This is a storyof the War Bond program during the war years of 19^ 1 through 19^ 5. Itis a story of four men who planned, organized and operated the most successful promotion, advertising and government financing program this world has ever known--Secretary of Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Harold Graves, Assistant to the Secretary, Dr. Peter Odegard, professor at Amherst College and Theodore (Ted) Gamble, businessman, Portland, Oregon. It is also a story of thousands of patriotic American volunteers who made the program succeed. These volunteers did not ask what their government could do for them--they did what they could for their government. Never question the fact that when the" chips are down''and this country is in danger, the people of the United Strtes will do their part in any worthwhile government program, if responsible leaders tell them what they want done. One must understand, in writing the War Bond story, it was impossible for any one person to know about every promotion or activity of the program. It covered too much area. The thousands of volunteers were prominent citizens from banking and finance, industry, labor unions, schools, advertising, minority groups and every phase of American life. After each state was organized they operated in an independent manner. Programs, promotions and materials were presented which they could accept or reject. This was not a military organization and it did not operate as employer and employee.

It was in September 1939 when I first met Harold Graves. I had been working on tax fraud cases in Boston as Special Agent of the Intelligence Unit, Treasury Department. My Chief, Elmer Irey, had phoned me to report to his office in Washington at once. I presumed it wasanother tax fraud case. It was a surprisewhen he advised me that Graves wanted to see me at the Treasury. I was not very enthusiastic about such an interview. Graves had an unfavorable reputation among the agents of being tough,-unreasonable, and if he thought an agent was inefficient in any way, he would''cut him to pieces."