Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 239, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1917 — AMERICAN MEN AMERICAN $$ [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN MEN AMERICAN $$

BOTH MUST BE FORTHCOMING IF THE WAR IS TO BE For nearly four weeks the United States ■ government has had. before the people of this nation the second issue of Liberty loan bonds, asking a minimum subscription of $3,000,000,000 with which to meet expenses of-the war against Germany, practically every cent of this money is to be expended in this country. The people of the country, despite the appeals of the government, have been somewhat slow in their response. Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo has been extremely frank with the nation in explaining just what the money is wanted for—the equipment and munitioning of the American troops who are .being sent to Europe to fight the enemy in the trenches. There should be no question in the minds of the public about raising this fund. The government must have it, and the government will have it. Voluntary subscription is always far pleasanter than conscription of money, yet there will be no hesitancy on the part of the government if more drastic measures are found necessary. Secretary of the Navy Daniels, in a speech before the Iroquois Club in Chicago last Monday made plain the position of the government—that America’s dollars, like America’s men, should come willingly to the service of their country, but America’s dollars, like America’s men, will do their part, whether willingly or not. •

“Just as truly as a republic, can lay its hand on a young man and send him to France in the trenches,” he said, “so it can, and will, if necessary, lay its hand on every dollar in America. Under the law we have the right to do so, but the first Liberty! loan was responded to go cheerfully and so fully that there was no necessity—and there ..will be no necessity now.” These are strong words, but coming from a responsible head of the government, speaking officially for the government, they should sink deep into the minds and hearts of every American. Are we, as a nation, so unpatriotic that we will not support our own flesh and blood in this war? Will we permit the German nation not only to outdo us in patriotism but to know that we are not sufficiently interested in our own boys to protect them in every possible way? Heaven forbid that we have sunk to such depths! Let every true American arouse himself, go forth with renewed energy and courage and lelp to bring this campaign for the second Liberty loan to a wonderful, thrilling finish, an oversubscription so tremendous that Germany will know at once that we are a united people, fighting the fight of civilization and humanity, ever living up to the ideals upon which this government was founded.