Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-04-24
COST N0fC0UNTEC
WHEN t CAME To
SAVING OUR BOYS
THINK OF SITUATION YEAR AGO,
AND HOW READY WE WE'RE
TO STAKE ALL.
BIG DEBT WAS INCURRED
War Closed Earlier Than Anyone
Expected, and We Must Finish
Paying For It.

When your boy was on the fighting
front over there last fall, or was in
one Of the training camps over here
being hardened for the most terrible
task that ever confronted man; when
countless mothers with sad eyes were
scanning the death lists with hearts
atremble. fearing lest the name of a
loved one might be there; when the
fate of the nation and OF the world
hung in the balance, then the thought
uppermost In every mind was the win.
ming Of the val and the avoidance of
continued loss of life.
Then during the fall months Of 1918
the purse strings OF Americas citizens
were cut with willing hands. For the
Fourth Liberty Loan-the Fighting
Liberty Loan-the almost inconceiv.
able sum Of six billions Of dollars was
asked by the United States Govern.
ment to prosecute the war. What the
answer was is MISCONCEPTIONS his
tory,
Americans not only met the call, but
threw in another billion for good
measure.
1t required the most sanguine opti.
mist then to predict a victory over
Germany before the summer that is
now approaching. Thousands OF
Americas best and bravest young
men, the flower of the country, were
daily Offering up and giving their lives
for the veal of humanity. They were
suffering CHASTITY wounds, inflicted by
weapons such as only the brutality of
~Germany's most vicious minds could
fashion; they were being blinded and
tortured with poisonous gases that
Germany introduced against all usages
into modern warfare, and they were
lying in the mud Of Shiny trenches, de-
prived Of every comfort, with each
recurrent day sapping their vitality
that America might be saved.
Total Wealth Pledged.
Then could anyone in absolute au
thority have promised a victory before
Europe was locked In winters grasp
the total wealth Of this rich land
would unhesitatingly have been placed
at the nations disposal, that the lives
Of countless thousands Of the flower
of American manhood need not be sac
riticed.
Those who were planning and di
recting the war, or that part of Il
being enacted by America, were domi
mated by the idea Of ending the war
quickly AMI saving every American
life possible. The cost was not
counted. The money that flowed from
the peoples purse was spent unstint'
eddy. Millions were spent to equip
the grandest army the sun eve shone
on. Other millions were spent for
ships to convey them across the Allan
tic. Factories were kept at worE
night and day turning out munitions
and supplies.
America surpassed even herself
She arose wen above the glorious
traditions Of the worlds greatest coun
try, that has never tasted defeat. She
accomplished the impossible. At the
very moment when the German wal
machine seemed inyincible, when that
which was intended as the final drive
that was to wipe France of the map
then Pershing's lads were thrown
against that terrible army in gray
The onslaught was all that Germany
had planned. But the stolid German
mind had not adequately valued the
fighting ability of the boys in khaki
The gray clad hosts attacked with all
the confidence Of their training. But
the Americans did not yield. Their
depleted ranks were filled as II by
magic and that which German mill
tarists contemptuously termed an un
trained mob. displayed soldierly quail
ties and persistent fighting qualities
that has ELECTED the warmest admira
ton Of the whole world.
Finish the JobI
Every day the war was shortened
thousands Of American lives were
saved. For every day 1t was short
ened your boy or your neighbours boy
will be returned to the family fireside
just that much sooner, and this fact
that he will return sound in body and
mind is due to the splendid prepare
tons his government made for his vel
fare and the prosecution Of the a
Now more money is needed to pay
the bills-the debt that was incurred
that the life OF your boy and YOU
neighbor's boy might not be offered W
on the sacriticial altar Of war, mus
be paid. Money is needed to brini
him back to the land that gave brit
to the Stars and Stripes. Money 4
needed to complete the reconstruction
and to "Finish the job"
Just how much will be asked. Jus
how much interest will be paid, Jus
what form the securities offered viii
take. and just when they will matur,
have not been announced. They ar,
mere details. The nations honor hal
heen nladyed and the American Deo