USA > California > Santa Clara County > War history of Santa Clara County > Part 8
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On April 16, 1918, the home town was electri- fied by the news that Lieutenant Douglas Camp- bell had won the French war cross for bringing down a German 'plane and capturing the pilot. Pride in this aviator's achievement may have speeded up the women's mobilized army, for on the next day it developed that "to date" they had turned in to the banks $125,000 in bond subscrip- tions. Neither men or women campaigners reck- oned the hours. They worked all day and as long as any one could be interviewed at night. Liberty loan headquarters hummed with industry. Volun- teers, among them teachers from all the schools, under the capable and kindly direction of E. H. Foster compiled records and reports, answered constantly ringing telephone bells and did two or three different things effectively-and all at once! Just what Mr. Foster's office management meant to liberty loan headquarters during this and fol- lowing campaigns will never be adequately told. His was a patriotic service that kept him ever- lastingly on the job and prepared for each day's wwork with an energy and readiness that was a source of wonder and pride to his fellow workers.
As the country plunged more deeply into the responsibilities of war, the fires of patriotism flamed at the touch of pro-Germanism. Copies of a poster signed by the knights of liberty placarded shop windows one morning late in April. “Atten- tion Americans!" ran the text of this surprising message. "As members of the knights of liberty
we are pledged to stamp out all disloyalty and pro- Germanism. As clear-headed Americans we decide on a course of action, whatever it may be, and earry it ont in a determined manner. Our boys in the trenches in France or elsewhere are fighting for us here at home and it is our sacred duty to clear the lines in the rear of all dangerous ele- ments and give our fighting boys a chance to win the war."
On the night of May 1, 1918, members of the knights of liberty of San Jose and Oakland, heads covered with black cowles, held a weird trial in the light of the automobile lamps at the intersec- tion of the Penetencia and Piedmont roads. The following morning a San Josean, George Koetzer, alleged to have been guilty of unpatriotic utter- ances, was found tarred and feathered and chained to the cannon at the foot of the Mckinley monu- ment in St. James park.
By the president's proclamation, Friday, April 26, 1918, was to be Liberty day, but San Jose had previously named Wednesday, April 24, to mark the "high tide" of the campaign with the biggest and most novel parade ever seen in the county. Arthur D. Curtner, general chairman of the parade committee, ably assisted by Jack Shea and John D. Chace and others, worked tirelessly and by the tremendous success of the undertaking proved the high order of his executive ability. One unusual thing about this great day was that while the stores elosed the banks stayed open-for bond sub- scriptions. Looking forward to the parade, which was not to start until 5 o'clock gave added inter- est to the day and speeded endeavor all along the line. Street booths seld bonds and gave away music. In Mrs. Doerr's booth at First and Santa Clara streets a phonograph acted as a hat remover hy its repeated strains of "The Star Spangled Banner." At First and San Fernando streets a piane on the sidewalk did its bit under the urging fingers of Tillie Brohaska, who played patriotic airs for hours to the accompaniment of Willie Petrce's violin. Eyes lifted frequently toward the big chart with its soldier figures climbing close to the top. Ears strained to catch the expected "over the top" cheers from liberty loan headquarters. Shortly after noon the wonderful message came, the soldiers climbed to the top of the chart and the honer flag flew from its proud standard at First and Santa Clara streets!
At 5 o'clock, while an aeroplane cireled above the city, throngs in the downtown streets witnessed the most thrilling parade in the county's history. Every town and hamlet was represented. Hon- ored over all, closely following the flag their boys had followed, came 142 "war mothers." At the sight of these mothers throats tightened queerly and hats came off. Tears that rose quickly had to be held in check to make room for the cheers !.
At the head of the almost interminable line walked Mrs. S. F. Thompson of Sunnyvale, whose three sons were in the service. Mrs. Mollie Nees of Sunnyvale walked next with four service stars on her coat-four boys fighting for her-some-
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WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
where. Next came Mrs. Charles Frost of Edenvale with three sons in the army-the youngest one in France. War Work Council members walked and proved a gallant spirit. Autos were at their dis- posal-but what man of them could ride when these mothers of brave men trudged along the strect to show their patriotism ?
Every organization had a representation- every nationality, every creed. Newsies led by a 10 year old bond-holder added their picturesque dishevelment to the parade. Girls employees of the American Can company wore their overalls and carried a banner that proclaimed: "We put on pants to aid the boys in France. What have you done?" The Labor Unions' immense Liberty Bell float did not go out of existence with this paradc. The Bell found its place on a down town corner with its American appeal to be rung again. Foreign faces in the line of march were many; but cach foreign exterior covered a heart beating true for America. Floats entered by the Japanese and Chinese were unique and beautiful. Telephone girls came in for cheers. They had put $7150 into Third Liberty Loan Bonds-and many of them working for only $10 a week! Boy Scouts marched proudly. Scout Wayne Waddell had sold 10 bonds while acting as a messenger for the Red Line Messenger Co. Scout Henry Down received credit for selling 10 bonds and Scout James tied the secre. It was a proud hour for these little. soldiers who couldn't march away to battle when they received medals and kindly thanks for faithful service from Dr. W. C. Bailey War Work Council chairman, and Scoutmaster Frank MeLain.'
It was a great campaign that ended officially on May 4, 1918, with not only the full quota of bonds subscribed and the population requirements met, but an amount credited to Santa Clara County for more than $800,000 above the allotment and' 12,136 more investors than during the Second Loan. The most sanguino hopes that came into existence with the organiation of the War Work Council in March, 1918, had been realized. Each member of the Council gave to the members of the Women's Mobilized Army the fullest credit for the splendid results. The women had worked shoulder to shoulder with the Council, sharing bur- dens and responsibilities-and honors. To the work of the Women's Army was credited 1353 subscriptions aggregating more than $173,000.
During the strenuous campaign an advisory committee met every day at the War Work Coun- cil headquarters to "talk things over and devise ways and means." Of the following faithful members of this committee many gave at least fifty per cent of their time to the work and others, finding that business interfered with their patriot- ism simply gave up their business, devoting all their.time and energy to the interests of "backing up the boys:" Byron Millard, A. B. Post, Judge W. A. Beasly, Dr. James B. Bullitt, S. G. Tomp- kins, W. S. Clayton, W. E. Bauer, V. J. La Motte, Louis Campigia, Arthur M. Free, H. L. Baggerly, Wilbur J. Edwards, E. K. Johnston, H. G. Coyken-
dal, W. G. Alexander, Frank J. Somers, George N. llerbert, Jolın D. Kuster and D. T. Bateman. Chairman of all districts committees were also cx- officio members of this advistory board.
Special committeemen who helped with every- thing relative to speakers, advertising, publicity, transportation, demonstrations and everything under the shining sun catalogued and uncatalogued who worked for sheer love of helping since their job didn't bring any glory, were Thomas II. Reed, Karl M. Stull, Victor Palmer, Alvin Long, Sheldon R. Wills, F. A. Nikirk, Frank L. Baker, D. J. Flan- nery, Victor Challen, Judge Urban A. Sontheimer, Arthur B. Langford, Brooks Tompkins, F. E. Chapin and Wilson E. Albee.
The Third Liberty Loan passed into history. It marked not only the full subscription of the Bond quota for city and county but the remark- ably efficient development and working out of the permanent War Work Council. "Drives" were no longer simple. To start a campaign and bring it to successful termination meant great responsi- bility and unceasing effort. The Santa Clara County War Work Council, under its Chairman and vice chairman, its committeemen and every enlisted man and woman worker, had solved the problem of how to carry a great undertaking to unqualified success.
FOURTH LOAN DRIVE
Undaunted hy the unprecedented six-inch rain storm that caused a loss of millions of dollars, San Jose and Santa Clara county prepared for the fourth liberty loan drive in September, 1918, Working organizations were ready for a smashing victory and all plans for volunteer day practically complete when the "rains descended and the floods came" and washed away the prune crop. This disaster discovered the fact that the structure of local patriotism was not built on the sand. Loss left it unshaken. Suggestions of a reduced quota gained no popularity. The war work council and the women's mobilized army determined to go through to the last bond, crop or no crop. They remembered Begium and Servia and refused to compromise responsibilities.
One or two changes altered the war work council chart. Dr. W. C. Bailey became chairman of the Santa Clara County War Work council; Joseph M. Parker, chairman of the Santa Clara County fourth liberty loan committee; Louis Cam- piglia, chairman San Jose War Work council; E. H. Foster, secretary; Arthur H. Curtner, treasurer; Dr. James B. Bullitt, statistician.
The campaign did not open officially until September 28, 1918, but long before the "big day" everyone was at work. A cause became necessary. Within two days the women's army completed it, giving not only names of adult residents of the city, but listing all children over 12 years of age. The 750 men of the war work council and the 1400 workers of the women's army comprised the Vol- unteer day force to take charge of the "voting booths" in every precinct and polling place throughout the county. Arthur Curtner gave a
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WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
"get-acquainted" dinner to all district leaders at the Montgomery hotel on the evening of Septem- ber 20. Part of Joe Parker's speech made at that dinner should be a matter of history, particularly in the light of the handicaps suffered later by the valiant committeemen:
"This quota is a question of optimism and enthusiasm," said Parker. "It can and will he raised. It requires a strong will; it has to be done and the doing will be all the more wonderful in the face of the fact that Santa Clara county has just suffered a disaster.'
On Saturday, September 21, under the leader- ship of II. W. McComas, chairman of the four- minute men, the campaign was opened in the theaters by Nicholas Bowden, John G. Jury and Judge Thomas R. Dougherty. "For your boy and my boy" became the campaign slogan and ap- pealed to every theater audience through the voice of William E. Johnson. Students of Heald's Busi- ness college gave invaluable assistance to the loan by preliminary work in making triplicate copies of the entire census of San Jose and vicinity. This task they completed in one day.
Stickers appeared on windows and automo- biles. Every street car had a banner. Literature reached every home. Papers carried pages of official government advertising. Window displays and posters that were marvels of artistry called for bond subscriptions. Never had there been such far reaching publicity. Ignorance about the loan would be a poor excuse.
Who wiill ever forget the trophy train in charge of Cyrus Pierce that halted here Monday evening September 23, with its five cars of Persh- ing souvenirs of the first great battles in which America took part? Thousands visited the train- and registered a determination to buy bonds. Later Arthur M. Free joined the official staff of the trophy train and almost wore out his voice by weeks of patriotic appeal for the country's sup- port of "the boys." Henry Hirsch took charge of getting a volunteer brigade of autos for use on Volunteer day. Those offering this service were to call up Mrs. C. A. Wayland at the never-to-be- forgotten number "4810." Mrs. Wayland through all these strenuous times was always "on the job" and ready for any service.
"Blind Al Herr," newsboy, bought the first bond. On Monday morning of September 23, 1918, his cane thumped against the steps and guided him to liberty loan headquarters. Some throats choked a hit when "Blind Al" eagerly asked for a bond and held out that $50 for some unseen hand to take. The loan slogan
"Buy Bonds, Buy Bonds. For Your Boy and My Boy"
had appealed to "Al." He bought gladly for "your boy."
On Tuesday, September 24, Senator Frank H. Benson returned from France with a story of experience at Chateau Thierry that gave the home folks a keener realization of responsibility.
The camouflaged "tank," a reproduction of
those in use by the allied armies, mado its appear- ance with Philip Morehead in charge and traveled its awkward way about the county with a realistic boost for bonds. More and more home ties reached to the "western front" with its littered battle- fields. A letter came from Margaret Beattie on September 25- the first letter home since she left to do her bit in Red Cross work as laboratory as- sistant with army base hospital No. 50. That let- ter to her parents, Dr. and Mrs. D. A. Beattie, just dated "Somewhere" was another strong tie.
At liberty loan headquarters scores of school teachers and others handled mail and circulars and worked the telephones in preparation for the drive. There will never be a fitting tribute paid the teachers for their loyal support of every war ac- tivity. Their's was no idle pledge. They bought bonds and gave generously to everything and as if that were not enough they forgot the meaning of "vacation." Weeks outside the school room meant only so much more time to give to war work. No history of any liberty loan drive would be complete without acknowledgment of the tre- mendous impetus given to patriotic endeavor by the loyalty and unselfish service of the teachers.
Volunteer day, September 27, 1918, will go down in history as one of the greatest days in the chron- icles of the county. On that day, practtically with- out any solicitation, the county subscribed $3,258,- 650 to the fourth liberty loan bonds, $1,701,250 of that amount belonged to San Jose. The honor flag offered for the largest number of subscriptions in a precint in proportion to the population went to precinct No. 37 in charge of F. A. Van Dorsten, director, and Charles M. O'Brien, vice chairman. Out of 373 registered voters 62 per cent made bond subscriptions. This precinct at Wilson's garage, 309 South Fifteenth street, listed among its work- ors Joseph T. Brooks, Edward Johnson Ben Brown. H. Trephagen, Mrs. W. G. Alexander, May Hoff- man, Hattie Hoffman, Miss Jones, Mrs. H 11. Madsen, Mrs. L. F Edwards, Mrs. P. D. During, Mrs. C. B. Mason and Mrs. 5. R Bailey
The honor tlag for the largest amount of sub- scriptions totaling ... $ 8,850. was proudly carried away by Crandallvi!" preciaet No. 2 in charge of Alexander Sherriffs, vice charman., and W. J. Lean, director. Other workers were W. B. Irish, Daisy Cozzens, Reta Angus, Hattie Prindiviille, Mrs. R. H. Topham, Anna Mathews and Bessie Crowfoot.
All day the volunteer subscriptions poured in. D. M. Denegri did yoeman service among the Ital- ian-speaking population, obtaining notable results from the employees of the Greco cannery. All can- ners and their hundreds of workers stood solidly behind the loan. The day had its lights and shad- ows. One small boy came proudly to "vote" for a $50 bond, but withdrew his subscription when he learned that there were no more volunteer tags. Aw-what was the use if you couldn't wear a tag? Nothin' doing'!
. A very early morning bond buyer was Percy A. Merriam, chief electrician of the United States
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WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
army, retired, in charge of the local naval reeruit- ing station. Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Wideman, 159 South Tenth street, visited a booth and announced that every member of the family had bought bonds. Then they remembered "Billy." He was sent for and they witnessed the "X" of his signature. Billy couldn't write for he was the family eat. Nevertheless "Billy's" bond subscription was ae- eepted with eheers. The widow of a civil war vet- eran gladly voted all she could spare for bonds. She was "glad to loan tho government" what s' had saved from the pension paid to her for over 20 years.
The brightness of the day had a shadow in the sorrow at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. IIi 495 South Fifteenth street. The body of their son, Walter A. Hilden, arrived for burial, accompanied by a soldier comrade. Walter Hilden, a member of the fifth aerial squadron and one of the first San Jose boys to enlist, met death in a fall at Kelly field, Texas. He gave his life-we were only asked to buy bonds. A million and a half American boy- were pushing back the Hun out of northern Bel- gium and France toward the Rhine. They were paying with their lives-our Volunteer day gave us the opportunity to pay with our dollars.
J. H. Levy, for years proprietor of the Model clothing store "volunteered" generously. His sub- seription of thousands of dollars was to be divided as gifts among relatives in the service of Old Glory.
Although the dream of raising the entire quota on volunteer day did not come true, yet the plan was a tremendous "boost" not only in subscrip- tions, but in starting the official campaign wit', enthusiasm.
On the morning of September 28, 1918, Joseph M Parker and the combined war work couneil and women's army began the intensive drive to put San Jose and the counuty over the top and write the county's name once more high on the roll of hon- Liberty loan headquarters became tthe most im- portant place in town. Things commeneed to re- volve around "Joe". He was the right man for the right place and demonstrated it every hour ( the day in his handling of never-ending problems. Not onee during the strenuous day did he or other members of the war work council fail to make it clear that without the volunteer workers and the members of the women's army they couldn't "put it across." Mrs. L. T. Smith not only headed the work for the county, but acted as an ably qualified member of the speakers' committee, tireless in her efforts to make clear explanations and obtain re- sults. Mrs. Smith, D. A. Beattie, leader of the army for San Jose and Mrs. W. C. Wayland, liberty ioau chairman for the drive, deserved the "croix de guerre" for meritorious service. Everybody
worked.
William Halla covered Chinatown and found bond subscriptions piling up after the news came that young Sing Kee, son of Chunug Kee, had bech awarded the distinguished service eross. Sing Kce, the only Chinese soldier in company G. 306th in-
fantry, deserved that decoration and the croix de guerre that came to him later. He stood for 48 hours at an advance post with wireless apparatus sending messages baek to his commander after the post had been abandoned by the entire company. Sing Kee fought in many battles and spent a month in the hospital at Tours following a severe experience with mustard gas during a Hun attack. A letter of congratulation went to Sing Kee from his fel- low townsmen of the war work council. In sharp contrast with this heroism came the aceusation of "slacker" against Gustave George Olson, who, after taking out his first citizenship papers, re- nouneed all rights of eitizenship, declaring himse'f a native of Sweden in order to be free of military obligation to his adopted country, even later re- pentanee was poor reparatioin.
Day by day the bond figures mounted higher, ] not rapidly enough. "mopping up" campaign be- gan. The first week in October more than $1,00' 000 remained to be raised. A commititee on theater subscriptions consisting of C. C. Pomeroy, I. Mar- cus, I. O. Trousdale and Mrs. Elmer Emerson, as- sisted by scores of society maids and matrons, raised $19,000 in one evening. Over $10,000 of this amount was raised at the Theater Jose. The speeches calling forth this subseription were made by E. H. DeSelms, Frank H. Benson, Judge F. B. Brown and J. W. Kramer.
Unquestionably the ruined prune erop delayed the loan. It became a sheer necessity for sub- seribers to resubseribe in order to make up for those who were unable to do what they had planned. Prunes-spoiled prunes were tainting the atmo- phere. As they fermented strange things happened. At a raneh on the San Francisco road some chickens aeted in a queer manner. When kept shut up an- quite away from the discarded prunes they were a'! right. It developed that they were simply drunk on fermented prune juice. That same night, Septem- ber 30, by order of the board of supervisors, 13 saloons sold their last bit of liquor and closed their doors. Then the city council authorized the city manager to sell the meteor and the bond drive went on.
The Japanese subscribed almost $50,000 through M. Matsui and T. Kimura of the Japanese liberty loan committee. Howell D. Melvin and Elton R. Shaw handled this department of the drive.
Governor William D. Stephens spoke in the inter- est of the bonds at the Victory Theater on the evening of October 4, being introduced by Mr. Parker. The governor said that "no one could find any fault with Santa Clara county. No loss will hold her baek, but she will go over the top in this time of the nation's need." The audience evi- denced that same feeling by the applause that greeted Parker, Campiglia, Benson and Bailey when they took their places with the governor on the platform. They would "put it aeross."
The service flag dedicated at St. Joseph's on October 6, 1918, held almost one-third of the San Jose stars. About 1163 boys in service and 3.0 blue stars in the St. Joseph's flag!
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WAR HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
On Saturday night, October 5, came the memor- able result of Hun propaganda, the news of Ger- many's "peace offensive," well calculated to d fcat the loan. Whistles blew and bells clanged- and the hearts of the liberty loan workers missed several beats. It was insiduous and unmeasurably hurtful-but failed of its purpose. Another se- rious bandieiap faced the dauntless Chairman, Joe Parker. Influenza spread its banner of disease and death and began taking toil in army camps and at home. The closing days of the fourth liberty loan campaign were a fight-every step of the way.
Ilow Joe Parker and the headquarters company loved to stop in the midst of the day's work and work to do some kindly thing! Karl Stull was an indefatigable worker, on his "special committee". When that committee had a rather difficult task to do (and usually their work didn't draw applause), they called on Karl. He was always "there" whether it was a bit of publicity to be handled or a banner to be made and hung high above the busy street. His fellow workers appreciated Karl and just before he entered on his "limited service" in the spruce forests of the north they presented him with a wrist watch as a token of that apprecia- tion.
Toward the close of the time officially alloted for the loan came San Jose's zero hour. The city must go over behind the boys-forward to victory -but how? There was no disguising the anxieity at headquarters. Then John R. Cuace offered his suggestion of a $900,000 club. Each of the twelve war work council directors was to shoulder the re- sponsibility of getting $75,000 in subscriptions. Re- subscriptions were the only alternative. Jolin Chace followed up his own plan. He and W. S. Clayton became a pair of swashbuckling piratical loan sharks. They obtained $250,000 in bond sub- scriptions by their personal efforts and cach won well merited gratitude and an honor flag from Chairman Parker.
A patriotic service beyond measure was Dan J. Flannery's management of Sapper John Moriaity's speaking campaign. Through Mr. Flannery's tire- less efforts Moriarity 's war message reached over 20,000 people in Santa Clara county with a direet result in bond subscriptions that could not be com- puted. It is easy to see how much Flannery's ef- fort meant to the cause not only in this instance but duuring the entire period of the war as chair- man of the speaker's committee.
San Jose merchants vied with each other in pa triotie window displays. Stull & Souniiksen ar- ranged a very realistic battle scene in the front line' trenches with wire entaglements and fighting sol- diers shown in detail. In another sectioin of the window was shown a woman knitting for the sol- diers. This firm took first prize for its window display at the time of the first Red Cross drive, when a striking representation of the poster "The Greatest Mother in the World" was realistically carried out with wax figures. The Baker drug store window held a trophy exhibit, with gas · masks, fuses made from large shells and cases made
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