Beware of the Wrath of a Patient Man! Keep Your War Saving Pledge

A stern Uncle Sam in a star-banded hat stands with fists on his hips above the words 'Beware of the wrath of a patient man!' and 'Keep your War Saving Pledge.' A yellow W.S.S. panel at lower right names War Savings Stamps as issued by the United States Government. The tell is the national personification cast as a warning figure, turning a savings pledge into a matter of owing him.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Fear appeal Transfer

Date: 1918
Period: First World War
Made by: U.S. Government (War Savings Stamps campaign)
Region: North America
Country: United States
Medium: Poster
Issuer type: State
Regime: Wilson Administration
Leader: Woodrow Wilson
Audience: Domestic public
Purpose: Fundraise
Themes: Economy and finance, Home front
Event: World War I
Regime: Wilson administration
Leader: Woodrow Wilson
Source: Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
Source: U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
Rights: NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Government (War Savings Stamps campaign). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-211.

Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

BEWARE
OF THE WRATH OF
A PATIENT MAN!
KEEP YOUR
WAR SAVINGS
PLEDGE

W.S.S.
WAR SAVINGS STAMPS
ISSUED BY THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

James Montgomery Flagg [signature]

The artist's signature is a small printed mark beside the figure's hip. The small seal in the W.S.S. panel carries no legible text.