USA > California > Santa Clara County > War history of Santa Clara County > Part 6
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Two things happened simultaneously. The Hoover dress made its initial appearance and the Western Paeifie railroad struck a "bumper" at Willow Glen! We accepted the dress-but abso-
lutely refused the railroadl
Half the county quota was raised by Saturday night, November 17-and only two more days to finish the campaign! Could we do it? Those two days were a time of strenuous house-to-house ean- vassing. "Y" campaigners had addressed every San Jose ehureh congregation on Sunday, and the people were well prepared to meet the last appeal. On the evening of November 20 Senator Herbert C. Jones announeed to 150 wildly enthusiastic campaigners gathered at the Y. M. C. A. building, that San Jose was "over the top," having raised not only the quota of $25,000 but $5000 more! It was a memorable occasion and the joy in each tired committeeman's heart found voice in the eloquence of Arthur M. Free, R. H. Gosson, Senator Frank H. Benson and others. Mueh had been asked- and much generously given that the home ties might not be broken or the light of the home fires die in the hearts of our boys.
During the great world war, for the first time in the history of the Y. M. C. A. organization, their forees were augumented and their work given the real touch of home atmosphere by women. The "Y" selected patriotically unselfish women for overseas service where the light of a woman's smile and the inspiration of a real American woman's presenee did more to keep the home fires burning in the soldier-hearts than anything else could do. For this service the local Y. M. C. A. selected Miss Ona M. Rounds, who was the only woman "Y" worker to go overseas from this eounty. Miss Rounds entered the service in Oeto- ber, 1918.
More than 350 committeemen helped to carry the second "Y" drive to successful completion. These men constituted more than 20 teams, of which the following is a partial list: Team 1-Dr. E. H. Wagner, captain; D. J. Denhart, G. W. Curry, Dr. Newhall, Dale Holland. Team 2-H. A. Blanchard, captain; J. W. Nixon, Rev. C. Irons, E. W. Jaek, C. H. Waterman. Team 3-Judge F. B. Brown, eaptain; A. C. Darby, Louis Oneal, C. L. Snyder, A. D. Campbell. Team 4-Geo. D. Gilman, captain; L. D. Bohnett, J. R. Crossby, L. P. Ed- ward, Warren Reilly. Team 5-A. S. Bacon, captain; D. C. Crummey, Rev. E. A. King, M. A. Boulware, W. E. Hazeltine. Team 6-A. M. Free, captain; Louis Campiglia, Floyd Stull, Mr. Chap- man, Frazier Reed. Team 7-Faber Johnston, captain; Dr. C. M. Richards, E. A. Wiileox, Dr. S. B. VanDalsem, R. J. Glendening, Harry Smith. Team 8-L. M. Fehren, captain; Judge W. A. Beasly, A. L. Hubbard, Arthur Holmes, J. W. Grimes. Team 9-J. E. Haneoek, captain; A. G. Wilkins, Alex Murgotten, J. V. Haley. Team 10- Alexander Sherriffs, captain; Judge P. F. Gosbey, Dan Flannery, W. L. Prussia, J. S. Williams. Team 11-Vietor Challen, captain; W. L. Atkin- son, W. J. Lean, H. P. Kessler, DeWitt Rueker. Team 12-H. L. Austin, captain; J. E. Hoblit, Frank Howarth, G. W. Borehers, Mrs. Dastel. Team 13-A. B. Langford, captain; Dr. L. T. Smith, Irving J. Lee, Jos. Napoli. Team 14-J. T.
WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
Brooks, captain; Joe M. Parker, Howell Melvin. Team 15-Chester Herold, captain; Henry Garcia, Ray Rugg, Frank Towner, Dr. H. S. Chandler.
WOMEN'S MOBILIZED ARMY
In every time of stress and trouble since the world began, women have been looked to for sym- pathy, for the comfort of broken hearts and the binding np of grievous wounds. There her service ended. The great 'world war changed the character of her ministry. She was asked for more than sympathy. She answered the call for practical, efficient service,-answered it fully and unmistak- ably. Negleeting none of the old duties she as- sumed heavier burdens and carried them with squared shoulders and well poised head. Losing no tenderness she developed business efficieney, and rare capability for organization. It can be said to the eredit of the women of Santa Clara county and of San Jose particularly, that their compre- hensive organization for war work preceded that of the men.
The Women's Mobilized Army proved its abi !- ity as a power for accomplishment through eam- paign after campaign for war funds and strenuous bond drives. Many do not know that the organi- zation was really the outgrowth of the December, 1917, Y. W. C. A. campaign for $16,000. When that eall eame there seemed no way to meet it. The demand looked like a deluge about to break over boasted feminine patriotism and completely engulf it! Women of ability and proven qualities necessary to "put things over" met and talked it over. Mrs. Thomas H. Reed brought the story of the Berkeley women's mobilized army, and on that plan the local organization was finally per- feeted. Mrs. L. T. Smith outlined an arrangement of school districts and outside towns and listed the names of San Jose women who never failed in any emergeney. The plan was a tremendous one. 1t couldn't be made effective for the Y. W. C. A. drive, but plans for this county work formed th. basis of the organization. Then came the day when a morning paper announced that "the women of the county were to mobilize" and-they did! This eall came from the Santa Clara County Coun- eil of Defense, of which Brs. S. W. Gilchrist was chairman. November 19, 1917, became a memor- able day. Hundreds of loyal women heard the call and Schofield hall at the Y. W. C. A. was crowded to the doors with these eager for service. Among them were a few who visioned what it all meant- and these women Mrs. Gilchrist called upon to lead in whatever tasks awaited.
Mrs. L. T. Smith became colonel of the We- men's Mobilized Army for Santa Clara county, and Mrs. D. A. Beattie shouldered a lieutenant colonel's responsibility for the city of San Jose. Eleven other workers were appointed to lead the activities in the various distriets of the county. Those appointed were Mrs. W. B. Allen, Palo Alto; Mrs. S. L. Berry, Mountain View; Mrs. James Glendenning, Santa Clara; Mrs. A. A. Halsey, Cupertino; Mrs. George Parso, Campbell; Mrs. W. G. Tomlinson, Saratoga; Mrs. Z. L. Riggs, Los
Gates; Mrs. O. H. Barnhart, Morgan Hill; Mrs. W. B. Holselaw, Gilroy; Mrs. J. P. Shambo, Ever- green, and Miss Nellie Evans, Milpitas.
This permanent organization effected for the period of the war, ineluded beside the colonel and twelve lieutenant-colonels, a major for each school distriet. Each major appointed captains and un- der each captain were several lieutenants. The eities, divided according to preeinets, were given a captain for each preeinet and a lieutenant for each bloek. To the lieutenants fell the task of house-to-house canvassing. In San Jose the majors named by Mrs. D. A. Beattie were Mrs. P. F. Gos- bey, Mrs. N. H. Booker, Mrs. J. J. Byl, Mrs. J. E. Haneeek, Mrs. F. A. VonDersten, Mrs. C. C. Little, Miss Wehner, Mrs. Nicholas Bowden, Mrs. Willis Clayton, Mrs. A. B. Brown, Mrs. George B. Seeley, Mrs. Charles Parkinson and Mrs. S. D. Farrington.
This magnificent organization, perfeeted in a short time, numbered 1400 women banded together to answer with unselfish service every appeal made to them. They were valiant soldiers in the cause of humanity in a world upheaval that broke hearts and devastated homes.
From that day in November, 1917, through a'l the long months of war, this Women's Mobilized Army fought shoulder to shoulder with the Men's War Work Conneil and their efforts were untiring in answering every eall for service. Many of the members of the War Werk Council unhesitatingly give to the Women's Army the laurels of vietory in strennous campaigns. They faltered before no personal saerifiee, they shirked no duty. Their slogan was "Service First" and their badges' of red, white and blue covered intensely loyal hearts.
Nine tremendous war activities ealled for their best endeavor. The December, 1917, Red Cross membership drive was the Mobilized Army's init- ial service. Mrs. A. A. Fowler was chairman of this activity.
The seeend campaign came in 1918, when they helped to carry out the successful Thrift and War Savings Stamp drive under the chairmanship of Mrs. F. M. Eley.
The third Liberty Loan, April, 1918, proved the quality of women's service under the guidance of Mrs. C. A. Wayland, chairman. The Red Cross campaign in May, 1918, War Savings Stamp drive in June, 1918, and the registration of all children under six years of age, also in June, were directed by members of the Women's Army. In October, 1918, came the Fourth Liberty Loan, and no one will ever forget the Volunteer Day preceding it on September 7. On this day members of the Women's Mobilized Army served in the regular polling places throughout the county, more than 850 volunteering for this work in San Jose. The result of efficient organization became apparent when a "cheek up" of the day's returns showed that about 65 per cent of Santa Clara county's quota had been volun- teered in one day. The United War Work eam- paign in November, 1918, and the Liberty Loan drive elosed the book of the Women's Mobilized
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WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
Army history-a history of accomplishment briefly sketched. No tabulation of campaign returns or bare record of work done can ever tell the story in its entirety. The members of this army made every sacrifice, some of them even the sacrifice of health itself in the patriotic endeavor to leave nothing undone that would speed the coming of the day when peace should dawn on a war-torn world and their own return to them again.
Through the heat of summer and the rains of winter these loyal women tramped from house to house as the path of duty led. Frequently many visits were made to the same house. They were not doing this thing for themselves. They were accredited agents of the government and dared not fail. At first they met frequent opposition, but in the end their quiet patient persistence won. They endured hardships and accepted rebuffs, they worked and planned and sacrificed and did it over and over in the light of the courage that women know.
These women selling bonds and thrift stamps, asking subscriptions to every war activity, taking a census, distributing window cards and flags and food pledges, holding quiet conferences or arons- ing flagging enthusiasm by great mass meetings,- these women gave to their country a service that can never be measured or adequately told. The army of uncomplaining women who tramped from house to house, always with a smile, deserve all the medals and decorations for valor within the gift of a beneficient government to bestow! They fought with the boys for every trench and field and hamlet-fought with clear heads and hearts tender with the tears that fell into them from eycs that bravely refused to let tears fall. They were the tireless soldiers who fought the war 3000 miles from the front-and won it]
Among the thousands of appealing incidents during the work of the Women's Army are two particularly worthy of special mention. In .San Jose precinct number 10, Mrs. E. H. Baker made no changes in the personnel of her workers during the entire war period. The faithful coterie of women who worked in every campign were: Mrs. E. H. Baker, Mrs. L. L. Lamar, Mrs. C. E. Parsons, Miss M. Blomdohl, Mrs. C. O. Neale and Mrs. E. Perkins.
The other instance of valiant service is that of
Mrs. J. M. Church Walker, in charge a mountain district above Los Gatos. This little woman having no other way to accomplish her work, walked every step of the necessary 16 miles to organize her district! The women whose dis- trict included large foreign speaking population, found evening and Sunday work obligatory-but none of them faltered.
Soldiers-every one of theml And soldier-led by Mrs. L. T. Smith and Mrs. D. A. Beattie-led not only from victory in war work activities but led into new ways of better human understanding and a sisterhood that crowns the days of peace with a new beauty. The power of Women's Mo- bilized Army reaches into the distance, envisioning
against the tarnished background of war, a future bright with mutual helpfulness.
Y. W. C. A. DRIVE
During the latter part of the memorial year, 1917, San Jose emulated Jehu of ancient Biblical fame and "drove furiously!" Life was one grand succession of "drives." The days were aflutter with checks and jingling of coin of the realm, gen- erously donated to keep the home fires burning and light the best substitutes for them across the sea. The first week in December the National War Work Council of the Young Women's Christian Association issued a call for $4,000,000 for the purpose of establishing social and rest centers for heroic nurses at the front, one such center to be located near cach base hospital. The fund also provided for bettering the conditions surrounding cantonments and the munition factories employing women. Santa Clara county's quota was $16,000.
This call found a sympathetic response in the hearts of San Jose's women. They visioned the actualities and knew the need-a real woman-need -of a place to rest, a place to be by one's self sometimes; but could they raise $16,000 after all the calls that had been made? The movement was sponsored by competent women: Mrs. Charles D. Blaney, Mrs. Peter J. Dunne, Mrs. Ray Lyman Wilbur, Mrs. George Hamilton, Mrs. J. O. Hayes, Mrs. Thomas H. Reed, Mrs. S. W. Gilchrist, Mrs. S. W. Waterhouse, Mrs. Nicholas . Bowden, Mrs. Fremont Older and Miss Ethel Clayton. It was a big proposition-and there was no county organi- zation. Patriotic women were appealed to, among them Mrs. L. T. Smith and Mrs. D. A. Beattie, who received appointements from Mrs. S. W. Gilchrist of the Council of National Defense to handle the campaign. Mrs. Smith supervised the entire county work and Mrs. Beattie led the city teams.
At a Y. W. C. A. luncheon, December 4, 1917, Mrs. Charles B. Hare, president of the board of directors, introduced Mrs. R. S. M. Emerich, a mis- sionary, recently returned from the fighting front in Turkey. Mrs. Emerich graphically portrayed conditions surrounding the women who were risk- ing their lives at the front, making an appeal that stirred every heart and registered determination in every face. The next day Mrs. Beattie followed this appeal by saying to the workers, "there are 20,000 nurses ready for service at the front. Are we going to let them give out for lack of a place to rest? Are we going to let them be sent back unable to stand the terrible strain simply because we don't like to raise the money to take care of them?" That question was answered within ten days.
At this December 5th meeting, Mrs. L. T. Smith made her appointments for the county, and Mrs. D. A. Beattie named the following team cap- tains for the work in San Jose: Mrs. Robert Syer, Miss Maud Blackford, Mrs. Peter Dunne, Miss Bertha Fair, Mrs. C. C. Little, Mrs. Stephen Maynard. Each captain selected 10 to 12 women for patriotic service.
Two days before the campaign opened the first
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WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY .
donation was made. A young woman walked into the' Y. W. C. A. office and gave the secretary $10 with the remark that she didn't have to be selic- ited-she "wanted to help." The day after that one of the "Y" members was out in her back yard when a little old neighbor lady leaned over the fence and handed her a worn $1 bill. "This is my own money" she said with a flush in her dear old faee. "It was given to me for Christmas-but I want it to go to help the brave women who are earing for our boys at the front!"
The real work of the drive started the morn- ing of December 5 and from the first minute there was the keenest rivalry between the "teams." Town's in the county vied with each other in the race to be first over the top. The big thermometer on the Bank of San Jose building marked a rapid increase in "temperature" from day to da .. Workers met each other at the "Y" for luncheon and the reports inspired to renewed endeavor. Almost every day the business girls' team, under the leadership of Miss Bertha Fair, was near the top and these girls only had their noon hour and the evenings in which to gather subscriptions.
Mrs. L. T. Smith "stumped"' the county, ex- plaining the reasons for the call and rousing every outside town to a fervor of patriotie endeavor. Gifts ranged all the way from a penny to $500, but most of the contributions were small. It was not a "Y. W. C. A. campaign." It was the work of the United States and the particular business of every woman within reach of their sisters' call. Responses were freely made-with rare exceptions. One worker gasped for breath when an irate individual told her that if she would stay at home and save her energy and her gasoline and stop annoying people that she would save so much she wouldn't need to "ask folks for money!"
Another son of Unele Sam just wholeheartedly "'eussed" everything connected with the govern- ment-but made a generous donation in apprecia tion of the solicitor's "oratory."
San Jose responded as San Jose always does- with an oversubscription. Not only San Jose but the county. On the night of December 5, Scofield hall at the Y. W. C. A. rang with cheers and echoed with songs that greeted the final returns. County reports were as enthusiastically received as the city ones. Altogether we had reached the quota with $4,000 to spare! If you think women can't cheer you should have heard the noise as that ree- ord of $20,000 was announced. Then, when it was all over, Mrs. L. T. Smith confessed that when the call first came she feared the queta would not be met. Some said far-seeing business men had been of the same opinion. Patriotism, not the tinsel variety, but patriotism backed up with good hard shoulder to shoulder team work had "put it across. ''
In the final cheeking up Mrs. Stephen May- nard's team won first place with subscriptions totaling $2386.75. Bertha Fair's business girls' team eame second with $1,693. Mrs. Charles Lit- . tle's team scored third place with $1,278.35, and
Mrs. Peter Dunne's workers turned in the sum of $1,118.00.
Mrs. Charles B. Hare and Mrs. D. A. Beattie expressed deep appreciation of the efficient assist- ance given during the campaign by Miss Ada B. Hillman, general secretary of the Y. W. C. A., Mrs. Shearer, the "house mother" and Caroline Underwood. The local association, backed by every patriotie citizen of Santa Clara county, had helped to put the "Blue Triangle" beside the Red Triangle and the Red Cross on every field of bat- tle and in every army camp. It helped to secure to our women overseas and all women giving their service in making munitions to feed the guns, a bit of home and a place in which to rest.
During the summer of 1918 the local Y. W. C. 'A. made a gift beyond price to the cause of suf- fering humanity when . Miss Mary Helen Post offered herself through the association for overseas service. She is conducting a hostess house at Bor- deaux, France, and has been the comfort, help and inspiration of all who have met her in the home atmosphere she has created in a far land, under the insignia of the Blue Triangle.
K. OF C. DRIVE
The Knights of Columbus and the Y. M. C. A., received appointments at the same time from President Wilson to raise funds for supplying the special needs of the soldiers. The big task before these organizations was to assist in keeping up the morale of the men by supplying places for rest and recreation. The Knights of Columbus undertook to raise $5,000,000 for the entire country, San Jose's share of the war camp fund being $10,000. The call came early in December, 1917, but very graciously the local K. of C., postponed their cam- paign, onee for the Y. M. C. A., and again for the Y. W. C. A. drive.
The beneficient purpose of this war fund was -
not only to help the United States men in camp and field, but to give assistance to the soldiers of the allies, with whom our boys would soon be fight- ing shoulder to shoulder. It was to be a fund for all, a work for all, regardless of ereed or fraternal affiliation. This Catholic hospitality and helpful- ness was to be just that-Catholie in every sense. Although the original plan included the navy as well as the army, permission for the erection of recreation centers on the Atlantie and Pacifie sea- beards was not received until the fall of 1917.
Early in December, 1917, plans for the coming campaign were discussed at a luncheon held at the Vendome hotel, at which time Rev. Edward J. Hanna, the guest of honor, expressed his pleasure in the co-operation of different organizations.
"For the first time in its history," said Bishop Hanna, "the country has placed the moral and physical welfare of its soldiers in the hands of the religious men of the nation. The best way to make good soldiers is to educate men to high ideals.
"Patriotism is best served," he said, "by those who realize that there is a God of nations and that the eternal things are the things of value in the world."
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WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
Rev. Father Gleason told of the needs of the beys and predicted that the Y. M. C. A., and the K. of C., would find plenty of work to de before the final dawn of peace. He described the recent opening of the K. of C. hall at Camp Fremont with mere than 1700 soldiers present to voice their ap- preciation of the offered recreational and educa- tional features. Father O'Connell of St. Patrick's told of a visit to Camp Fremont and expressed in ne uncertain terms his enthusiasm for the type of men in the United States army.
The drive, scheduled originally for December 19, opened at that time in the residential districts only, the business distriet not to be eanvassed until after Chirstmas. Charles M. O'Brien led the K. ef C. forces as chairman of an able and inter- ested eemmittee consisting of J. F. Brooke, D. M. Burnett, Jay MeCabe, F. G. Canele, F. J. Somers, Robert Bensen, W. F. Benson, J. S. Williams, Jehn J. Jones, Dr. B. L. Wise, Frank Martin, F. J. Reidy, R. Bressani, N. A. Pellerane, M. E. Griffith and D. J. Flannery. Peter Dunne was assigned to the Alameda; Joseph A. Bihn and James Hancock led the campaigners in the Willews; J. S. Cunan, E. S., San Jose, Joseph Selari and C. O. Wendt were committeemen to cover "the city.".
Christmas time, several other drives in progress -and $10,000 te raise! That meant $1000 every day for ten days! There wasn't question of failure. The Knights ef Columbus had it to de and they did it splendidly, patriotically. Every bank in the county contributed. Protestants seemed to vie with Catholies in giving. We were learning the larger brotherhood and really forming the mere intimate acquaintance with this organi- zatien which net many eutside its membership had understood. The tremendous vaudeville shew for the Camp Fremont boys had just been given by the Knights of Columbus and stimulated interest in the drive. Then the war fund received a Christmas gift from Manager James Beatty of the Liberty theater. This gift was 2000 theater tickets to be sold for the benefit of the campaign.
The day after Christmas the drive began in earnest. The workers grouped themselves into teams of three men each and each carried out their campaign program in record time before the Christ- mas spirit had evaporated. In order to gain great- est effieieney, lines of business were segregated, each division being eanvassed by a certain team. Judge W. A. Beasly, C. C. Coolidge and John J. Jones called upon all the attorneys. Doctors and dentists received visits from Drs. Philip Wise, Arthur T. MeGinty and Dr. Murray. Jehn F. Brooke, J. R. Ryland and David Burnett visited all fruit eanners.
Frank J. Somers, Will Prussia and F. J. Me- Henry claimed the territory on the east side of First street from Santa Clara. The west side of the street was canvassed by F. G. Canelo, Jay Me- Cabe and Henry Heff. Santa Clara street was assigned te Charles L. Barrington, P. J. Foley and H. J. Dougherty, Second street between San An- tenio and San Fernando was elaimed by Jee Solari,
Frank Reidy and W. J. Benson. John S. Williams, N. A. Pellerano and Richard Bressani covered Market street.
Contributions were willing and generous. Many sacrifieed te give who knew of the goed werk being dene and done quietly by the Knights of Columbus. One woman sent $2 with a nete telling the committee that she had a brother at the front and she wanted him to have "K. of C. eare." Many did net wait to be solicited. They cut the coupons frem the paper and mailed their subscrip- tions. One teacher (retired) whose means are known te be very small, sent a nete with $10. She had been "staying awake nights thinking of the beys over there" and wanted to "help the K. ef C. help those boys."
Friday, December 28, there remained $4000 te raise and two days in which to raise it. Many boys belonging te companies B and M were heme for the holidays and the sight of their uniforms sent San Jose dollars relling committeeward.
Daily luneheens with encouraging reports spurred to greater endeaver and on Monday, De- eember 30, when Chairman Charles M. O'Brien an- nouneed that the quota had been reached with a generous margin there was a burst of enthusiasm. This K. ef C drive was a quietly earnest one and unique in achievement owing te the repeated eam- paigns, postponements and the holiday season. The patriotic Knights remembered through it all that the soldier can't step after his second or third fight and that there could be no lessening of the efforts at home te baek him up. Led by Charles M. O'Brien's efficiency the leeal Knights of Celum- bus made an enviable record of achievement. Their sueeessful war fund campaign assured to thousands of homesiek lads the cheering werds ever theusands of K. ef C. shelters "Everybody Welcome!" That "Everybody " meant everything -and unto the uppermost. It meant physical and spiritual needs supplied without "money and without price." It meant that for all time the world would know that Catholicism and patriotism and brotherly kindness were interwoven as the celors of the flag.
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