USA > Indiana > The war purse of Indiana; the five liberty loans and war savings and thrift campaigns in Indiana during the world war > Part 8
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9. Wilbur D. Nesbit, former Hoosier and director of publicity for the Seventh Federal Reserve Bank, served as toastmaster. He was an Indiana newspaper man, and
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INDIANA WORLD WAR RECORDS
Many leaders joined in planning for the Third loan at that meeting. Other district preparatory meetings were held at Terre Haute, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Greensburg and else- where. At these meetings Loan officials from all counties in each district, including women representatives, bankers, busi- ness men and others, talked over with the state officials the general plans for organizing for the coming campaign. These meetings also served to open the publicity campaign through- out the state for the Third loan, as the newspapers responded to them splendidly, in each of the districts, and in Indian- apolis.
Early in the preparations for the Third loan organization it was determined that complete co-operation between the men and women of the state should be assured for forthcoming efforts. For this purpose a meeting between Alice Foster McCulloch, of Fort Wayne, woman's chairman for Indiana, Mrs. Jessie Fremont Croan, of Anderson, state organizer for the women, Mrs. Fred Lauenstein, of Evansville, in charge of the southern counties for the women, Miss Maybelle Petti- grew, of Indianapolis, in charge of the tier of counties sur- rounding Indianapolis, and Mr. Wade, Mr. Jewett, Mr. Forrey, and others of the men's organization, was held in Indianapolis March 6th and plans for complete representation of women throughout the state on the general Loan committees were made.
The women Loan executives representing both northern and southern counties of the state attended, and extensive plans were made for the part the women were to play in the Third campaign. Among the women present were women's county Loan chairmen from all over Indiana, state executives, and Mrs. George Bass, of Chicago, national secretary of the Woman's Liberty Loan Committee, Miss Florence Wade, wo- man's executive for the St. Louis district, and Miss Grace Dixon, of Chicago, Woman's Committee executive for the Chi- cago district.10
Mrs. Josephine Herschell, first vice-president of the Woman's Press Club of Indiana, was named by Alice Foster
years before the war had attained prominence as a writer and poct. His best known poem which was used much during the war was "Your Flag and My Flag." Ben F. Mccutcheon acted as head of the Seventh Federal Reserve press bureau during the First, Second and Third loan campaigns. He served as Federal Reserve director of publieity in the Fourth and Victory loan campaigns. He was a former newspaperman, and taken from Chicago newspapers for the war service. He is a brother of John T. Mccutcheon, famous Hoosier cartoonist, and George Barr MeCutcheon, Indiana novelist.
10. Indianapolis newspapers, Mareh 6-7, 1918.
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THE WAR PURSE OF INDIANA
McCulloch to direct the publicity for the Woman's Liberty loan Campaign in the state during the early days of the Third loan. She established offices in connection with the state Loan publicity headquarters in Indianapolis and continued to func- tion as woman's publicity chairman for the northern counties during the war. Active co-operation of the newspaper women of the state was given her, and this added materially to the success of the woman's bond program.
The same general educational plan as that adopted by the men's organization was taken over by the women executives, and all the women's activities of the state responded whole- heartedly to the call to "tell the folks about Liberty Loan."
Throughout the state women for years had been highly or- ganized, in church work, in club life, in social life, in some businesses, and in such political phases of the state's life as equal suffrage work and school supervision. All of these or- ganized groups went into the Third loan to educate their mem- bers to the real necessity for government support.
On March 6th Horace Ellis, state superintendent of public instruction, announced that the whole school system of Indi- ana was at the disposal of state headquarters to be used for disseminating information regarding the Third loan cam- paign.11
A rural school campaign of education was inaugurated by the treasury department, but Indiana had been ahead of this program with her intensive educational drive in all the schools. A program for carrying the Loan message to the parochial and private schools of the state also had been worked out by the Rev. Victor J. Brucker, a Catholic priest of Indian- apolis, and Mrs. Thomas A. Wynne of Indianapolis.
The universities and colleges of the state also were taking active interest in the campaign by this time. Dr. William Lowe Bryan, president of Indiana University, Dr. William E. Stone, president of Purdue University, and George I. Christie, of Purdue, and the heads and executive officers of the normal schools and colleges were being utilized by Loan executives to the end that their various institutions might function to the uttermost in the big program.
11. Circular letter issued by State Superintendent of Public Instruction March 6, 1918 ; correspondence, Files of Third_Liberty Loan.
6-21511
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INDIANA WORLD WAR RECORDS
"Politics Adjourned" During Third Loan
Perhaps the most important plan in the preparation for the Third loan in Indiana was the calling together, for the first time in America, each of the political parties in the state for a joining of forces which should work hand in hand towards success.12 The plan eventually narrowed down to the possibil- ity of bringing the Democratic and Republican leaders of the state and the counties to Indianapolis for a great meeting at the State House, out of which should grow a system of Loan co-operation, which would ramify to the precincts of the state.
Governor Goodrich saw the merit in the plan at once, as did Charles A. Greathouse, state chairman of the Democratic party, and Will H. Hays, state chairman of the Republican party. The Indianapolis News, of February 22, 1918, de- scribed the meeting at which the plan was adopted, as follows:
"All together in Indiana for the next Liberty Loan, was the policy approved today when Will H. Hays, and Charles A. Greathouse, held a conference with Governor James P. Good- rich at the State House and discussed the plan .of bringing the two great political organizations together in a joint and enthusiastic effort to 'go over the top' in record time.
"The state committees of the two parties will be called to meet in the house of representatives at the State House March 5, at 2 p. m. County chairmen and other political workers will be invited to attend. A truce is to be declared, which will suspend rival party activities while the Liberty Loan drive is on, and the Democratic and Republican organizations of the state are to unite whole-heartedly against the common enemy,-Teuton autocracy.
"A joint call for the meeting March 5, signed by Governor Goodrich and the two state chairmen, was prepared for mail- ing later in the day. In addition to the joint call each state chairman will send out a separate call, summoning his state committee to the joint conference. The conference will con- sider ways and means of raising Indiana's apportionment of the next loan to win the war. The two leading party organ-
- 12. Ernest I. Lewis, who was then Chairman of the Public Service Commission of Indiana, and later a member of the U. S. Interstate Commerce Commission, made this suggestion to the author, and from this conversation, a plan developed whereby it was decided to submit the proposition to Governor Goodrich, and the state chairmen of the two leading political parties. In formulating the plans, Will H. Hays, Chairman of the Republican State Committee ; Charles A. Greathouse, Chairman of the State Demo- eratie Committee, Will Wade, Gilbert B. Clippinger, Chester A. Jewett, Robert E. Wil- sey and George C. Forrey were consulted, and gave their helpful advice.
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THE WAR PURSE OF INDIANA
izations extend into every precinct of every county of Indiana, and together, it is confidently asserted, they will constitute a most effective instrumentality for advancing a great common cause.
"As far as is known this will be the first time the party com- mittees of a state ever joined in a measure of this character, and those who have studied the possibilities predict that the plan promptly will be taken up in other states and will insure success of the next Liberty Loan.
"Governor Goodrich, Chairman Hays and Chairman Great- house were all enthusiastic over it and will do all within their power to 'put it over'. In addition to the Governor and the two state chairmen, the conference was attended by George H. Dunscomb, of the First National Bank, of Chicago, director of bond sales for Indiana ; Will H. Wade, vice-director for Indiana, and Walter S. Greenough, director of Liberty Loan publicity for the state."13
The plan worked successfully. After strenuous efforts on the parts of both state chairmen, members of both parties as- sembled on March 5, at a meeting presided over by Governor Goodrich. Leaders of Indiana political life from every county in the state attended. Addresses were made by Mr. Duns- comb, Mr. Wade, Samuel M. Ralston, former Governor of In- diana, James W. Fesler, Republican chairman of the Seventh District, Marcus S. Sonntag, federal reserve chairman of sales for the Loan in the southern Indiana counties, and Mrs. Fred Lauenstein, of Evansville, vice-chairman of the woman's Loan committee for those counties.
Governor Goodrich and the two state chairmen of the par- ties sounded the keynotes of co-operation for the meeting and explained its purposes. In a brief address the Governor com- plimented the two great parties on their patriotic move. In part he said :
"While you have been called through your regular party leaders, yet partisanship ends with the call and we have met together not as partisans, but as patriots ; met as men whose love of country surpasses loyalty to party ; met to consider how we can, through the regular party machinery, promote the Third Liberty Loan.
"So far as I know this is the first time in our history that representatives of the two great political parties have assem-
13. Indianapolis News, February 22, 1918.
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INDIANA WORLD WAR RECORDS
bled, as you have assembled today, with an object of such vital importance to our common country. Let us hope that it will not be the last time, and that Indiana has again pointed out to the nation a road that will lead toward the goal of victory."14
Mr. Wade declared at the meeting that "your action today places Indiana in a position which is envied by our neighbor- ing states," and that "your work can be of practical value by selling bonds, by talking Liberty Loan in your homes, in your business houses, in the churches and in your lodges."
"We thank each of you for making this meeting of real value to the state Liberty Loan organization, and we are assured with your constant help, Indiana will purchase Liberty Bonds from now on until the Kaiser is ignominiously defeated."15
Many times during the negotiations it seemed that the plan was about to fail. Objections of one sort or another were raised frequently, but always these were overruled when pa- triotism was set up on the other side of the objection. Many prophecies were made that the meeting would "break up in a row", and grave fears were expressed that one side or the other would make use of the meeting for political purposes and thus embarrass its very purpose. The keen sense of pa- triotic delicacy, however, which characterized all the speeches at the meeting, and the co-operation of both great party or- ganizations in this plan succeeded in keeping the campaign practically free from politics throughout the Third campaign. And Indiana had once more shown the way to the other states in war development. The meeting was one of the big factors in the success of the Third loan campaign.16
A conference of Loan executives from the Seventh Federal Reserve District was held in Chicago, under the auspices of the federal reserve bank March 8, 1918. The Indiana meet- ing held at that time stirred up great interest among the lead- ers. The speakers included Governor Goodrich, William H. O'Brien, of Lawrenceburg, Alice Foster McCulloch, of Fort Wayne, Jesse E. Eschbach, Director of the State Speaker's Bureau, George M. Barnard, of Newcastle, who had recently
14. Indianapolis Star, March 6, 1918.
15. lbid.
16. As an indication of the country-wide interest which this plan attracted, Charles A. Greathouse, Democratic State Chairman, told the author that in one morning's mail he received clippings from a New York paper, and a Denver, Colo., paper, in addition to dozens of others from neighboring states, concerning this unusual political truce.
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been added to the list of speakers for the state, Mr. Wade, and others.
Governor Goodrich, addressing the Hoosier loan executives at the Chicago meeting on "Financial Patriotism" declared that the man who was buying other securities than Liberty Bonds then, because "he can buy them at 90 cents on the dollar and make a profit," was no patriot, and that such men would be called to account for their actions by those who were send- ing their sons to the firing line. The Governor declared that "financial patriotism is the lesser sort of patriotism", and that it did not compare with the patriotism of the one "who goes over there, or with those who send their loved ones over there." The Governor declared that "citizenship means more than a mere meal ticket in Indiana today."17
It was announced in Chicago dispatches to Indiana news- papers following the general meeting of Hoosier loan execu- tives at Chicago on March 8, 1918, that midnight watch par- ties would be held throughout Indiana on the night of April 5, and that "modern Paul Reveres-some riding on horses and some in automobiles" would travel through the highways and byways of Indiana early in the morning of the first day of the Third loan campaign "to arouse the people of Indiana to the fact that 'the Hun is at the gate' ".18
As evidence of the thorough plans that had been made in advance of starting the Loan drives, mention is made here of the movement to enlist the support of prominent German- Americans in Indiana in buying bonds. Late in March, 1918, George H. Dunscomb, Director of Sales, notified Mr. Wade that he had appointed Henry Seyfried of Indianapolis to enlist the earnest efforts of prominent German-Americans in Indi- ana to help out in the Third loan campaign. Mr. Seyfried's appointment came from Hans Rieg, chief of the Foreign Lan-
17. Indianapolis News, March 9, 1918.
18. William Herschell, Indiana poet, author of Long Boy, The Kid Has Gone to the Colors and other war poems, paraphrased in the language of a street urchin the poem of Paul Revere. The poem was widely used for advertising the Third loan cam- paign throughout the country :
"I'll have de misers on de run To let der money fight de Hun ; I'll ride an' holler, whoop an' shout Till every bond is all sold out. Den after dat you'll never hear No bunk about brave Paul Revere ;
Fer, say-dat guy he rode at night, But I'll do mine in broad daylight !"
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INDIANA WORLD WAR RECORDS
guage Division in Washington, who had been in Indianapolis prior to that time, meeting with Mr. Seyfried and others in an effort to utilize the German-Americans of the state in the campaign.
Special Appeal to Farmers
In preparing for the Third loan carefully laid plans were made to enlist the wholehearted support of the farmers. It was quite a problem to reach the Indiana farmers scattered on more than two hundred and twenty thousand farms throughout the state, and numerous were the appeals that had to be made. As early as February 26, 1918 the Liberty Loan workers, through Governor Goodrich and the Indiana State Council of Defense, issued a call for a conference of all agri- cultural organizations in Indiana to be held in the State Cap- itol on March 12th following. In sending out the invitations Governor Goodrich stated that the agricultural forces of the state had played an important factor in all of the war activ- ities, and that the farmers as a class should subscribe liberally for U. S. Government Bonds.
The following agricultural organizations sent representa- tives to this meeting: Indiana Corn Growers' Association, Indiana Cattle Feeders' Association, Livestock Breeders' Asso- ciation, Hereford Breeders' Association, Shorthorn Breeders' Association, Angus Breeders' Association, Sheep Breeders' and Feeders' Association, Indiana Swine Breeders' Associa- tion, Berkshire Association, Hampshire Swine Breeders, Poland China Breeders' Association, State Board of Agricul- ture, Indiana Horticultural Society, State Dairy Association, Indiana Jersey Cattle Club, Indiana Holstein-Freisian Asso- ciation, Indiana Guernsey Breeders' Association, State Bee- Keepers' Association, Indiana Draft Horse Breeders' Association, Farmers' State Congress, Indiana State Grange, State Food Committee, and Purdue University.
Ralph W. Moss, former member of Congress, presided at this meeting and in addressing the two hundred and fifty delegates present declared that the country was approaching a time when every man must do his duty. He added that "A man's life is worth nothing except as it is dedicated to the nation and to the winning of the war. Any man's money is worth nothing except for the same purpose. In consider- ing the Liberty Loan it is not a question of the terms the
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THE WAR PURSE OF INDIANA
Government offers. Whatever the nation needs, the nation must have."19 Mr. Moss emphatically declared that the farm- ers had gone over the top and responded to every call that had been made upon them by the President of the United States, and the Governor of Indiana.
Talks were also made by Governor Goodrich; Jesse Esch- bach; Dr. William E. Stone, president of Purdue University ; John Isenbarger, president of the State Board of Agriculture; Arthur W. Brady of Anderson, and George Barnard of New- castle.
The Committee on Resolutions of which Warren T. Mc- Cray, of Kentland, was chairman, submitted the following report, adopted by the conference :
"Whereas, Our country, by repeated German aggressions, has been forced to resort to armed conflict to maintain its sovereign rights on the high seas and to protect the lives, liberty and property of its citizens, and,
"Whereas, During the entire period of this terrible struggle and sacrifice, life and property will be without value to every loyal American citizen, except as it may be dedicated to the service of his government and be made to serve the cause of liberty ; and,
"Whereas, So long as this war may last, every loyal Ameri- can citizen can have but one duty-that of giving absolute loyalty to our government, entire devotion to our cause and unfailing support to our army and navy ;
"Therefore, Be it resolved by the representatives of the farmers of Indiana, in conference assembled in the house of representatives, Indianapolis, this the 12th day of March, 1918, that we pledge the undivided fidelity and support of all farmers of our state to President Wilson and to Governor Goodrich in all measures necessary to the vigorous prosecu- tion of this war to a completely successful issue.
"Resolved, That in the opinion of this conference it is a patriotic obligation resting upon the agricultural interests of our state to subscribe such a part of the Third Liberty Loan as their combined wealth may bear to the aggregate wealth of all the citizens of the state.
"And, That this conference urge every farmer in the state to subscribe his full share and to pledge his credit to the na-
19. Indianapolis News, March 12, 1918.
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INDIANA WORLD WAR RECORDS
tion rather than fail to discharge his patriotic obligation."20
Copies of the resolution adopted were sent to the different farmers' organizations throughout the state, and a special appeal accompanying them urged each member to give of his time and of his money in making the Third liberty loan cam- paign in Indiana a success.
A program of preparation for the Third loan sales and pub- licity campaign gradually was evolved which had as its aim the interesting of the leaders of every known organization in the state. As the campaign wore on this program became so widespread that even the leaders, who had initiated it, could not encompass its results. Political parties, churches, schools, colleges, farm organizations, governmental agencies, fraternal orders, women's organizations, children's groups, men's clubs, union labor,-in fact all the vast organizational power of Indiana gradually was touched at vital points by the Loan campaign. And as fast as each agency was touched, co- operation in its particular sphere became assured and the "gospel of Liberty Loan" began to permeate the life of the people of the state in ways theretofore not utilized.
In order to give the widest possible publicity to the Third loan drive, Guernsey Van Riper of the Sidener-Van Riper ad- vertising agency, in Indianapolis, was named Director of Paid Advertising.21
With the view of offering helpful suggestions to all the local publicity directors and the Loan executives for the purpose of passing on ideas that had come into state head- quarters, the following letter was issued from the office of the Publicity Director, about two weeks before the opening of the drive:
March 22, 1918.
My Dear Sir :-
We believe sincerely that the fate of the oversubscription by Indiana of the next Liberty Loan bond quota lies in a very great degree in your hands. This is not an honor, it is a very deep responsi- bility. To the utmost degree possible this office desires that you work out your own salvation in planning and executing the publicity campaign for Liberty Loan in your county.
20. Report of Walter Q. Fitch, Secretary of Indiana Committee on Food Produc- tion and Conservation, Organization of the Farmers for the Sale of Liberty Bonds in Indiana. Page 4.
21. Mr. Van Riper held this position from that time until the close of the war, and much of the success in acquainting the public with the magnitude of the war finan- cial program was due to the work of Mr. Van Riper in developing general advertising plans for the use of all newspapers in the state.
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THE WAR PURSE OF INDIANA
From time to time, as ideas are suggested to this office, which seem to be of value for local application, we will pass them on to you, but in return for this, we expect something from you.
As soon as possible we will appreciate from you a summary of the work planned and the work done in your community in a publicity way and from time to time, as ideas suggest themselves to you, or are sug- gested by others, we will expect you to forward them speedily to this headquarters, in order that the whole state may benefit from the pub- licity ideas of value in every community.
We are appending herewith a few ideas which we believe may be of value in each local community in the state, at least to some degree:
1. The political parties in Indiana have guaranteed co-operation of their workers clear down to the precincts. It is part of your job, as we see it, in active co-operation with your Liberty Loan county chairman, to utilize the entire political organizations of both great parties and to make news for your local papers out of such utilization.
The six months poll will be taken in Indiana by each political party in the next thirty days. In some counties, the Republican and Demo- cratic chairmen have moved up the time for taking these polls to the week of March 24th, and as soon as they have compiled the names and addresses of every voter in the county they will turn them over to the county Liberty Loan chairman for use. Call up your county political chairman and see if they will do the same for you. State headquarters of both parties are instructing county chairmen along this line.
2. Can you not organize people of prominence in your community who can write intelligently short articles, boosting Liberty Loan? Your local newspapers ought to be glad to publish short, powerful appeals to the whole community from such writers. In case writers contribute such articles, will you send copies of them to this headquarters as soon as possible?
In connection with this idea, we think it would be a splendid plan for you to obtain short interviews from bankers, employers, labor lead- ers, women and others in your community, telling why Indiana and your locality will make this next loan a real success. Symposiums composed of such optimistic interviews ought to be welcome for publicity by your newspapers.
3. Can you not stimulate the display in local business houses of Liberty Loan material of all kinds by personally inspiring certain busi- ness houses to put up such material, either to be furnished by the gov- ernment to you or material which these business houses may prepare themselves? Then write stories about this practice, and suggest in these stories that all other business houses follow this example. The adver- tising possibilities in this for each business house readily will be seen by the business houses.
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