Kennewick Struggles to Meet Liberty Loan Quota
With less than a third of the target raised, local bankers fear falling short of the community's wartime financial allotment.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
If the territory tributary to Kennewick is to subscribe its allotment of $75,000 to the Second Liberty Loan, subscriptions must come in a lot faster next week than they have yet. The First National Bank this evening reported $17,000 subscribed and the American Security $4,000, making a total of $21,000 or less than one-third the allotment. As yet no organized canvassing campaign has been attempted, but it is probable that next week committees will be sent out to make personal solicitations. President L. E. Johnson of the First National Bank, who is chairman of the local committee, said this afternoon that he doubted whether or not it will be possible to meet the allotment of $75,000; he was of the opinion that the total subscription would be close to the $50,000 mark.
“If the territory tributary to Kennewick is to subscribe its allotment of $75,000, subscriptions must come in a lot faster next week than they have yet.”
During WWI, civic leaders frequently used public pressure and 'slacker' lists to drive war bond sales, creating high-stakes social tension. Today, similar dynamics emerge when local towns struggle to meet state-mandated housing or tax-levy targets, revealing the persistent friction between federal directives and local economic capacity.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.