Three advertisements shown together
The artwork in this edition combines three Liberty Bond appeals. The Library of Congress presents the same group in its Funding the War exhibition and identifies the 1917 lithographs as car cards, displayed on buses, trams and subway cars. They should be understood as related advertisements shown together, rather than a single uninterrupted illustration.
The middle card uses Uncle Sam to address the viewer. The lower card makes a Liberty Bond button a visible sign of participation. The upper card connects money with the service of soldiers and sailors.
How a small purchase became a public statement
These designs were made for people moving through everyday public spaces. Short commands, faces and recognisable symbols let each card work quickly. The button appeal adds a social element: support could be displayed and noticed by others.
Seen as a group, the cards reveal several methods of persuasion within one financing campaign. They use obligation, reassurance and belonging. Compare them with the more dramatic tank and machine-gun bond posters to see how the same fundraising purpose could be addressed through very different visual languages.
Sources and further reading
- Library of Congress: Funding the War and the three car cards
- Library of Congress: Uncle Sam car card