USA > Indiana > Jefferson County > Jefferson County in the World War : an historical and sociological study of one Indiana county during the war period, 1917-1918 > Part 3
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At that time our council was re-organized for business with the following committees supplementing the seven members above named, who constituted the council proper:
Finance: J. Wilbur Cornett, chairman; Charles Cravens, Robert T. Danner.
Food Production, Stimulation and Conservation: Joseph M. Cravens, chairman; Mrs. J. L. Fuelling, Charles E. Irwin, J. C. F. Schmidlap, Levi Danner.
Four Minute Men: Prof. Homer Long, chairman.
Enrollment of Men in Military Service: Capt. A. D. Van- osdol, chairman; Edward M. Prenatt, Walter Caplinger.
Jefferson County Guard: Capt. A. D. Vanosdol, chair- man; Sheriff George A. Monroe, R. F. Stanton (captain of Madison company).
Committee on Public Health: W. G. Rogers, chairman;
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The Council of Defense.
JIS. V. A. Turner, Mautson; Vincent Shepherd, Dupont; S. is. wintsitt, Kent; C. P. harwood, Brooksburg; C. W. Den- ny, Belleview.
Women's Activities: Mrs. M. C. Garber, chairman; Mes- Games S. G. Boyu, R. W. Cochran, Edward Eggleston, R. L. Ireiand, David Johnson, W. O. McLeiland, J. W. Milligan, Wm. Ugien, buwaru b. Fowell, W. G. Rogers, Elmer Scott, Marcus Sulzer, J. W. Tevis, and Miss Mayme Horuff.
'Township Secretaries: Graham, Mrs. Hiram Foster; Hanover, Mrs. Frank Craig; Madison, Mrs. G. F. Crozier; Republican, Mrs. W. A. Crosby ; Saluda, Mrs. Evelyn Wells; Shelby, Miss Agnes Bishop; Smyrna, Mrs. Walter A. Ritchie. Boys' Working Reserve: Miss Etta Hoffstadt, chairman.
But the Council of Defense could not do its work prop- erly without funds and the county commissioners were twice asked for an appropriation. The first time the request was refused on the ground that such appropriation was not au- thorized by law, there being no legislative provision for such emergency. Nevertheless, in this general emergency most of the counties had made appropriations, though the pro- ceeding was somewhat irregular, and after a second appeal made by a committee consisting of Messrs. Marcus Sulzer, P. E. Bear, John McGregor, A. D. Vanosdol, G. M. Daily and A. C. Greiner, our commissioners followed the precedent. There was no appropriation for 1917; that for 1918 was $1,- 092.75, and that for 1919 was $1,000.
Meanwhile a number of patriotic citizens who were most active in the work of "helping win the war" gave not only of their time but of their money for incidental expenses. The duties of Food Administrator Harper, for example, nécessi- tated much stenographic work; the same was true of Fuel Administrator Seburn and of William Ogden, the Council of Defense chairman. All of these and others-more, in fact, than the chronicler could definitely trace-saw their tasks through at personal expense when the situation demanded
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Jefferson County in the World War.
it and said nothing further about it. Senator J. M. Cravens, to cite one more instance, himself rented and furnished an office room for the clerical work of filling out questionnaires.
This filling of questionnaires as a first step in the select- ive scheme was one of the tedious, time-consuming tasks that demanded faithful volunteer service, and there were per- iods when those who had the work in hand virtually laid aside their private business. This applied to pretty much every at- torney of Madison. The machinery for accomplishing this work consisted of a legal advisory board of three members who appointed as associate members or assistants other local attorneys. The members of the advisory board were Messrs. J. M. Cravens, John McGregor and E. S. Roberts, and the as- sociates Messrs. Hiram Francisco, A. D. Vanosdol, S. E. Le- land, M. R. Sulzer, W. O. Ford, Emerson Lemen, S. J. Bear, Curtis Marshall, T. B. McGregor, H. J. Zearing, Nicholas Harper, B. F. Mouser, Harry Lemen, Charles O. McBride, P. E. Bear and Benjamin Noell.
In addition to the above those who had a recognized tal- ent for public speaking were pressed into service as "four minute men" to spread the propaganda of conservation, thrift and patriotic duty by numerous brief speeches at the picture theatres, at the factories and elsewhere as opportun- ity offered.
FOOD PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION.
Immediately after the declaration of war, Indiana took steps toward agricultural mobilization and the conserving of food stuffs. This stimulus reached to the various counties and on April 7, 1917, agricultural organization was effected at the court house in Madison with J. H. Hanna, president; Glenn Culbertson, vice president; George Sherlock, secretary, and F. H. Austin, treasurer.
This took the name of "The Jefferson County Patriotic Agricultural Society." A feature of the general plan was the promoting of township organizations by the county societies;
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The Council of Defense,
thus disseminating the interest throughout the rural disa triets, and pursuant to this "The Manville Patriotic Agricul- tural Society" was formed at a rally held at Manville, Milton Township, on April 16th. The officers of this branch were: Victor Vernon, president; Charles Martin, vice president; William Moore, treasurer, and Albert Scott, secretary.
In September, 1917, the State Council of Defense urged, through Mr. Ogden, the local chairman, an increased acreage of wheat and rye, the apportionment for Jefferson County being, for wheat, 24,000 and for rye 1,000 acres. As a result of this appeal the acreage for wheat, as estimated by the W. Trow milling company in October, was 20,000 to 24,000 acres as against 10,000 to 15,000 acres for the preceding year, and in 1918, there was a banner crop of this grain.
In the spring of 1918 the idea was conceived of organ- izing for farm work the drafted men who remained at home by reason of deferred classification. These to the number of 950, were notified to meet at the Court House for the purpose of perfecting a working society. There was a good response; the meeting was addressed by Dr. W. A. Millis, president of Hanover College, who emphasized the importance of a vig- orous food program, and the result was an organization with branches reaching into each township which, according to a subsequent report of the county agent, "proved a valuable asset to the promotion of agricultural work." To quote this report further "It was through this organization that a large number of farmers were interested in using pulverized lime- stone. Also through its channels a 25% increase in the acre- age of wheat was obtained. Furthermore this organization assisted in getting over 500 farmers to field-select their seed corn, and fifty-three farmers to erect fifty-three new silos, and they have made numerous surveys for the department."
Food production and food conservation were promoted in many ways. Ministers from their pulpits spoke on this subject; there were talks addressed to the school children,
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Jefferson County in the World War.
and merchants were asked to make window displays illus- trating methods of conservation. A Hoosier pledge card campaign and "conservation week" was conducted between the dates of October 28 and November 4, 1917.
Steps were also taken in August, 1917, toward organiz- ing throughout the county a "Boys' Working Reserve," the purpose of which was to enlist in agricultural work boys from 16 to 20 years of age. Miss Etta M. Hoffstadt, who had tak- en a course in food conservation at Purdue University, was the local director representing this movement, and through her twenty-two bronze badges were awarded to Jefferson County boys by the federal authority. The recipients of this honor were William A. Reidel, Howard B. Kuppler, Oliver P. James, Thomas L. Schrieber, Delbert O. Ackerman, Harry D. Linenweber, Geo. V. Reul, Stanley H. Reidel, Harry E. Walker, Richard H. Davis, and Glenn F. Hewitt, all of Mad- ison; Delbert E. Peacock, Deputy ; Earl G. Palmer, Edwin V. O'Neel, Waldo A. Judkins, Harley S. Graston and Charles J. Nichols, of Dupont; Osmer Richmond, Wray R. Waters and Ralph B. Green, of North Madison; Harold C. Voris, Hano- ver; Roy E. Langdon, Kosmosdale.
In Jefferson County, as elsewhere, however, the people awakened but slowly to the urgency of the things preached, and by way of an extra stimulus a big "war conference" was held in Madison on February 11, 1918. This consisted of three sessions broken up into various sectional meetings held at the Grand Opera House, the court house, the high school building and Trinity Church, where the questions of civilian war duties were discussed from every angle by the aid of visiting speakers, among whom were C. V. Stansbury, of the National Food Administration; H. A. Stevens, of Purdue University; Mrs. Grace Julian Clarke, of Indianapolis, and Lieutenant Hector McQuarrie, of the British army.
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WOMAN'S SECTION COUNCIL OF DEFENSE.
The local Council of Defense was greatly aided in its work by the zeal and faithfulness of the women, organized as the "Woman's Section," with Mrs. M. C. Garber, as chair- man. This virtually separated the council into two cooper- ating parts and calls for a separate consideration of the wom- en's work. The Woman's Section not only distinguished it- self by energy and initiative but kept the fullest and most methodical records that have fallen into the hands of the present writer, and the account here presented of the organ- ization and its activities is but an abridged form of an his- torical sketch written by Mrs. Garber, the chairman.
The Woman's Section of Jefferson County began its spe- cific duties, independently, says Mrs. Garber, "responding to instructions from the Woman's Section of the State Council for its work.
"The first assignment of duty was the quota of socks for the gift of 4,000 pairs to the first Indiana regiment to go to the front. Forty-seven pairs were asked of Jefferson County, to be completed and delivered by September 1. Six- ty pairs were done and delivered by August 25.
"To carry on this work the county was organized by the appointment of a chairman in each of the ten townships, as follows: Graham, Miss Lucy Robertson ; Hanover, Mrs. Frank Craig; Lancaster, Miss Mary Lewis; Madison, Mrs. David Johnson; Milton, Mrs. William Dow; Monroe, Mrs. Charles W. Denny; Republican, Mrs. W. A. Crosby ; Saluda, Miss Hazel Gorrell; Shelby, Miss Agnes Bishop; Smyrna, Mrs. Walter Ritchie.
"A meeting of these chairmen for organization was held July 24 with a good attendance. The work to which they were called was fully outlined and assignment made of the knitting-five pairs of socks to each township. The quotas were completed one week ahead of schedule time. The coun- ty went over the top in amount also, one-third more pairs of
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Jefferson County in the World War.
socks being sent than was asked for.
"August 9 a second called meeting was held at the head- 'quarters. The subject to be discussed was the conservation of the food products of the county for supplying the local de- mands for the ensuing winter, but the requirements of the pure food laws, such as printed tables with the name of person submitting each article, ingredients, etc., proved an insurmountable obstacle to the project.
"Simultaneously with the organization of the county a city committee, consisting of representatives of the churches and clubs was appointed. These were the women of executive ability and wide influence from the several wards of the city, the purpose being to reach all parts and, all people. Following is the committee:
"Mrs. M. C. Garber, chairman; Mrs. W. G. Rogers, vice chairman; Mesdames Edward Eggleston, R. L. Ireland, W. O. McLelland, J. W. Milligan, Edward Powell, Marcus Sulzer, R. W. Cochran, W. D. Ogden, David Johnson, John W. Tevis, E. R. Trow, Elmer E. Scott, E. B. Sheldon, and Misses Mary Horuff and Carolyn Ford.
"Through the city and county organizations the State registration of women was effected by means of the first and second food card campaigns. During a two months' ab- sence from the county of the chairman of the Woman's Sec- tion, the vice chairman, Mrs. W. G. Rogers, discharged the duties of the chairman through that period (October and November, 1917) with great efficiency. The second food card campaign was under Mrs. Rogers' administration, and was a notable success.
"On November 12 instruction was issued by the State chairman, Mrs. Carlisle, for an extension of county organi- zation along the lines adopted by the national committee call- ing for division chairmen to whom the several departments of work should be entrusted. The following appointments were submitted to the State chairman and endorsed:
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"Enrollment, Mrs. M. C. Garber. Food Production, Mrs. R. W. Cochran. Home Economics, Mrs. M. R. Sulzer. Child Welfare, Mrs. W. O. McLelland. Health and Recreation, Mrs. W. D. Ogden. Food Conservation, Mrs. W. G. Rogers. Liberty Loan, Mrs. J. W. Tevis. Red Cross, Mrs. E. R. Trow. Allied Relief, Miss Carolyn Ford. Social Service, Mrs. W. O. McLelland. Education, Mrs. E. B. Sheldon. Women in In- dustry, Miss Ella Wade. Publicity, Mrs. E. E. Scott. In- struction for this work was sent by the State chairman De- cember 3d. The appointments were made at once and the department work begun.
"The Jefferson County war conference was held Febru- ary 11, 1918, and was in every respect a great success. The session of the Women's Section was held in Trinity Church, a martial character being imparted by the soldierly bearing of the uniformed Boy Scouts who acted as ushers and pages. The program was as follows :
"Outline of proposed work, Mrs. M. C. Garber, chair .. man. General discussion, by division and township chair- men. Address, Mrs. Grace Julian Clarke, chairman State fourteen-minute women. Conference of county fourteen- minute women, conducted by chairman of State committee.
"Registration with the national card was begun March 23rd by the appointment of registrars covering all territory in town and county, the former on the block system and the latter by school districts. Registration classes for instruction of registrars and registrants were held in every township ex- cept two, whose organizations met with that of a neighbor- ing township. The first was in Madison, April 5th, the last in Hanover the week preceeding the registration drive. A committee of assistants accompanied the chairman of each class and aided in registering all women present. The num- ber of women in each township, according to the census of 1910, was given to the township chairman, and she was ex- pected to register 100 per cent. As a matter of fact, while
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Jefferson County in the World War.
the census gave 4,085 women for the county, 4,447 were reg- istered.
"The withdrawal of Mrs. Rogers, vice chairman and food conservation chairman, left vacant these offices and Mrs. R. W. Clements was appointed to fill the vacancies April 10, 1918. She accompanied the registration committee on its township visitations, instituting throughout the county food clubs under the direction of the State food administra- tion. 1
"Through Professor Christie, the head of the State ag- ricultural bureau, Mrs. Clements secured a course of food demonstrations by Miss Reba Smith, a food demonstrator from Purdue University. Six demonstrations were given, from May 13 to 18, before women of each township, neigh- boring townships combining their meetings when possible.
"The year for which the County Council was appointed expired May 31st, and the appointments for the ensuing year were: W. D. Ogden, chairman; B. H. Doddridge, County Agent, Secretary; J. W. Cornett, Treasurer; Nicholas Har- per, Food Administrator; W. T. Seburn, Fuel Administrator; Mrs. M. C. Garber, Woman Member; James Green, Labor Member.
"The Student Nurse Reserve Campaign was at once op- ened in connection with the Red Cross. The committee from the council was Mrs. E. R. Trow, R. C. chairman; Miss Car- olyn Ford, vice R. C. chairman, and Mrs. S. G. Boyd, chair- man Student Nurse Course, K. D. H. Thorough work was done by the committee and their many aides throughout the county, but it was not possible to fill the quota. A fair per- centage were enrolled, however. Under the direction of the State chairman regular monthly meetings were in- stituted, the first being held August 15th, in the Coun- cil of Defense headquarters in the Masonic Temple. Full reports from all chairmen were given at these meetings and three copies of the minutes, typewritten, were prepared
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by the secretary, one for the records, one for the report to the State chairman and one for the county chairman. Full reports of all called and regular meetings were forwarded to the State chairman by the first of each month.
"The influenza ban closed all meetings through the late fall and early winter and seriously interrupted activities. In- dividual work, however, was continued in all departments, in the interest of reconstructive measures, after November 11th.
"To this it should be added that the following group of 'fourteen-minute women' were chosen to speak before the women of the county on such subjects as registration of wom- en, liberty loans, thrift stamps, Red Cross, food conserva- tion, etc. ; Mrs. Eliza B. Sheldon, Mrs. Elias J. Scott and Mrs. Gaylord Crozier, for Madison Township; Mrs. Corda M. Eld- ridge, for Saluda; Mrs. Wm. O'Neal, for Lancaster, Graham and Smyrna; Miss Eloise Millis, for Hanover; Mrs. Charles Irwin, for Monroe; Miss Mary Hensler, for Republican; Mrs. Jesse Salyers, for Shelby ; Mrs. Howard Coleman, for Milton. Miss Ella Porter Griffith was chairman of the organization."
The Woman's Council had its own motor corps in ac- cordance with a State-wide scheme. It was rather late be- fore this corps was formally organized, but prior to that the women used their own machines and drove them, donating time and service as well as cars. But for them the drives could not have been carried out.
The same may be said regarding the volunteer service of the men's section of the Council.
FOOD AND FUEL ADMINISTRATIONS.
The food and fuel adminstrations of Jefferson County were so closely allied with the Council of Defense that they may be regarded as auxiliary to that branch of the war work. Virtually the administrators were officers of the law em- powered to enforce the various regulations whereby the gov-
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Jefferson County in the World War.
ernment sought to promote food and fuel conservation. In loous the policy was to restrict sales on certain articles of con- sumption, such as lats, hour and sugar; to lessen the demand of lile scarcer articles by the use of substitutes, as corn meal for four; to reduce meat consumption by the observance of certam " meatless days," and so on. in fuel the aim was to protect the consumer and relieve, as much as possible, the hardships arising from the abnormal situation by the fixing of prices and the restricting of coal consumption where in the juugment of the administration it was unnecessary and at the expense of the necessities of the community.
Mr. Nicholas Harper was appointed food administrator for Jefferson county by Herbert Hoover, November 24, 1917, and served in that capacity throughout the war, administer- ing his oft-times unpleasant duties without fear or favor, as the files of the local newspapers during that period amply tes- tify. In addition to regulating the use of foods he exercised authority in the threshing of wheat through the county, pre- venting unnecessary delays ; in the prompt moving of wheat to market, and in the unloading of food-stuffs from cars, while the rationing of sugar was one of his most vexatious problems. Mr. Harper was one of those who gave of his time without sal- ary and at the expense of his private business, and toward the end of his services was commended by Mr. Hoover in an appre- ciative message sent through Mr. Barnard, the State food ad- ministrator. Mr. Harper's duties ceased December 7, 1919.
The Rev. William T. Seburn, of North Madison, was ap- pointed fuel administrator for this county November 2, 1917, and was honorably discharged from the office February 28, 1919, throughout which period he served without pay. The source material at hand gives a very inadequate idea of Mr. Seburn's exact work, and when requested by the historian to supply a written sketch of the same he submitted the follow- ing very concise statement as to his activities :
"Fixed prices; distributed coal; procured coal; enforced heatless days, lightless nights and gasless Sundays ; provided
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wood stations; maintained coal supplies for industries and schools ; scattered war propaganda; served as chairman of four-minute men."
As a matter of fact the shortage of the coal supply during the severe winter of 1917-18 caused much suffering and a debt of gratitude is due Mr. Seburn for his earnest efforts to relieve that suffering by controlling so far as possible the fuel distribution and increasing so far as he could the fuel supply.
VII. RAISING MONEY FOR THE WAR.
The Liberty Loans, Victory Loan and War Saving Stamps drives, with which every citizen is familiar, was the govern- ment's method of raising directly from the American people the vast sums of money necessary to finance our part in the world war. All told there were six of these government cam- paigns for what was known as the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Victory loans, and the War Saving Stamps drive.
The first Liberty Loan raised the sum then required with little trouble and in Jefferson County there was no demonstra- tion and nothing that could properly be called a "drive."
Second Liberty Loan.
This drive was pushed in October, 1917. The sum set for this county to raise was $355,000. One method of securing publicity was by the services of volunteer "four minute men" who spoke briefly on the subject at churches, at the pic. ture theatres, and wherever opportunity offered, thus educat- ing the people to the immediate need. Among these speakers we find mention of Rev. M. L. Guthneck, Rev. J. W. Turner, Prof. W. Guy Pender, Prof. Homer Long, E. E. Scott, R. L. Ireland and Jos. Colgate. Mr. Scott raised $8,700 by persona?
Jefferson County in the World War.
solicitation, and $6,650 were subscribed by the employes of the Southeastern Hospital. J. W. Tevis was chairman of the Liberty Loan Committee.
(Third Liberty Loan.
Was promoted in April, 1918, with J. W. Tevis as director of the campaign in Jefferson County, the quota for the county this time being $393,500. For obvious reasons these drives, making successive demands upon the people at short intervals increased the difficulty of raising funds and necessitated a corresponding increase of pressure. For the third drive a "Women's Department of the Jefferson County Liberty Loan" was organized with Mrs. J. W. Tevis as chairman, assisted by the following ladies in the various parts of the county :
City of Madison : Mrs. W. G. Rogers, Mrs. David Johnson, Miss Frances Ross, Mrs. T. B. McGregor and Mrs. Oliver H. Roe. Graham township, Mrs. Hiram Foster, Deputy. Han- over township, Miss Carrie Craig, Hanover. Lancaster town- ship, Mrs. Mattie A. Richardson, Dupont. Monroe township, Mrs. Chas. E. Irwin, Route 4, Madison. Milton township, Mrs. Clifford A. McKay, Brooksburg. Madison township, Mrs. John Ledgerwood, R. F.D., Madison. Republican township, Miss Mary Hensler, Kent. Smyrna township, Mrs. Walter A. Ritchie, Route 6, Madison. Shelby township, Mrs. Jesse F. Salyers, Canaan. Saluda township, Mrs. Cordie Monroe Eld- ridge, Route 1, Hanover.
As part of a nation-wide plan preparations were made for opening the drive by a demonstration in Madison of ex- ceptional magnitude, and this came off on the sixth of April, 1918. The cardinal feature was one of the biggest parades ever held in the city, which marched and counter-marched the length of Main street to the music of the Elks and Hanover bands. The Home Guards militia, the fraternal orders, the Red Cross, the schools and other organizations were represent- ed. The school children sang patriotic songs in front of the court house and after the parade there was a meeting in the
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Raising Money for the War.
court room with speakers and a musical program.
Elsewhere in the county there were meetings and Liberty Loan adresses, and the campaign was given unusual publicity by a series of full page ads, contributed by the following firms and individuals : J. E. C. F. Harper & Co., The Courier Co., The Herald Co., Marks & Benson Co., Madison Light & Railway Co., W. H. Miller & Sons, John Knoebel & Son, Daily & Roth Co., W. Trow Co., Madison Safe Deposit & Trust Co., Mrs. E. E. Powell, Madison Telephone Co., J. W. Cornett, N. Hor- uff & Sons, National Branch Bank, and First National Bank.
The city of Madison put $31,500 of its sinking fund into the bonds. Juniata Tribe No. 24, I. O. R. M., invested $500, and individual members of that order subscribed to the amount of $10,800. The drive continued throughout the month of April, closing May 5th, with a subscription of about $500,000, every bank in the county exceeding its quota.
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