In addition to the above, the Treasury department authorized the sale of two billion dollars’ worth of War Savings Stamps during the year 1918.  These stamps represent short-time loans to the government which are so small that practically every person is able to invest in them.

It was deemed important also that the people should pay a large percentage of the war bill through taxes.  Congress therefore passed a tax bill which not only increased the income taxes to be paid by individuals and companies, but also placed heavy taxes on many things which were more or less in the nature of luxuries, or at least were not essential to life.  Railroad tickets, admission tickets to amusements of all sorts, telephone and telegraph messages, and hundreds of other things above a certain low minimum cost were taxed.  In this way the government raised six or seven billion dollars in a single year, approximately one third of the current cost of the war.

LOANS TO THE ALLIES.—­Our government has from time to time advanced much money to the other nations who are fighting Germany.  Practically all of these loans are in the form of credits with which the Allies pay for materials bought in the United States.  Little if any of the money so loaned goes out of the country.

RED CROSS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.—­The American Red Cross Society, formed for the relief of suffering through war or other disaster, was made ready for extensive work by the subscription of one hundred and fifty million dollars in June, 1917, by the people of the country.  The work was organized on a national basis and in every community there was formed a Red Cross Chapter to make garments, sweaters, or woolen head coverings to keep the soldiers warm; to roll bandages; to open canteens or refreshment stations for soldiers while traveling or in camp; to train nurses to care for the sick and wounded, and to do other work of a similar sort.

Other organizations such as the Young Men’s Christian Association and the Knights of Columbus took upon themselves the task of entertaining and making comfortable our soldiers and sailors, providing places where they may read, write letters, play games, and otherwise relieve their minds from the terrible strain of war.

If our army and navy that are fighting for us in Europe represent the strength of our country, we can also say that the work of the Red Cross and these other organizations represents the heart of our country.

THE WORK OF SCHOOLS IN THE WAR.—­School pupils are the largest and best-organized group of the population of the country.  It was natural, therefore, for the government to turn to the school children when it wanted a national response.  Boys and girls having the lessons of the war impressed upon them in school, carry the message home.  Often in no other way can the parents be reached.

There are many ways in which the school children gave direct and valuable help to the nation.  It is not possible to do more than merely hint at some of these.