.
1t is said by army men that It IL
as foolish to assume that the next war
will be fought without rifles, machine
guns and artillery as to think 1t will
be fought without gas. 1t is urged that
the absolute guaranty against a gas
attack by any belligerent power will
be through defensive preparation
against such an attack.
There has been a feeling in the
United States, army men say, that gas
is more barbarous and inhuman than
other weapons of warfare. Gas service
men say that this is not the case.
Cost of Floating Liberty Loans.
Before long the people of the coun-
try Will be given an opportunity-per-
haps privilege is a better word--to
subscribe to a fifth Liberty loan. AS
yet nothing definite as to the rate of
interest which the loan will bear is
known. Neither have some other ques-
lions relating to the convertibility of
the bonds of other loans to bonds of
a new Understanding rate, and some
other vital matters, been decided.
There seems to be a misunderstood
ing throughout the country concerning
Of % h. ,,
Liberty loan. A statement was print
ed not long ago that 1t cost Is per
cent to place that loan. If 1t had cost
this amount the loan hardly would
have been worth the floating.
The truth in the case is that the
treasury department is allowed by law
only a maximum one-fifth Of one per
cent for selling the loans. That Is, all
expenses must be kept under one-fifth
of one per cent. Take the fourth Lib
erty loan of nearly $7.000,0oO000. for
1t lacked only eleven millions of being
that sum. The cost of floating 1t was
only SS,727, 65S.12.
One fifth of one per cent of $1,000
100000 would be S14.00O,000; therefore
1t is to be observed that the cost of
floating the fourth Liberty loan was
only little more than half the maxi
mum allowed by law.
All Expenses Included
1t should be remembered that this
total expense includes even the cost of
manufacturing the bonds. which in It
self includes the safeguarded paper
and all the engraving required in the
various processes. 1t includes also
all the costs of maintaining the LIB
erty loan organization in the u federal
reserve districts, and the necessary ex-
pense of subordinate committees.
More than million volunteer work
ers engaged in selling bonds during
the fourth Liberty loan campaign. The
total cost to the government per cap
tia of these workers for three weeks
time was less than So
Here is table which shows the cost
of floating the fourth Liberty loan
bonds and the War Savings certif1-
Gates:
SUMMARY FIRST LIBERTY LOAN.
Total other than through Fad
eral Reserve banks .....-....s.S sos. 0l9.2I
Total through Federal Reserve
banks ............................ 1,Zas,5io.SS
Aggregate ......................,S 2.762, So. %
Second Liberty loan ......-.--...s SSs ee5 81
Third Liberty loan ..........-.... S.2s3.5le.s1 |
Fourth Liberty loan. 4. I2l, e5S.12