MONEY AS WELL AS MEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 169, 6 April 1918, Page 8

MONEY AS WELL AS MEN

The' Finance has not made any progress reports respecting the subscriptions being received to the War Loan, and we do not pretend to know exactly how well or ill the loan is going. If any conclusion could be drawn from Sir Joseph Ward's public utterances it might be that he is a little disappointed over the results so far disas he' remarked at Dune,din, the big rush usually takes place in the last week, and that is yet .to come. It is desirable, however, that the public should clearly realise that the money wljich the Government is now seeking to borrow must be obtained here' in New Zealand, and that it is absolutely essential that it should be forthcoming toenablo the Dominion to carry, on its part in the war. If the money is not subscribed voluntarily, then it will be taken compulsorily. Money is as nccessary to the prosecution of this war. as men, and the money must be made available in one way or another. But it would be a shameful thine; if the amount, now required by the Finance Minister were hot forthcoming voluntarily. Whatever' might have been our opinion as to '.the course' of the, war a few weeks ago, rcccnt events should have open-, ed our eyes to the fact that we still have a desperately hard struggle ahead, and no loyal and patriotic citizen can at this critical time shirk his' responsibility, whether it is in the-way of personal service or by-means of'-financial help to his country. People of small or moderate means should not be deterred from investing, in the loan by reason of the fact that they are able to do. so only in modest sums. Their contributions will not only go to swell the total, but. the larger the number of people who come forward to assist in this way the greater the moral effect will be. We must be prepared to put our utmost possible strength into the struggle which lies before us, and the more whole-heartedly and unitedly w'e set about our taski the bigger our success will be and the greater the stimulus and encouragement we will give to our countrymen arid to our Allies. .