Ventnor News

PUBLICITY ATTRACTIONS
AID LIBERTY LOAN DRIVE

Never, perhaps, has publicity played such a part in a government undertaking as it is taking in the campaign to sell bonds in the third Liberty Loan. Particularly in the Third Federal Reserve District, the headquarters of which is in Philadelphia, is the advertising idea in evidence.

The replica of Bartholdi's Statue of Liberty erected in the center of Broad street before the City Hall in Philadelphia is here shown as it will look upon completion. It will be over fifty feet in height and the torch in Liberty's hand will be illuminated at night. The base of the foundation is thirty-five feet by sixteen feet and twenty-two feet high and is built of wood and iron. It is seven feet square at the point where the statue rests. In the foundation there will be booths for the taking of subscriptions to the third Liberty Loan. Each subscriber will be entitled to ascend the stairway to the foot of the statue and drive into the pedestal a large headed tack bearing his initials. This will transform the pedestal gradually from a wooden to a metal surface.

In making the mould 10,100 pounds of plaster of Paris was used and the amount that went into the finished statue was 5500 pounds, making 15,800 pounds in all. Enough to lay a thin coating over the street of an entire city block.

An interesting point is that the leading sculptor at work upon the statue is of German birth but took out his first papers two days after arriving in this country in 1893.

A gigantic representation of American soldiers going over the top, backed by a "Liberty bond," to be placed on the north side of City Hall, is another publicity stunt scheduled by the Publicity Committee in Philadelphia for the third Liberty Loan campaign.

This is the biggest cut-out figure ever attempted anywhere. It was designed by Gilbert E. Gable, whose Liberty Statue on the south side of City Hall is nearing completion. It is eighty-two feet high and thirty-five feet wide. Its base will rest on the sidewalk, and a hole cut out of metal will permit pedestrians to pass through it. It will almost cover the central sections of the buildings and will be plainly visible from Girard avenue.

More than three and a half tons of galvanized iron go into the making of it. A carload of lumber will be used in the framework to back it up. Not a nail will be driven or a hole bored in any part of the building to hold up the figure. This seeming impossibility will be accomplished by driving wedges into the crevices between the stones and by a system of cleats, bands and cables will insure absolute stability.

The design shows soldiers leaving a trench. The leading one has his foot on the top. In practice this will come just at the top of the arch leading to the City Hall courtyard. The second soldier is getting a footing to follow his comrade. Back of him is an immense roll representing a Liberty Bond.

Incidentally there will be virtually no waste in handling this attraction, for when it has served its purpose it will be taken down and the metal and wood used for another purpose.

At the east side of City Hall will be an advertising attraction representing the "Battle of the Tanks." This will show great tanks such as used on the European battlefields.

The whole of Philadelphia will be covered with illustrated signs and posters. Arrangements have been made to distribute similar signs and attractions throughout the district, so that during the drive one can hardly look in any direction without seeing something about the Liberty Loan.