USA > Indiana > Decatur County > History of Decatur County's part in the World War, 1914-1918 > Part 5
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Food clubs were organized throughout the country.
The price of ice was ordered to remain the same in 1918 as in 1917.
Home food cards to be placed in the windows were distributed.
Any merchant violating any food order had his license taken from him and his store closed.
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The last food bulletin was issued January 28, 1919. Its number was 226.
The value of the work of Mr. Zoller as the Food Administrator of Decatur county can never be estimated, but with the aid of his assistant, William E. Cones, the orders issued in the 226 bulletins were placed before the people and strictly enforced.
The bulletins for this report were furnished by Charles Zoller, county food administrator.
During the reign of the food administrator the profiteers were held in subjection, but it is a sorry fact which history must record, that as soon as the . Government released control of the products the prices began to soar until how the people made ends meet was a wonder to every one.
The law ordering the merchants to sell by the pound instead of by the measure, did not prove to be a benefit to the purchaser as it was intended, as it gave the merchant ten chances to cheat where he had only one before, and when the housewife was asked twenty cents a pound for apples, she, not knowing that forty-eight pounds make a bushel of apples paid $9.60 for what some farmer friend received $2.00.
Potatoes were raised from 44c a peck to $2.25 a peck. +
Sugar raised from 8c a pound to 35c a pound.
Eggs reached 90c a dozen.
Hogs sold for $29.50 per hundred in 1919, and cattle soared as ·high. Of course when the farmer received largely for his produce, the consumer expected to pay high, but when the price of hogs and cattle dropped suddenly to $8.50 and the farmers all over the land could not sell for enough to pay for the high priced corn fed, the consumer still had to pay 40c for steak, etc., which was not right.
When hides went down so low, and the freight rate was so high that the price of hides did not pay the freight, shoes remained $10.00 and $15.00 a pair and then had wooden heels, beside.
When wheat went up, the bakers, of course, raised the price of bred, but when wheat came down bread stayed up 10c and 15c a loaf.
The cry of the housewife was heard throughout the land, "Oh, for the days of the food administrator that I might bring some money home from market."
At the beginning of the war wool yarn was 50c a pound, and the farmer
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DECATUR COUNTY
was receiving 17c a pound for his wool. Wool reached 67c a pound, and yarn 90c an ounce.
Serge dress goods jumped from 50c to $4.00 a yard, calico raised from 5c a yard to 27c a yard, percale 10c, reached 39c, Hope muslin leaped from 81/2c to 39c.
DECATUR COUNTY BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES BOYS WORKING RESERVE
The call "to arms" in the spring and summer of 1917 produced a great shortage of labor in both industrial and agricultural pursuits. To meet this shortage the United States Boys' Working Reserve was organized. The organiza- tion was made possible by the statutory power of the United States Department of Labor.
The Indiana branch of the Boys' Working Reserve was under the direction of the United States Department of Labor and the Indiana State Council of Defense, with offices in Room No. 83, State House, Isaac D. Straus was State director and C. B. Fritsche was assistant.
Early in July, 1917, the Decatur County Council of Defense appointed County Superintendent J. R. Crawley as director of the Boys' Working Reserve for Decatur county. In organizing the county for the reserve, he enjoyed the loyal and liberal support of the County Council of Defense and the various chair- men of the Township Councils of Defense. The movement met with the hearty support of township trustees : L. A. Jewett, Adams township; F. M. Pumphrey, Clay township : Henry Mozingo, Clinton township; A. T. Brock, Fugit township; Samuel Kelly, Jackson township ; D. W. Holcomb, Marion township ; Dr. H. S. McKee, Saltcreek township: J. W. Holcomb, Sand Creek township, and Charles Williams, Washington township.
The teachers in the public schools were especially helpful in building up the membership of the Boys' Working Reserve. The high school principals : O. L. Newman, Sandusky; Lyman Hann, Clarksburg: Merril Wilson, New Point ; O. W. Holmes, Westport ; Clifford Zetterberg, Letts; H. H. Wilson, Burney ; F. C. Fields, St. Paul; A. R. Turner, Adams; J. W. Fulton, Waynesburg ; G. W. Gal-
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braith, Alert; Lennie Dixon, Sardinia; and Guilford Wiley, Greensburg, gave excellent assistance.
At the outset there was much opposition on the part of parents to having their boys sign the pledge of the working reserve, because they thought it would lead to induction into military service. It took several months to clear up this situation, and undo the opposition of the parents. To make the purpose and plan of the working reserve clear, in the minds of the people, and to convince them that the Department of Labor was not trying to induct the boys into military service in this way, but only making an honest and patriotic attempt to supply the industries and the farms with labor, the county director used various means. At regular intervals he contributed articles to the local papers explaining the nature of the Boys' Working Reserve. From every pulpit in the county the ministers of the gospel were called upon to spread information touching upon the organization and to urge parents to co-operate by giving their consent to their sons' enrollment in the reserve. Gradually the opposition disappeared and the membershp in the Boys' Working Reserve grew in proportion.
The requirements for membership were not very exacting. The boys to be admitted must be over sixteen and under twenty-one years of age. He and his- parents had to sign the pledge. The pledge of the Working Reserve follows:
"I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will loyally and faithfully perform any work that I may undertake as a member of the United States Boys' Working Reserve."
After the campaign had been on for several months the membership for the county reached the unexpected total of 440. This surpassed the allottment for Decatur county by 100. The State director called upon us for 340 members and old Decatur always to the front answered with 440 signatures of boys from sixteen to twenty-one years of age. It is not known that a single boy in the county did not join the reserve.
During the great war many of the boys belonging to the reserve joined the army of the United States. Of this number three never returned: Leslie R. Shazer, of New Point, died of influenza at Paris Island ; Roy Hess, of Letts, died of influenza at Camp Winona, Warsaw, Indiana ; Harry Carmen, of Burney, died of influenza in the S. A. T. C. at Franklin, Indiana.
All through the spring, summer and autumn of 1918, the boys took the places left vacant on the farms of the county by the older sons who joined the colors.
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DECATUR COUNTY
Too high praise cannot be given to the great service of the boys on the farms of Decatur county during the year of 1918.
The county director kept a constant lookout for positions for boys and in May, 1918, sent out the following questionnaire to all the boys in the reserve :
1. What kind of work are you doing?
2. Are you permanently employed ?
3. If not employed, what kind of work do you prefer?
The replies came back promptly and showed only fifteen boys in the entire county not permanently employed.
The total number regularly employed was reported to Assistant State Di- rector C. B. Fritsche. The following is an exact copy of the reply from Mr. Fritsche :
Indianapolis, Indiana, June 18, 1918
Mr. J. R. Crawley, Greensburg, Ind.
My dear Mr. Crawley :
I doubt if a single county in the State can point to a more splendid record than that which has been made by the members of the reserve in Decatur county. With only fifteen out of four hundred and forty boys not regularly employed in productive work reflects credit not only on the patriotism of the boys, but also on the good influence of their parents and the educators who have been training them in the local schools.
Very truly yours, C. B. FRITSCHE, Asst. State Director.
In the autumn of 1918, the Working Reserve Officials issued bronze badges to all boys who had worked at least thirty-six days in productive work during 1918. In addition to the service badge a service bar was issued. The service bar indicated full time employed during the productive season of 1918. A great number of both badges and bars came to the loyal boys of Decatur county in recognition of their fine record of service.
The only item of expense to the county was a bill to Miss Riena Stevens for typewriting work, fifteen dollars and forty cents ($15.40).
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The Indiana Branch of the United States Boys' Working Reserve has been supplanted by the employment commission provided for in the Acts of 1919, page 761.
Prepared and submitted by J. R. Crawley, county superintendent.
FUEL ADMINISTRATION
During the summer of 1917, it was clearly demonstrated that our success in the great World war would depend greatly upon coal. Many corporations in this country were buying the entire output of our mines, and holding it for higher prices. Thus working great hardships on the people and delaying the moving of our transports.
On August 10, 1917, congress passed a bill authorizing the president to appoint a man to have control of the fuel of the entire country. On August 24, 1917, Harry A. Garfield, son of James A. Garfield, former president of the United States and president of Williams College, was selected to act as national fuel administrator.
Of course. this step met with great opposition by the greedy corporations.
The object of the fuel administrator was to secure the largest possible pro- duction of fuel at prices just to the producer and reasonable to the consumer ; not to discredit the dealers, but to assist them.
A State fuel administrator was appointed in every State. W. W. Woolen, of Indianapolis, was selected for Indiana.
On November 1, 1917, John H. Christian, Sr., of Greensburg, received his certificate of appointment from W. W. Woolen as fuel administrator for Decatur county.
Harry Emmert, Ed Siling, Robert Huber and J. Frank Hamilton were appointed as his advisory committee.
Prices were set, and the distribution was regulated.
Winter began early, and lasted long; from November, 1917, to March, 1918; and was extremely cold with deep snow almost the entire time, thus causing the fuel administrator much anxiety.
Very little coal was handled by the railroad companies on account of the "shortage of cars." In many instances, whole trains of cars were found side- tracked in some out of the way place. Some were reported left until the weeds grew up through the bottoms of the cars.
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DECATUR COUNTY
The coal corporations claimed they could not get cars, and the railroad com- pany claimed there were plenty of cars, but the coal men held them, but what- ever the cause, at one time early in 1918, there was less than two tons on hands among the dealers of Greensburg.
It became necessary to restrict the sale to five hundred pounds per customer. and forbid any sales outside the city. The country people were ordered to use wood.
Several times cars of coal were confiscated to supply private customers.
Coal was supplied through the fuel administration office to the State I. O. O. F. home, city schools and Burney and Clarksburg schools.
The Government took over the eastern mines thus necessitating the use of Indiana coal by us.
Anthracite coal was impossible to obtain, and many who had anthracite burners used soft coal in them. Many of the natural gas lines failed and the hardware men had hard work supplying stoves.
Finally, churches and lodges were closed; schools were dismissed for over a month ; saloons and places of amusement and entertainment were closed. People discontinued their furnaces and lived in as little space as possible. Heatless Mon- days were established at which time places of business were closed. This caused quite a howl of protest, "things would freeze," etc.
Heatless Mondays were from January 18 to March 22, 1918, inclusive. No manufacturer should use coal on these days unless filling war orders. This loop- hole gave opportunity for many dishonest men to claim their products were for the war, but investigations were made and their claims found groundless.
"Tag your shovel," was another means adopted to save coal. Every one was asked to save one shovelful of coal a day. This was observed from the White House down to the lowliest cottage in the land.
Gasolineness Sundays were instituted August 27, 1918. No one was to use automobiles, except doctors and undertakers. For fear of being called "Yellow Dog," the doctors had a card on their cars saying who they were.
· In Greensburg the Liberty Guards, together with citizens made it very un- pleasant for anyone using gasoline on Sundays. The object was to assist in sup- plying gasoline for the army trucks and other motors used at the front.
People were urged to procure their coal in the summer of 1918. The winter following (1918-1919) was the mildest experienced in twenty-five years.
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The office of fuel administrator was discontinued February 28, 1919. And all supplies, data and reports were forwarded to Washington.
Much appreciation was due Mr. Christian and his advisors, for the creditable manner in which they handled the fuel situation in Decatur county.
And Mr. Christian wishes hereby to thank the loyal people of the county, who responded so splendidly to his requests.
Outline for this report furnished by J. H. Christian.
REPORT OF WAR WORK OF THE OFFICE OF COUNTY AGRICUL- TURAL AGENT OF DECATUR COUNTY
Extension work in all counties of Indiana was put on a war basis at the entrance of the United States into the war. The county agent of Decatur county was placed on Government and State salary leaving the entire county appropria- tion of $1,500.00 for expenses. This allowed the employment of activities that would have been impossible without the Government aid. It certainly made the work more efficient.
Production Campaign. During the period of the war the following produc- tion campaigns were conducted :
Hogs. By community meeting and publicity two hog production campaigns were carried out with the assistance of specialists sent out by the experiment station. Eighteen community meetings were held.
Poultry. Five poultry culling demonstration meetings were held.
Corn. Twelve meetings for adults and twenty-six schools were visited on selection, storage and testing of seed corn. A county survey of available seed corn was made under the direction of this office and the information gathered was distributed by publicity as to the available supply and whereabouts of corn suitable for seed for the 1918 crop. The county agent of Decatur county also had charge of this organization work in Rush, Franklin, Ripley, Dearborn, Switzer- land and Ohio counties.
Special emphasis was laid on the production of more food stuffs by this office through newspaper publicity, circular letters, meetings and personal contact with farmers of the county.
A campaign for the erection of more silos to increase live stock production. conducted by a two days silo tour and the publishing of two thousand silo pamphlets paid for by the silo agents of the county. Seventy-eight new silos
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DECATUR COUNTY
were erected by the farmers of the county in 1918. With the assistance of a spec- ialist, fields were inspected in the summer of 1917 and 1918, which were suitable for seed and the information was sent out to the farmers. A local wheat pamphlet urging the production of more wheat and giving the results of local wheat demonstrations work was published and distributed by this office. The cost being paid for by the grain dealers of the county.
Rats and Mice. At the instruction of the County Council of Defense who bore the expense, a publicity campaign was conducted in the fall of 1918, on the eradication of rats and mice, for the purpose of conservation of food stuffs, the county agent's office during the years 1917 and 1918, conducted a labor bureau for the farmers of the county. During 1917, seventy-six men were secured as farm laborers and during 1918, one hundred two were placed on farms. The county agent was also assistant enrolling agent in the United States Public Service Reserve and during the Nation-wide campaign, to enroll men for ship-building work. The office was open day and night for the convenience of the men want- ing to enroll for this work. Sixty-five men of Decatur county signified their willingness to enter this work. Numerous bulletins and mimeographed pamphlets were sent out of this office to the farmers and school children on seed corn test- ing, clover seed testing, the treatment of seeds to prevent diseases and other litera- ture relative to food production.
The county agricultural agent served as a member of the county thrashing committee which saw that machines were inspected over the county as to their ability to do the work properly, saw that all machines were placarded with the rules and regulations of the thrashing division of the United States food adminis- tration, gave instructions in the saving of grain and collected the complete report from the thrashermen of the county regarding the number of acres thrashed, the number of bushels thrashed and the number of acres which the farmer con- templated planting in the fall of 1918. This information was used in publicity work and was sent to the United States food administration and the bureau of markets at Washington, D. C.
In co-operation with the county superintendent, the county agent had charge of the collection and shipment of nuts and nutshells for the manufacture of gas masks for the American soldiers. Three thousand one hundred and fifty pounds were shipped to the American Red Cross from Decatur county.
The county agent served on the war savings stamp committee and the county highway committee appointed by the County Council of Defense.
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The stenographic aid of this office and the office equipment, particularly the mimeograph for duplicating letters was at the service of all war workers. Circu- lar letters were issued for the County Red Cross, United War Work campaign, Child Welfare work and the Y. M. C. A. Much credit for the success of special war work in the agricultural line in Decatur county is due to the county food production committee, which was composed of a farmer from each township. This committee was elected by the farmers at the county war conference and it was met with great regularity in co-operation with the county agent to assist in carry- ing out and organizing special campaigns of food production, the labor question and many efficient means of increasing food production and decreasing the cost of this production. This committee was composed of Ralph Donnell as chairman of Fugit township, J. E. Robbins of Washington township, Louis Lines of Adams township, Will Cramer of Salt Creek township, Milt Evans of Jackson township, Ed McConnell of Marion township, John Stout of Sand Creek township, Ed Pum- phrey of Clay township and Frank Bird of Clinton township. These men rendered valuable service to this office and to the farmers of Decatur county.
The county agent's office has always been a medium of exchange for the securing of pure bred and better varieties of seed for the farmers especially soy beans, oats, wheat and rye and also for the exchange of pure bred live stock between farmers of the county.
Before the arrival of a home demonstration agent, several canning demon- strations were held over the county especially during the year 1917.
Respectfully submitted,
P. D. BROWN, County Agricultural Agent.
CHILD WELFARE
Under the superintendency of Mrs. Jethro C. Meek, the work of assisting in the better baby campaign, or child welfare, was a great success.
The mothers were invited to take their children to certain doctors for a physical examination, free, at which time instructions were given as to how to make the children better physically. Many children were examined within a given time and greatly benefited.
The Tri Kappas took over the task of furnishing milk to certain under- nourished children.
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DECATUR COUNTY
A motion picture, "The Man Without a Country," was given at the K. of P. Opera House under the direction of Mrs. Meek, the children in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, who made the highest grades were permitted to sell tickets.
At this time a movement for the betterment of the coming generation was started which was far reaching and should be carried on down through the years.
UNITED STATES PUBLIC RESERVE
In November, 1917, the Government began to enlarge the navy and calls were sent out through the County Councils of Defense for carpenters to work in the ship yards. Will R. Pleak was appointed to secure them in this county. Quite a number of men were in the employ of the Government in the capacity of ship builders.
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
The solicitation Sanction committee's work was to investigate all solicitation of war funds within the county and if found worthy,-such that had the approval of the president, secretary of war and secretary of the navy,-were given a letter of endorsement to be exhibited by the solicitors.
Approval was given to the Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A., Catholic and K. of C., Jewish Welfare, Salvation Army, Library Fund, Recreation, French and Belgian Orphans, Community Center, Victory Fund.
Committee consisted of: D. W. Weaver, chairman ; Sam Bonner, Joe Moss, Will Lanham, Glant Welsh.
Prepared and submitted by,
D. W. WEAVER, Chairman.
AGENT OF EXPLOSIVES
James Dashiell, with Ira Bird as assistant, was appointed to have charge of all explosives in the county. No one was allowed to use dynamite or explosives of any kind for anything without the sanction of these men. By their constant vigilance we feel sure our mills and elevators were saved from being blown up, as they were in many places.
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EXTERMINATION OF GERMAN PROPAGANDA FROM THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
The German propaganda had been so thoroughly planted in this country that the discovery was made that in many places it was installed to an alarming degree in the public libraries, so on November 24, 1917, the County Council of Defense appointed Frank Monfort, the librarian of the Carnegie Library, to be assisted by Mrs. Ida Ewing, to eliminate all such literature from the public library of Greens- burg.
Mr. Monfort being so well acquainted with the books and magazines in the library, the task was not so great for him, as it would have been for most li- brarians, for he considered the books as his friends and knew them a great deal better than most friends are known.
Two books were thrown out, together with several magazines. This is a record of which the people of Decatur county may well be proud, and feel under many obligations to Mr. Monfort for his guardianship of the reading matter placed at the disposal of our citizens.
THRIFT AND WAR SAVINGS STAMPS
The call for the sale of thrift and war savings stamps was made in July, 1918. Harry Hillabold was selected to be chairman of Decatur county. Thrift Stamps were twenty-five cents each. Everyone purchasing was furnished with a thrift stamp book. When the book, which contained sixteen stamps was filled it could be exchanged for a War Savings Stamp. Each War Savings Stamp would be worth $5.00 on January 1, 1923, the Government paying compound interest. Many people could loan money to the Government by this plan who could not on a larger scale as bonds.
And how loyally the children helped-they saved their pennies denying themselves candy, ice cream and the moving picture shows. Many of them have by this method started a nucleus for a college education.
Most of the Thrift Stamp sales were made by the pupils of our schools. By the following is shown how these small amounts soon made large sums.
With a population in the county of 18,810, the quota was placed at $398,206 and the amount sold was $475,000.
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DECATUR COUNTY
WAR SAVINGS STAMPS
Population
Quota $127,620
$140,000
Henry Christian, Sr.
Washington
2,945
78,900
90,000
Bart Mclaughlin
Fugit
1,080
21,600
23,000
.
Thos. Hamilton
Clinton
736
14,720
33,000
Horace McDonald
Adams
1,265
27,306
30,000
Frank Eubank
Clay
1,187
23,740
40,000
Cale Wright
Jackson
1,126
22,520
24,000
John Christ
Sand Creek
1,945
38,900
48,000
Frank Hamilton
Marion
1,025
20,500
22,000
Ben Feldman
Salt Creek
1,120
22,400
25,000
John Meyer
H. H. HILLABOLD, County Chairman.
THE LIBERTY GUARDS
Several companies of Liberty Guards were organized in the county, but none had uniforms except the company at Greensburg and St. Paul. St. Paul had rifles, but Greensburg never had any. A full account of the St. Paul troop is found in the history of Adams township.
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