USA > Iowa > Scott County > History of the war activities of Scott County Iowa, 1917-1918 > Part 12
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During the existence of this office, which was closed on January 1, 1919, a number of cases were also heard which do not enter into the above report. In most cases they were petty quarrels between tenants and landlords, with the blame for the trouble about equally divided be- tween each side. Landlords were anxious to get all they could out of their property, while war worker tenants were very chesty and threat- ened their landlord with "getting the government after him," etc.
It is my belief that this bureau did considerable good at a time when the city was choked with people. It was pitiful to listen to the com- plaints of men and women with children, who came here to do war work, and were living in one room because they could not secure better accommodations.
Hearings were held in every case where necessary, generally on the complaint of tenants, and both sides asked to be present. Some cases were quickly disposed of, while others took up hours of discussion and wrangling. In some cases arbitrary decisions had to be made, and in one or two instances the aggrieved parties secured attorneys and threatened fight. But nothing developed.
To the credit of the citizens of Davenport, it should be said that while rents were generally raised, and in some cases because tenants were calling on landlords and offering unheard of prices if they would throw out the present tenants and admit the new bidders, there were not many cases of serious rent profiteering disclosed.
The Fuel Commission
BY LEE J. DOUGHERTY, Secretary
The term of office of the Davenport Commission of the United States Fuel Administration was filled with incidents that placed it in a position to be of benefit to the citizens of Davenport. The work proved to be interesting. The dealers in fuel were patriotic and the work of the commission was greatly facilitated by the willingness of the dealers to comply with all fuel regulations. At no time was there any serious conflict between the fuel dealers and the commission. The coal con- sumers were also very anxious to work in harmony with the ccal deal- ers and the Fuel Commission. The commission found the domestic con- sumers as well as managers of industries ready and willing to comply with any and all suggestions made.
The United States Fuel Administration of Davenport was appointed October 13, 1917, with B. J. Denman as Chairman, E. K. Putnam as Sec- retary, and L. N. Gansworth as the third member of the commission, and these members worked faithfully during the winter of 1917 and the spring of 1918. It was during this period that the greatest amount of work was required. As Chairman Mr. Denman gave a great deal of his time to the work of the commission, and his knowledge of freight rates and other matters that entered into traffic conditions was of untold advantage to the Fuel Commission. E. K. Putnam, Secretary of the commission, gave practically his entire time from the date of his ap- pointment until the spring of 1918, and his work should be appreciated keenly by the community, as he minimized the effect of an acute fuel shortage during the winter of 1917 and spring of 1918. Mr. Putnam kept a most complete and accurate record of all matters pertaining to the fuel situation. Mr. Gansworth did very excellent work as a member of this commission.
August 5, 1918, the resignations of E. K. Putnam, who entered Red Cross work and went overseas, and Mr. Gansworth, who entered Y. M. C. A. work and went overseas, were accepted.
V. E. Hayward and L. J. Dougherty were appointed to fill the vacancies on the commission. B. J. Denman remained as Chairman, and L. J. Dougherty was appointed Secretary.
Records of the fuel situation were continued and the Fuel Commis- sion held regular meetings until the spring of 1919. Accurate records of cars of coal received in the city each week were kept during the period the commission was in service and these figures were compared with the figures of the previous year. By tabulating these figures and the amount of coal delivered by each dealer, the cominission was able to approximate the requirements of the community and to distribute the available coal so that there was very little inconvenience and practically
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no suffering from lack of fuel by domestic consumers and no interrup- tion of industry.
It is proper that a word should be said in connection with the courteous and efficient work done by the clerical force in the office of E. K. Putnam, and by Miss Shebanek in the office of the Council of Defense. The commission received many complimentary reports from the public and fuel dealers regarding the work of the clerical force. The work of the Fuel Commission is now finished and it feels that the public and fuel dealers are to be commended for the perfect co-operation given during the term of office of the Davenport Fuel Commission.
The Rainbows' Return
When some 500 men of the famous Rainbow division returned to Iowa through Davenport, May 14, 1919, they received a welcome here that made them doubly glad to be back on Iowa soil. Factories, stores, and offices closed, the whole city turned out to greet them, and at the Hotel Blackhawk they were given a breakfast of fried chicken which they were still praising when they were demobilized at Camp Dodge. Belonging to the 168th Iowa Infantry, most of them had been the old Third Regiment of the Iowa National Guard. Mayor Lee J. Dougherty delivered a brief address of welcome, declaring it a proud day for Iowa that saw these famous fighters back home. Harry J. McFarland pre- sided, with the support of the committees of the Community Welcome Home, of which he tells elsewhere in this volume.
Another hearty demonstration of welcome greeted the men of the 88th Division, and crowds also welcomed home the Batteries, although their separation into groups returning at various times led to their real welcome being a part of the community celebration of February 3, 1919.
The Public Library
BY GRACE D. ROSE, Librarian
During the time that the United States was engaged in war the gov- ernment used the public libraries as important agents for general pub- licity. In all of the campaigns from the 1917 one, for war gardens, to the Red Cross membership drive of 1918, the Davenport Public Library posted bulletins, distributed pamphlets, and advertised in various ways. The pamphlets upon food conservation, canning, and preserving, and those published by the Committee of Public Information were received by the hundreds for free distribution. An effort was made to have the best and most reliable books and information upon the war and the many subjects which were of interest during this time. The walls of the Library and its bulletin boards were bright with the many colors of the posters that advertised Liberty Loans, the Red Cross campaigns, food conservation, War Savings Stamps, the United War Work Drive, etc.
One bulletin board was devoted to the subject of food conservation, and there were numerous exhibits of prepared foods that were furnished by Mrs. Kramer, the County Demonstrator. Recipes of these foods were duplicated by the High school pupils and were distributed at the Library. A collection of recipes for war cooking was made and was in constant use. One exhibit that was unique and very helpful was loaned by Frank Holm, February, 1918. There were dried fruits and vege- tables, also fruits and vegetables that Mr. Holm had preserved by a home method of cold storage, and others that he had grown in his winter garden in his cellar. Careful directions for all the processes were likewise given.
In the fall of 1917 Miss Peck, the children's librarian, organized a Junior Red Cross Club. The children came to the Library on Saturday mornings eager to learn to knit, to make garments for refugee children, and to do their share of Red Cross work. A corps of volunteer workers came on Saturdays and Wednesdays to teach the children and supervise their work. The club labored faithfully until the spring and accom- plished an appreciable amount of work. The articles included 8 bed quilts, 8 knitted quilts, 11 baby bonnets, 19 pairs of bootees, 3 fracture pillows, 10 handkerchiefs, 18 tumbler covers, 49 knitted squares, 9 sweaters, 3 pairs of wristlets, and a number of smaller articles.
Miss Dawson, the Branch Librarian, in co-operation with the Red Cross, arranged for knitting demonstrations at the Independent Baking Co. and Jackson school. A number of people at both places learned to knit and joined the ranks of Red Cross workers.
The Library was, of course, the local agent of the American Library Association in its war service. In September, 1917, the first appeal was made to raise funds for the establishment of library service in the camps and cantonments in this country and for our soldiers in France.
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Davenport citizens donated $1,150 during that week. Shortly after- wards a call for books and magazines brought large numbers of both to the Library. In October the Davenport Library sent over 1,000 books to Camp Dodge, Iowa, for the camp library. Later on books were shipped from Davenport to Camp Shelby, Miss .; to the Hoboken dis- patch office for overseas use, and a good collection was placed in the Y. M. C. A. hut at Rock Island Arsenal. Over 5,000 books were sent from Davenport, and these were all prepared in the Library for immediate use. A large number of magazines were also donated for the use of the soldiers. The Librarian was appointed American Library Association supervisor for the library work for the Arsenal when the "Y" hut was opened there in June, 1918, and during the summer members of the Library staff made regular visits to care for the books. In September Mrs. Harry Evans volunteered her services for this work and served faithfully till the end of the year. Mrs. Schuyler succeeded Mrs. Evans in charge of the book collection.
Responding to the call of the American Library Association for workers in its war service, Miss Alice Curtis, of the Library staff, served in the American Library Association dispatch office at Newport News from June to October, and the Librarian was given three months leave of absence in the fall to act as camp librarian at Camp Bowie, Texas. Miss Peck had been accepted by the Red Cross for work in France when the armistice caused the engagement to be canceled. The Librarian served on the Committee for War Savings Stamps, and was chairman of the Library Committee of the War Camp Community Ser- vice, and represented the Davenport Public Library at the meeting of the seven organizations at Des Moines, September 28th, to plan for the United War Work campaign.
The Library club rooms were opened freely to patriotic leagues and similar organizations. The Library was a registration center in the first Red Cross membership drive and also for Red Cross nurses. Mem- bers of the Library staff have been enthusiastic and faithful workers both for the Red Cross and Belgian relief.
In every way that was possible the Library has co-operated with the Council of National Defense, the Red Cross, the National War Garden commission, and the departments of the United States government. The whole thought of the Public Library was to contribute its share in winning the war. The war service of the American Library Associa- tion is being continued in the camps and in France and will probably result in permanent libraries for soldiers and sailors. The Davenport Library will make another shipment of books for use in France and for the returning transports.
Post-war work is already started in a campaign for more gardens and reading material for the boy's working reserve; while our return- ing soldiers seek the Library for books on business and the civil occupa- tions they wish to pursue.
The Lawyers
BY WAYNE G. COOK, Secretary Scott County Bar Association.
No class or profession has shown greater interest in or made greater sacrifices for the successful prosecution of the world war than has the Bar of the United States. It is the purpose of this article to record so far as possible the undertakings of the lawyers of Scott county and to set forth in a general way their war work, pertaining particularly to matters of a legal nature or those to which they were called by reason of their legal training.
There was no general war activity which did not have the hearty and faithful support of the lawyers as individuals. They were repre- sented in every Liberty Loan campaign, they took part in the cam- paigns for funds for all war work organizations, and in general were active in every movement in which patriotic citizens participated.
The Bar of Scott county consists of approximately one hundred members. Of these twenty-one entered the active military or naval service of the United States between the date of the declaration of war and the signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918. This is a rep- resentation of over 20 per cent of the total membership of the profes- sion, and when it is remembered that a very large percentage of the members of our Bar are beyond the maximum age limit for acceptance under any circumstances, it will be seen that the percentage of qualified lawyers in active service was much greater.
In order that the names of Scott county's lawyers in the military and naval service may be perpetuated the following list is appended; comment is unnecessary:
Lieutenant-Colonel A. D. Ficke.
Ernest Claussen.
Major N. D. Ely.
Francis C. Harrison.
Captain F. H. French. Glen D. Kelly.
Captain Arthur Vollmer.
James J. Lamb.
Captain Tom McClelland.
William W. Scott.
Lieutenant Charles S. Pryor.
Hugh Webster.
Lieutenant Sam H. Erwin.
Merle F. Wells.
Lieutenant C. D. Waterman.
Ralph G. Smith.
Lieutenant Herbert Sitz.
Ralph C. Williamson.
Lieutenant J. Reed Lane.
E. O. Newell.
Albert F. Block.
Second only in importance to the men in the military service was the machinery by which our draft army was raised. The operation of the selective service act and its success was dependent absolutely upon the men to whom the executive and administrative duties in connection with the selection of registrants was delegated. These were the mem- bers of the various exemption boards. As the history of the work of these boards locally appears elsewhere they are only mentioned here because of the important service rendered by Judge Nathaniel French
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as Chairman of Local Board No. 2, and by N. D. Ely as Chairman of the District Exemption Board prior to his receiving his commission in the army. Both of these gentlemen dropped everything and devoted their entire time for many weary months to the work of these boards. They brought to the task great ability and good judgment, and their per- formance of these important duties to the exclusion of all personal business interests reflected credit not only upon them but upon the Bar of Scott county.
Closely affiliated with the Exemption Boards were the government appeal agents, attorneys designated to represent the government in the investigation of cases wherein deferred classification was claimed and to appeal from the classification of the local boards in all cases where deferred classification was granted on the ground of dependency, the purpose being to bring all such cases before the District Board for uniform rulings.
These government appeal agents were first appointed under the original selective service act soon after the declaration of war. They were then known as representatives of the Provost Marshal-General. When the act was amended to provide for classification based on ques- tionnaires sent to registrants provision was made for government appeal agents.
In Scott county the lawyers designated first as representatives of the Provost Marshal-General's office and later reappointed by the Gov- ernor to serve as government appeal agents were Albert W. Hamann, serving for Local Board No. 1; J. Clark Hall, for Local Board No. 2, and Henry H. Jebens, for the Local County Board.
The work of the appeal agents and of investigators under their supervision uncovered numerous cases of change of occupation for the purpose of evading military service, others in which dependency was made to appear by the questionnaires but where actually the dependent had property not mentioned sufficient to change the status of the reg- istrant. A few cases of actual fraud and one of forgery were also un- covered, all of which was of immense importance in raising the enormous quotas without calling men actually needed in necessary industries or for the support of families.
The work of the appeal agents also operated to protect registrants ignorant of their rights and more frequently the families of men who were more than willing to go into the service to evade their domestic responsibilities. In other words, the duty of these agents was to see that every registrant was properly classified; that those who belonged in the service were placed in class I and those who were necessary else- where were kept at home.
It is estimated that prior to November, 1917, when the questionnaires were sent out, from seventy-five to 100 appeals had been handled for each Local Board. After that time the work was continuous and con- stant, as nearly three-fourths of the total cases had to be reviewed by the ' District Board. The satisfactory manner in which these arduous duties were discharged is shown by the Provost Marshal-General's report, a portion of which is as follows:
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"The vast amount of work done by these men is not generally known. The character of the work required that it be done without publicity and as quietly as possible. The work was exacting and required care and judgment as not only the interests of the government required protection but those of registrants as well.
"No forms were prescribed and the appeal agents were required to develop their own forms, which was no small task. Furthermore, there was to begin with a dearth of precedent, and when rulings were made by the Provost Marshal-General's office they were frequently altered or reversed and each day brought new regulations and rulings to be studied and considered with relation to the cases on hand.
"After August 13, 1917, an appeal was required to be taken from every decision of the Local Board awarding a deferred classification on the ground of dependency. In many of these cases the appeal agent being satisfied of the propriety of the decision merely formally pre- sented the record to the District Board, but others required exhaustive investigation. Among the questions causing difficulty were those wherein the registrant married after May 17, 1917. Here the depart- ment at different times took three different positions as to its policy, which made it extremely difficult to determine the proper classification.
"It can be seen that government appeal agents were faced with a heavy task. To perform this task to a degree satisfactory to the gov- ernment it was inevitable in a large proportion of the cases that private livelihoods and business interests of these men would materially suffer. It was a task that meant unlimited sacrifice, and the records of this office show that the duties were fully realized and that they were adequately performed."
The purpose of the selective service act was not to see that as many men as possible be classed for military service irrespective of all else, but to see that each registrant was placed where he could best serve the interests of the nation. In many cases this was not in the army but in some necessary productive industry or at home in the support of those whom the government would otherwise have to take care of.
In handling the millions of registrants required to fill out ques- tionnaires it was essential that some means be provided to afford advice and assistance to these men in order that there be a minimum of errors and that individual rights and those of the nation be adequately protected.
It was but natural that this task, involving as it did the interpreta- tion of statutes and regulations, should devolve upon the lawyers of the country. The American Bar Association offered to the government the services of its members for this purpose, and acting upon its suggestion the governor of each state appointed in each county or district three lawyers as permanent members of the Legal Advisory Board. These members had charge of the selection of associate members to constitute a body prepared to advise registrants of the intent and purposes of the selective service law and of their rights and obligations thereunder, to assist in the filling out of questionnaires and to see that full justice was done both to the registrant and the government.
The permanent members of the Scott County Legal Advisory Board were Hon. M. F. Donegan, Chairman; Hon. Jas. W. Bollinger and Chas. Grilk. To name the associate members would be practically to repro- duce the roster of the Scott County Bar, for without exception the lawyers of Scott county volunteered for this service, and while some
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did little actual work the great majority devoted days of time to this purpose without pay.
The Scott County Bar Association passed a resolution to the effect that no charge should be made by any member for services in connec- tion with the classification of any registrant, and so far as known no charge was made to any registrant for these services in Scott county.
Between 5,000 and 7,500 questionnaires were presented to the Scott County Legal Advisory Board for advice and assistance, and from ten to thirty lawyers were on duty constantly at the City Hall during a month or more.
It may be safely stated that the work of the Legal Advisory Board, while not free from errors, relieved the local boards and the appeal agents of a vast amount of labor and resulted in minimizing the num- ber of cases of fraud, or concealment, in aiding registrants to make only proper claims for deferred classification and in making certain that proper claims for exemption were fully presented.
Another voluntary organization of great importance was that known as the "Four Minute Men," who operated under the authority of the Committee on Public Information and carried on through four minute speeches in churches, schools, and theatres a campaign of education in which plans of the various departments were explained and the public acquainted not only with the methods and policies of the government, but with the need for concerted action and individual sacrifice for the common good. Probably no one thing was productive of greater good or created a more wholesome attitude in the public mind than the work of these "Four Minute Men." This work was not confined strictly to the bar but naturally the bar furnished a large percentage of the speak- ers, many of whom appeared with great frequency and devoted much time to this valuable service.
In order that soldiers and sailors or their families in need of legal advice and services other than those connected with their liability for service and claims for exemption might be served and their business in- terests protected, a committee was appointed in each county to organize the Bar so that such services should be rendered free of charge.
The committee for Scott county, appointed under authority of the Iowa State Bar Association, consisted of E. M. Sharon, J. W. Bollinger, and Wayne G. Cook. The appointment of this committee came too late to enable it to do much before the signing of the armistice terms, but in all probability it will still be required to do considerable work along these lines.
During the period of the war the Scott County Bar Association abandoned its settled policy of having its annual banquet and other social affairs limited to the lawyers, and instead endeavored to create and crystallize patriotic sentiment in Scott county by affording an opportunity to a greater number to listen to the views of prominent speakers.
In 1917, when Batteries B and D were ordered to the border for training the association entertained every member of both Batteries at a banquet at the Commercial Club. The speakers were N. D. Ely, M. V. Gannon, Henry Thuenen, Hugh Webster, United States District
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Attorney Claude R. Porter, and Hon. M. J. Wade. The meeting was a great success and the association was advised by Colonel A. M. Compton, then commanding Battery B, that it served to show every member of the local Batteries that Scott county was behind them and did much to instill the proper spirit for the undertaking upon which they were entering.
In July, 1918, a patriotic dinner was served by the Bar Association to which representative citizens of Davenport, members of the Council of Defense from the entire county, representatives of various War Savings Stamps societies, and similar organizations were invited. The purpose of this meeting was to afford Scott county residents a better insight into the manner in which other localities were meeting the serious problem of raising funds for war work and dealing with "slackers" ignorant or intentional.
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