The Commoner
JUNE, 1917
Secretary McAdoo's
Appeal
Speaking at a Liberty Loan rally at Carneglo
Hall, New York city, the evening of Juno 4,
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo made an ap
peal for the Liberty loan. Hia speech, as re
ported in the New York World, follows:
"Whatever differences there may have been
about this war before it happened, this is no
tlmo to discuss them or think of them. I know
how to sympathize with the men. of German
origin in this situation. I was born in the
south in October, 1863. But there is but one
tiling to do, and that is to mobilize, to organ
ize the might of the nation. Our country is en
gaged in a righteous war and we must exert
our power so effectively that we may soon bring
this horrible carnage in Europe to an end.
"This is one of the supremo crises in the
world's history. I believe that God has called
this nation into this struggle because Ho had
a mighty purpose to serve. We shall never
have a stable peace unless the autocratic nations
shall become democratic. There is left only
one dangerous autocracy in the world Ger
many. "The kaise'r had an idea that we would not
light; he believed that we were impotent; that
we would resent no attack upon our sovereignty.
America has decided that she will not surrend
er. Do you know what would happen if Ger
many were victorious? She would take the en
tire British and Freich fleets she would come
here and put the iron heel of the conqueror on
our shores. We should have to fall back to
the interior, and there is no telling how long
it would take to expel the enemy, if we ever
did.
NO WISH TO EXAGGERATE
"If we couldn't do it promptly we would
have to make the most humiliating peace" any
great nation ever made. We should have to
pay an indemnity that would represent half our
wealth.
"I am not trying to alarm you. It is not my
purpose to misrepresent or to exaggerate. I
only want to make you realize that you are in
tho midst of the greatest war of all time.
"We have offered this great Liberty Loan. It
means that your government offers you a priv
ilege; it asks you men and women not to give
something to your government, but to buy the
best investment on earth, the safest. It asks
you to buy to equip our bravo men who havo
to go upon the field of battle to protect your
lives, your liberty, your property, to give them
the best equipment that American ingenuity
and skill can produce.
"Are you willing to do it? Of course you
are; I know you are! Are we going to be more
tender with our dollars tkan with the lives of
our sons? When the millions of our young
men who have responded to the call tomorrow
our duty is to equip .them with everything that
is necessary to -make them the most effective
soldiers on earth.
"I hear some grumbl'ng about taxation. Is
it possible that in this rich country, when our
sons are going to the front to give their lives
for us, there should be any quibbling about the
necessary taxation to take care of them upon
Up field of battle?
"Wars involve sacrifices of property as welt
as of life. While we must not be unfair to
property, while we must be scrupulously just
the impostion of taxation and in the treat
ment of all the economic questions which gain
added importance during war time, property
must bear its just share of the hjurden. We
raust find the most equ'table possible basis of
distributing the new taxation in order that
Pvry one shall bear his just share, but natur-
y those who have the most property should
Pa;; the most taxes. i
'T do not believe in class legislation. The
rpi'ni that property ought to bear a larger
JIJspp 's that the stake of property is greater.
pf nonr man has only his life and liberty to
J-ii for' ut the rich man has his property as
jen as his life and liberty to fight for. We
ave got to stand for the reasonable sacrifices
or -ronPrty that must bo made.
11 this war continues for another twelve
Znndngttu8at,rthbftabl " Ul t0lal amount
linancmg that the government will havo to do
to cover its own expenditures and to extend the
necessary credits to the Allied governments will
$1 800 000 onn"1.0',,11!18 Cl088al 8um' namy.
tion ralBed by ll0W tttXtt'
hol?M C0Untry was nevor 80 abl now to
wiSm,fi ue?ossalry taxation. It can bo applied
without hurt to business and without hardships
to tho people.
''There is always a serious danger of hurtful
inflation in war time when such great bond Is
sues must bo made. A reasonable amount of
wholesome taxation, properly distributed, la
the best corrective. It is essential that there
shall be a large and healthful expansion of
credit during tho period of the war. That will
come about inevitably from the great financial
operations of tho government and tho enlarged
business of the .country. But wo must not make
the grave mistake of imposing too little taxa
tion at tho outset through timidity or hesita
tion. "To me it is a sad spectacle to see committees
of various kinds coming to Washington and
urging congress that tho particular interest
they represent bo relieved of taxation, or that
taxation be transferred largely from them to
somebody else less able to bear it, when at tho
same time our gallant boys aro walking un
complainingly to the registration ofllces
throughout the land. You men and women who
create public opinion in this country must
make your voices heard and tell your congress
men you won't support any policy more consid
erate of property interests than of the lives of
our soldiers.
MUST "VOLUNTEER THEIR MONEY"
"Every man and woman must get behind
these bonds if the issue is to bo successful. If
on tho 15th day of June which Is bond regis
tration day it be said that there were not
enough men and women ready to volunteer their
money upon tho matchless security of the honor
and wealth of tho United States to back up tho
young men of America who are willing to risk
their lives for their country, wouldn't it be a
disgraco to America?
"We are relying upon the volunteer system
to supply the money to enable the eovernraent
tp maintain and equip its soldiers. The volun
teers of money must not as I believe they will
not be less patriotic than the men who sac
rifice their lives for liberty. I do not want the
volunteer system for raising money to fail. We
shall not fail is every one does his duty, but I
warn you that these great things do not achieve
themselves. They can only be achieved through
the combined energy, determination and spirit
oi the American people.
' It is not enough of an answer to the chal
lenge thrown down to us that wo subscribo
grudgingly or barely two billions. Our an
swer must be that American people havo bil
lions to sacrifice in the cause of liberty and
self-government throughout tho world.
ONLY ONE BAR TO PROSPERITY
"Soma peoplo profess apprehension as to tho
future of business. Prosperity in tho next
twelve months will be greater than ever in the
history of tho country. You can not prevent it
if you try. The only thing that could stop pros
perity would bo tho refusal of tho peoplo to
support reasonable measures of taxation and
to buy government bonds.
"Let us on the 15th day of June roll up a
subscription which will bo an unmistakable
answer to the enemies of our country. And
on the 14th day of June Flag Day let us go
out and kneel reverently to that flag, tho su
premacy of which is today the hope of civiliza
tion; that flag tho very colors of which thrill
our hearts and ennoble our souls; and let us
nledge ourselves anew to liberty and democ
racy and self-government in tho world, and
swear that tho flamo of liberty shall never bo
extinguished while there is a drop of blood in
the veins of any American freeman.
UIIYAN KNDOK8K8 WOMAN'S VOTE; 8AY8
SALOON MUST GO
From tho Dallas, Toxan, Timca-Horald, May
William Jennings Bryan spoko to 0,000 peo
plo at the Fair park coliseum Thursday ovon
ing. Tho vast auditorium wan filled every
scat and many who arrived lato woro forced
to stand both downstairs and in tho balcony.
Mr. Bryan was glvon a groat ovation whon ho
cntored upon the stago. Ho prefaced his tom
poranco speech with a patriotic address, com
plimenting the work of tho Rod Cross and Army
Y. M. C. A., stating that both needed tho sup
port of tho nation. Ho aBked that ovory Dal
lasito and every member of tho general assem
bly of tho Presbyterian church purchaso Llborty
Loan bonds, "that being the most practical
form of patriotism we can practice."
"I want America to furnish everything from
mon to money to mako this war a Bucceaa," ho
said.
Mr. Bryan said that tho spread and growth
of woman suffrage In tho United States nlnco ho
was hero fourtoon months ago means more than
anything else for the cause of temporanco. "I
indorse all of the arguments mado In behalf of
woman suffrage," ho said, "and tho ono that
has tho most weight Is the right of a mother
to vote In shaping tho environment that sur
rounds her child. Wo must drive tho saloon
out and keep It out, and tho woman voto of
tho United States Is our strongest aid."
"It Is not fair to givo tho voto to tho man
who lays snaros for her children and tlo tho
mother's hands. When women can use tho
ballot for the protection of their children, tho
world will win a victory never to bo lost."
Tho three arguments Mr. Bryan said ho liked
to present to Christians in the cause of tempor
anco arc:
1. No normal brain needs alcohol as a stim
ulant. 2. No man can know whon ho begins to
drink whether or not he can withstand the
habit.
3. At no tlmo from tho cradlo to tho grav
is it safe to begin to drink.
Another thing, Mr. Bryan Bald, no Christian
has any money that he can afford to spend for
alcohol with so many worthy causes In need.
In refuting the argument that the govern
ment needs the money accrued from the liquor
tax Mr. Bryan said: "Tho government that can
raiso $7,000,000,000 in one day can do without
the saloon tax and alcohol revenue. Today,
when tho government is appealing to people to
raise foodstuffs wo can not afford to allow
$145,000,000 worth of grain to bo used in tho
manufacture of alcoholic beverages."
"The war has taught us what alcohol is in
the time of war," he said. "Wo must drive
the saloon out of our country to make our army
strong. We might as well introduce smallpox
into our military camps as to Introduce al
cohol. Democrats and republicans should
stand shoulder to shoulder to drive out of the
land the greatest enemy that man has over,
had the saloon."
SUBSCRIBES .$1,000 TO LIBERTY LOAN
A Washington dispatch to Dallas Newt,
under date of June 2, says: William J. Bryan
. has subscribed $1,000 to the Liberty Loan, It
was announced today.
BUYS LIBKRTX BONDS
From Kansas City Star, June 5.
Into the Federal Reserve bank there strolled
today one William Jennings Bryan, former
secretary of state, candidate for president and
Chautauqua speaker.
"I'm looking for Mr. Miller," he said.
"Yes, Mr. Bryan," replied the doorman, and
led the visitor to the office of J. Z. Miller, jr.,
governor of the Tenth Reserve Bank District.
Mr. Bryan and Mr. Miller proved to bo ac
quainted. After they had chatted for a few
minutes, the democratic leader reached into his
pocket, took out a checkbook and said:
"By tho way, Mr. Miller, you have charge of
the Liberty Loan bonds, don't you?"
Mr. Miller said he had.
"Well," said his visitor, "I'd like to sub
scribe for eight of them, Just as presents to my
grandchildren. Can you arrange that?"
Mr. Miller was certain he could.
"Thanks," said Mr. Bryan. "You can have
those sent to me in Lincoln, if you will." He
arose. "O yes, and please don't forget to credit
them to Nebraska's share."
M-jn)t!JjsSx
.i-W. i