Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-01-17
Franklin and War Stamps
Richard 6. conover in New York Times.

NoehaIu W. NonoVer IN new YORK Times.
From the scrolled center Of the newly de-
signed war savings stamps the face Of Benjamin
Franklin greets you-serenely wise benignly
quaint, quizzically persuasive.
On January II, which is the 2i3th return of
the natal day of the sage of Philadelphia, the
United States treasury will launch a $4,000 :
600 issue of these SIS aids toward the payment OF
war costs. That's why the eyes of Americas
greatest diplomat and philosopher radiate a
mutely eloquent appeal for loyal sacrifice and
support of the government Only a stony
hearted, cynical citizen can openly meet the full
impact of that questioning compelling glance,
and refuse to reach toward the wallet crypt.
It was the inspiration of genius that
prompted the selection of Franklin, that won
derful blend of the intellectual and practical, to
be the pictured adjunct to governmental fund
Kissing. The dead Franklin was industry and
patriotism lncarnate. His middle name was
thrift Whnever he undertook thing he saw
it through-hnished the Job.
The issue of the new SIS war savings stamp
is in conformity with the act approved Septem-
Der "a, 1913. The certificates of the $20O0l000,-
600 issue will mature January /, 1924. The new
stamp is about l% inches long and "a inches
wide, blue in color. 1t is designed to be attached
to war savings certificates holding place for 20
stamps.
Were Benjamin Franklin alive at this mo-
ment of keen government appeal he might we'll
DC imagined setting IOTtn Lne IOltOWluR HOOu
reasons for his countrymen buying the stamps
that bear his likeness;
"The United States has always paid its bills
and never yet smirched its credit What invest
ment can you make with greater surety1 How
can you better help to preserve your country's
financial good namep
Franklin had to pay all the bills Of the revo-
luton pertaining to the governmental expense
abroad At his headquarters in Paris he had to
negotiate at the Command OF congress loans
reaching into the millions. He sustained the
national credit with the French government
from TIT to 1888 He religiously insisted upon
paying back at the time promised every dollar
due, remarking often that the honor of his
country was too precious thing to run the risk
Of tarnish
H saw to it that American ships arriving
in France with eargoes mortgaged by congress
to French creditors were punctiliously turned
over to these creditors, although he might
easily have tided his financial emergencies by
holding the vessels on bubbles and using their
contents to the commissions advantage. And
to John Paul Jones on arranging for substan-
tial sum for naval repairs to that valiant COM
mander's ships, Franklin said "I'll raise the
money. Let me repeat. for Gods sake be spar
ing. Our country must pay its debts. Let as
husband its credits"
And the searching ewes Of Franklin. looking
out on you from his 1919 war savings stamps,
bring wildly to mind how he fulfilled these ma
LlOudl ODuShIlOHSs
Prosperity is coming. II is in the air. And,
although the people of the United States have
helped valiantly and literally with their money,
there are millions more to be earned. The OPP
portunity is already here"
Franklin always foresaw and always had
abiding faith in his country's prosperity. The
Philadelphia sage was an arch-optimist, and was
ever ready to demonstrate that his government
could and would surmount any financial diff
Guilty barring its way. He prophesied prosper
ity when the colonies and later the young ma
ton faced what seemed sure ruin. He could
always be depended upon to silence the croak-
ers who never could see ray of sunlight pene-
trating the shadows of heavy war burdens. In
March, III, Franklin wrote paper which was
widely circulated in Europe, in which he took
pains to prove that the honesty, industry, re-
sources and prospects of the United States were
so excellent that it would really be safer to lend
to them than to England. s~
And the impressive gaze OF Franklin as It
issues from his war savings stamp portrait re-
calls the patriotic optimism that stood his
country in such good stead:
1.-THE war is not yet over even though an
armtistice has been signed THERE'S a noun
tain of war work yet to be climbed Uncle
Sam must make the ascent. The job must be
finished Patriots must and will see it through"
Franklin was never a man to abandon a
struggle before it had been fully ended to the
glory, credit and honor of his country.