Third Liberty Loan: The Facts. Lend Them a Hand, Buy Your Liberty Bonds Now
An all-text sheet in a red and blue border sets out seven numbered facts on the Third Liberty Loan (amount sought, denominations, 4 1/4 percent interest, the 1928 repayment date, tax exemptions, payment terms and bank instalment buying). A closing paragraph about soldiers in khaki beside English and French troops tells readers they can help even if they cannot fight. The tell is selective factual framing: terms favourable to the buyer are listed, followed by an appeal that casts the purchase as a way of fighting.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1918
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Treasury Department (Third Liberty Loan)
- 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, War and the military, 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. Treasury Department (Third Liberty Loan). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-228.
Text on the object
THIRD LIBERTY LOAN THE FACTS Liberty Bonds are engraved certificates of the United States Government promising to pay back with interest the money loaned the Government by the purchaser of the Bond. They are backed by all the wealth of the United States. 1. The Government is asking for $3,000,000,000 and may accept all the oversubscription above that amount. 2. The Bonds (both coupon and registered) are issued in denominations of $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 and (registered only) $50,000 and $100,000. 3. The Bonds bear interest at 4¼% per annum, payable semi-annually, on March 15th and September 15th. 4. Any previous Liberty Loan issues may be converted into 4¼% bonds, retaining the date of maturity and the interest dates they now bear. Bonds of the Third Liberty Loan have no conversion privilege. 5. The Bonds will be paid off by the Government on September 15th, 1928. At that date you will get back, dollar for dollar, the money you lend the Government now. 6. The principal and income from the Bonds are exempt from all taxes except (a) estate or inheritance taxes and (b) additional income taxes (or surtaxes) and excess-profits and war-profits taxes. The income from Liberty Bonds not exceeding $5,000 in aggregate principal amount is exempt from the taxes mentioned in (b). The Bonds are absolutely free from the normal tax imposed by the Federal Income Tax Law. 7. The Government terms of payment are: 5% with application; 20% on May 28th; 35% on July 18th; 40% on August 15th. Most banks will let you buy Liberty Bonds by paying $1.00 a week on each $50 bond, and many employers are extending the same service to their employees. Many banks will make loans to subscribers on Liberty Bonds for at least 90 days at the same rate of interest (4¼%) paid by the Government. Such loans will not interfere with any borrower's regular line of credit. Our boys in khaki are standing shoulder to shoulder beside the soldiers of England and France in the fiercest fighting the world has ever seen. They are looking to us at home to back them up. YOU CAN HELP—EVEN IF YOU CANNOT FIGHT. Make your money fight for you—let it save American lives. Buy Liberty Bonds—absolutely all the Bonds you possibly can buy. LEND THEM A HAND BUY YOUR LIBERTY BONDS NOW
The sheet is numbered 1 to 7 down two columns; item 6 runs to the top of the right-hand column. The column order was read left column first.
