USA > New Jersey > Camden County > History of Camden County in the Great War, 1917-1918 > Part 10
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CAMDEN COUNTY IN TILE GREAT WAR.
[Photo by Wonfor.] HON. FRANK T. LLOYD Food Administrator of Camden County
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any manufacturers could produce klaxon horns, whether there were any weavers of wire cloth, how many locomotive cranes not in use could be located and many similar inquiries.
CITY FARM GARDENS
Another weapon to defeat the enemy was the estab- lishment of City Farm Gardens in the country. They were urged by the Government and not only provided food for city residents, but abolished unsightly vacant lots. Mayor Ellis named the first City Gardens Com- mittee on April 19, 1917, as follows: E. G. C. Bleakly, Judge Frank T. Lloyd, Zed H. Copp, William Derham, L. E. Farnham, B. M. Hedrick, David Jester, O. B. Kern, M. F. Middleton, Dr. H. L. Rose, Asa L. Roberts, W. D. Sayrs, Jr., Charles A. Wolverton, Earl T. Jack- son, H. R. Kuehner, Herbert N. Moffett and Hubert H. Pfeil. At the initial meeting of the above date B. M. Hedrick was elected chairman; Zed H. Copp secretary and M. F. Middleton treasurer. Brandin W. Wright, a farming expert, was employed as general superinten- dent on May 3, 1917. At a meeting on May 18, 1918, the names of Frank Sheridan and Daniel P. McConnell were added to the publicity committee in the place of Messrs. Pfeil and Jackson.
In his annual report to City Council on January I, 1918, Mayor Ellis urged the appointment of a commit- tee by City Council on City Gardens and Councilman Frederick Von Neida was named as chairman. This committee with a committee of representative citizens met in the City Hall in February, 1918, to organize for the ensuing summmer. The members of the Council- manic committee were: Frederick Von Neida, Frank S. Van Hart, William J. Kelly and John J. Robinson. The committee planned an exposition of farm garden
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products for the fall of 1918, but this plan was frustrated by the Spanish influenza epidemic.
The war gardens became victory gardens in the year 1919 when the committee met on January 29, 1919. Meyers Baker was elected secretary and William D. Sayrs, Jr., treasurer. At the meeting on March 25 com- mittees were appointed for the Victory War Gardens Exposition held in Third Regiment Armory from Sep- tember 15 to 20. Benjamin Abrams was elected general manager and Frank Sheridan publicity agent.
LIBERTY SINGS
As the war progressed it was the desire of the Gov- ernment that everything be done to keep up the morale of the nation as one crisis after another arose, and what were known as Liberty Sings were instituted. The first sing in Camden was conducted at the Court House by James E. Corneal, of Haddonfield, who was named by the Government as representative of the National Lib- erty Sing Commission in this county. At the request of Mayor Ellis City Council named a special committee of members to continue the work inauguarated by Mr. Corneal.
The members of the councilmanic committee were : William S. Abbott, chairman; J. Hartley Bowen, Wil- liam L. Roberts, William J. Kelly and John T. Rodan.
At the first sing held by the committee at the Court House over five thousand persons attended. The sings were conducted by C. Harold Lowden, a composer of note, and Miss Myrtle Eaver was thie accompanist. Dur- ing the war 53,250 persons attended twenty-seven sings of the committee at the following places: Court House, attendance, 16,500; Ninth Ward Republican Associa- 3,000; East Camden. 5,000; Parkside, 3,000; Fetters and Milford Schools, 12,000; Broadway M. E. Church,
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CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
[Photo by Wonfor.] HON. CHAS. A. WOLVERTON Associate Food Administrator of Camden County
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2,000; eight other churches, Rotary Club and other or- ganizations, 3,500.
HOME REGISTRATION.
So accute did the housing problem become in the city and county that the Government named a branch of the United States Home Registration Bureau here. The duty of this bureau was to secure apartments for work- ers, who were flooding the city because of war industry. The members of the board of directors were: J. S. Gor- man, chairman; L. A. Hawkes, Alban Evanson, Eugene Haines, James T. Weart, A. E. Armitage, Harry Mon- roe, William D. Sayrs, Jr., Miss Lula T. White and Robert D. Clow, Jr. Mrs. Robert D. Clow, Sr., was chosen manager with headquarters in the Government Employment Bureau, Fifth street and Taylor avenue.
WAR LIBRARY COMMITTEE
The War Library Committee was named on Octo- ber 5, 1917, for the purpose of supplying books to men in the service. Howard M. Cooper, Edmund E. Read, Jr., and Charles S. Boyer were named as a committee to organize the War Library Committee and the Mayor named the following as their associates: State Treas- urer William T. Read, David Baird, Jr., F. Wayland Ayer, Charles M. Curry, Howard J. Dudley, F. Her- bert Fulton, Abe Fuhrman, William P. Hallinger, Wil- liam L. Hurley, Theodore T. Kausel, Mrs. Joseph Kobus, William J. Strandwitz, George W. Whyte, Francis B. Wallen and Walter L. Tushingham. Howard M. Cooper was chosen chairman and F. Herbert Fulton secretary and treasurer.
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EMPLOYMENT BUREAU
The labor situation became alarming during the war and the Government established a bureau here com- bining with the city and the State Deparment of Labor. Headquarters were established in Post 5 Hall, Fifth street and Taylor avenue, with Harry Monroe in charge Thousands secured employment at factories making war necessities, shipyards and on farms.
FOUR MINUTE MEN
The Four Minute Men was a nation-wide organization of volunteer speakers and was organized June 16, 1917, for the purpose of assisting the various departments of the Government in the work of national defense during the continuance of the war, by presenting messages or subjects of vital national importance to moving picture audiences during the intermissions. The subject matter was prepared and the speaking generally directed from Washington under the authority of the Government.
The Four Minute Men organization was a division of the Committee of Public Iinformation in charge of Chairman George Reed, consisting of the Secretary of State, Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy.
Every State in the Union was organized with a State body, subject to the government body in Washington. Each State was in charge of a director, under whose in- structions a sub-division or organization was created in every county of the State. Each county was in charge of an authorized chairman.
The entire organization consisted of volunteers only, no salaries being paid in any instance except in clerical hire and stenographic help.
NEW JERSEY OFFICERS
Benjamin E. Chapin, Newark, State Director John Gregg Painc, Camden, Associate State Director W. S. Williamson, Newark, State Secretary Albert Leon, Perth Amboy, State Treasurer Williard I. Hamilton, Chairman Board of Trustees
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CHAIRMEN CAMDEN COUNTY ORGANIZATION George A. Tatem, County Chairman
James E. Hewitt, Camden City
Harold E. Rogers, Haddon Heights
Ethan P. Wescott, Collingswood
Albert E. Burling, Merchantville and Pensauken
Alfred M. Matthews, Westmont
John L. Shannon, Industries
S. Conrad Ott, Churches
Chas. H. North, Speakers
Harry E. Green, Publicity
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Rev. C. R. Van Hook
Clarence J. Hunter E. E. Shumaker
Wilbert V. Pike
John L. Shannon
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
David B. Jester
E. J. Dingley David Baird, Jr.
COUNTY SPEAKERS
C. M. Gilbert
Wm. C. Marshall
E. E. Shumaker
C. J. Hewitt
Horace E. Beaver
Patrick H. Harding
C. J. Hunter
William R. Stille
Milton K. Stanley
H. Ennis Jones
Rev. H. F. Gravatt H. S. Miller
Chas. H. North
Rev. Alexander Corson
H. P. Ashton Rev. C. R. Van Hook
Thos. P. Ratcliffe
T. Harry Rowland
William J. Brown
Grover C. Richman
Rev. Wm. H. Dyer
Ralph N. Kellam
Wilbert V. Pike
George A. Tatem
John H. Switzer
Dr. Daniel Strock
Elmer J. Walz
Mrs. · Geo. E. Cantrall James E. Hewitt
E. A. Hollenbeck
Thos. P. Ratcliffe, Liberty Sinigng and Schools
Wilbert V. Pike, Fraternal and Social Organizations Milton K. Stanley, Theatres
Rev. Carlton R. Van Hook, Ways and Means and County Treasurer Mrs. F. M. Loid, Secretary of Cam- den County Chairman
Garfield Pancoast Harry H. Whaland
Aside from many assignments to the various churches. social and political organizations, twenty-one theatres were served in the Camden County Four Minute Men twice every week and in many special campaigns every night in the week on subjects provided in special bul- letins by the United States Government.
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CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
FINANCES LIBERTY LOAN DRIVES
D URING the war there were four Liberty Loan campaigns and after the war the fifth loan was launched and was known as the Victory Liberty Loan to pay off the indebtedness of the war. Camden county did nobly in all five drives. Each time the quota was exceeded. The popular phrase of "went over the top" was used and in speaking in these terms Camden county went "over the top" by a margin of $8,908,965. The county's quota in the first loan was $4,400,000 and the sum subscribed was $5,053,000; second loan, quota, $6,500,000, subscribed, $6,757,000; third loan, quota, $4,700,630, subscribed, $6,950,000; fourth loan, quota, $8,522,250, subscribed, $10,710,150; fifth loan, quota, $7,763,205, subscribed $9,125,000. The total subscribed for Liberty Loans in all five campaigns reaches the grand total of $38,795,150.
When the war bonds were placed on the market the American people had to be educated to buy them for millions of them had never dealt in bonds before. Noon- day rallies in workshops and booths on the streets were among the methods used to attract their attention. The booths were managed by the Women's Liberty Loan Committee and were stationed in the postoffice and at the ferry as well as on the streets.
M. F. Middleton, Jr., was chairman of the Camden County Liberty Loan Committee, after the first loan. W. D. Sherred was county chairman and Mr. Middleton city chairman on the initial bond issue campaign. The first loan campaign opened May 15 and closed June 15, 1917. The second loan began October 1, 1917, and ended on October 27. David Rash was secretary of that cam-
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
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MELBOURNE F. MIDDLETON, JR. Chairman of Camden County Liberty Loan Committee
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FINANCES.
paign. The third campaign opened April 6, 1918, and ended May 6, 1918, with Elwood C. Jefferies as secre- tary. The fourth loan drive opened September 28, 1918, and closed October 19, 1918. That was the hardest drive of all, for the city and county was under the pall of the Spanish influenza epidemic and members of the committee were stricken and many died. No meetings were permitted by the Board of Health and for a while it looked as though the loan would fail but the people rallied through aggressive newspaper advertising and the loan went "over the top." The Victory Loan, or the Fifth, opened April 21 and closed May 9, 1919.
A committee of several hundred women remained faithful during each campaign. Mrs. Mary Baird Fox was chairman of the county committee of the Women's Liberty Loan Committee and Mrs. Mary Walsh Kobus chairman of the city committee. They sold millions of dollars worth of bonds during the war and for the Victory Loan.
The Women's Committee did so well in the Fifth Vic- tory Loan Campaign that the United States Shipping Board honored the city by giving the committee the right to submit three names for a transport to be launched at Hog Island on Memorial Day. The name "Nedmac," Camden spelled backwards, was suggested by Mrs. Kobus and it was the choice of the Shipping Board. The "Nedmac" was launched on that eventful day with four other ships and Mrs. Fox was the sponsor.
WAR SAVINGS STAMPS
As dollars were needed more than anything outside of man-power to win the war the Government inaugurated the War Saving Stamp also known as Thrift Stamp. Charles K. Haddon was chairman of the county War Stamp campaign and David Baird, Jr., chairman of the city campaign. The largest war stamp society in the
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country was organized among the employes of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. The school children joined enthusiastically in the campaign, saving their pennies until they had gathered twenty-five so as to buy a stamp. They saved their stamps until they had secured enough to buy baby war bonds. More than $2,000,000 worth of war stamps were sold in this country.
NEW YORK SHIP SOCIETY
The New York Shipbuilding Corporation War Sav- ings Society was organized about the first of March, 1918, through the efforts of Charles J. Langell and within two weeks 5,400 employes of the shipyard were members. Collections started the first week in April, when over $8,000 was invested in stamps. The membership grew rapidly and was at its heighth on October 1, 1918, the roll then showing 8,237 members out of a total of 12,355 employes.
OFFICERS
C. J. Langell, President
J. Wilson, Vice President
M. Hutchinson, Vice President
G. Bossler, Vice President
W. O. Morrow, Secretary
F. D. Boynton, Assistant Secretary
H. Matlack, Assistant Treasurer
J. Irwin, Treasurer
HI. Robinson, Vice President
W. Manduka, Vice President
J. Smith, Vice President
SHOP CHAIRMEN
M. Hutchinson, Machine Shop
J. Miller, Electrical Dept.
J. Stein, Yard Dept.
L. B. Michener, Lumber Yard
W. Thompson, Small Boat Shop
J. E. Truckses, Boiler Shop
M. K. Hench, Blacksmith Shop
W. D. Kenny, General Store J. Robinson, Paint Shop
C. Ihrig, Copper Shop
E. Harrison, Joiner Shop
W. Cline, Tin Shop
B. Beardsley, Pattern Shop
W. Tait, Pipe Shop
C. Langell, Main Office
S. M. Evans, Plate and Angle Shop
J. Smith, Hull Dept.
H. C. Towle, Yard Office
J. Farrell, Watchmen
E. Bachman, Eng. Installation
J. Taylor, Mold Loft
A .. Colberg, Riggers
E. JI. Sapp, Time Dept., Etc.
The amount invested after the first week never went below $10,000 per week during 1918 and went up as high as $128,406.69, but after the armistice was declared there
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was a gradual falling off in membership and investments. The total amount for the year was $608,960.50. At the outset, $400,000.00 was made the goal and everyone was gratified to exceed that amount by fifty per cent.
There were a great many competitions during the year between the different shops and keen rivalry was shown. The success of the society was due, to a large extent, to the efforts of the respective chairmen and their secretaries. Weekly meetings of the chairmen and secretaries were held and frequently outside speakers attended. Once each month speakers addressed the men in the yard, sometimes speaking to as many as 8,000 men. A very attractive sign was built on the lawn by the main office upon which amounts paid in by each department was recorded each week with its total savings to date. This sign was in- tended to create competition between the departments. The campaign for the Fourth Liberty Loan was put in the hands of this society, resulting in a total subscription of $1,250,000.00 The society for 1919 started off with much enthusiasm on the part of the newly elected officers, John Trucksess being elected president. With the incen- tive of the war lacking, it proved to be a hard task during 1919 to keep the society going. However, many of the men made regular savers so that the amount turned in each week remains almost the same, around $4,000.00.
The New York Shipbuilding Corporation War Savings Society has done considerably more than sell War Sav- ings Stamps. The organization has taken care of all drives such as the Salvation Army drive besides taking care of the Liberty Loans.
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AIDING THE FIGHTERS YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
N this great world drama wherein the county of Cam- I den played such a conspicuous and honorable part, contributing so lavishly of its life and treasure, none of her cherished institutions were more completely equipped for service than the Young Men's Christian Association.
The membership consisting of the very flower of the virile young manhood of the city, at the very first call threw themselves into the vortex of general activity with the greatest enthusiasm that continued until peace was declared.
Bayard M. Hedrick was general secretary when the war began and when he was called to war service was succeeded by A. E. Armitage who devoted all his ener- gies to the many phases of war work. In the first Y. M. C. A. drive-November 12-15, 1917-the quota had been fixed at $100,000, but this sum was soon ex- ceeded, the total amount received under the able chair- manship of F. Morse Archer for this drive was $116,641.
In the United War Work drive-November 11-19, 1918-the proportionate share of the Y. M. C. A. was $335,690.50 and this was soon raised. As an organiza- tion and acting in individual capacity the Y. M. C. A. contributed to every good cause during the war to an amount it would be difficult to compute.
Hundreds of meetings, great and small, in the interest of the war, were held in the Y. M. C. A. headquarters. The overflowing meeting in the auditorium addressed by former President William Howard Taft was one of these notable gatherings. The committee rooms were in con- stant service for conferences. The lecture rooms proved their usefulness in a hundred ways. All the fine modern equipment of the building was placed at the disposal of
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war workers. Soldiers and sailors of every rank were made welcome, finding a comfortable and cheerful home under the Y. M. C. A. roof both going and coming. These activities, in the absence of which there would have been confusion for the workers, and discomfort if not real suffering for enlisted men, began with the first call and continued with unabated vigor until the last soldier and sailor had returned home and the blessings of peace were fully restored.
UNITED WAR WORK CAMPAIGN
It was in the very midst of the celebration incident to the signing of the armistice, November 11, 1918, that the campaign was launched in behalf of the United War Work which was designed to raise funds for seven or- ganizations actively engaged in the great conflict, espec- ially with respect to the creature comforts of the soldiers. This included the Salvation Army, Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A., Jewish Welfare Board, Knights of Columbus, Amer- ican Library Association and the War Camp Commun- ity. An organization was effected with Lawyer F. Morse Archer as chairman and David Rash, secretary. Owing to the handicap incident to the great jubilation on the opening day of the campaign in connection with the ces- sation of war, it was several days before it was well un- der way. Then the workers became very busy and there was a splendid response, especially on the part of the working people who virtually sustained it by making pledges from their weekly wages. Despite the rather dis- appointing beginning, the campaign went through with a rush and closed November 18 with a great meeting at the Y. M. C. A. auditorium when it was announced $335,690 had been raised, the city subscribing $239,468 and the county $96,222.
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CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
On February 5, 1918, the drive of the Knights of Co- lumbus was launched. A thorough organization had been effected with William Leonard Hurley as chairman and Lawyer John T. Cleary as secretary. It was in the midst of the severe winter of that year and there were several heavy snow storms that stayed the efforts of the workers, but at the close, on February 18, a fund of $30,000 had been raised.
SALVATION ARMY
There was but one drive for the Salvation Army dur- ing the war. The quota for Camden was $5,000 and Judge John B. Kates was chairman of the committee. The drive opened on February 9, 1918, and lasted ten days and the quota was oversubscribed. The Salvation Army was given a quota of the United War Work Drive when that was raised during November of the same year.
JEWISH WELFARE BOARD
Although the Jewish residents of the city assisted the Jewish Welfare Work all through the war and conducted a successful campaign for funds, it was not until January 27, 1919, that a Camden branch of the Jewish Welfare Board was organized. Prior to that time the Hebrews of the city worked in every campaign, including that of the Y. M. C. A. The officers of the Camden Jewish Welfare Board elected on January 27 were : President, Dr. Meyer Segal; vice president, Miss Sadie Rosenthal; treasurer, Mrs. Philip Auerbach; secretary, Samuel A. Weiss; as- sistant secretary, Miss Rose Mackler. Members visited Camp Dix weekly where they distributed dainties at the base hospital among the sick and wounded. They also conducted interesting entertainments and dances.
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COMMUNITY BUILDING
Through the Rotary Club, a War Camp Community building was erected on ground loaned by the Pennsyl- vania Railroad near the Market street side of the ter- minal for the convenience of returning soldiers. It was in charge of J. H. Cornet sent here by the community service, while the canteen was looked after by Red Cross workers. This building was erected just in time to pro- vide for the thousands of soldiers that passed through this city from Camp Dix to various points in the coun- try and it proved a Godsend for them. Prior to its erection they were compelled to camp in the terminal and sometimes they were asleep all over the waiting room floors. Not only those going home, but many on their way to various hospital centres were looked after in tran- sit and no activity in the city or county proved of greater value. Food was furnished them at a nominal figure and sleeping quarters were provided. Amusements including music and dancing aided in whiling away their time while on furloughs in this city or while waiting for trains.
BOY SCOUTS
Few branches of the home service performed more creditable work in the various war drives than the Boy Scouts of Camden county. Under the leadership of Scout Commissioner H. H. Etter they assisted in every Liberty Loan campaign by distributing posters and doing general messenger work for the county committee. The various troops competed in the sale of Liberty Bonds with the result that they added thousands of dollars to the national treasury. They were ever ready to assist the Red Cross and did very good work in campaigns to se- cure clothing for war sufferers.
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POLICE ACTIVITY
The Police Department was one branch of the city gov- ernment that was called upon day and night to assist the national Government in carrying out the war program. A registration bureau was established at headquarters where all alien enemy men and women were registered for the Government. The police also performed cred- itable service for the United States Department of Jus- tice, running out evidence to prevent enemy spies and propagandists from working in this vicinity. However, their main activity was the suppression of seditious acts and remarks against the Government. They also arrest- ed many deserters from the army and draft evaders from other cities. When the lightless nights were ordered in January, 1918, they worked long hours to protect the traveling public on darkened highways. But aside from this work of enforcing national laws the patrolmen joined enthusiastically in all of the war drives, making door to door canvasses for the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Liberty Loan campaigns.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Fire Department of the city kept a constant vigil during the war to prevent the spread of fire, thus extend- ing a sheltering wing over the many war industry plants in operation in the city. The department had an occasion to demonstrate its efficiency when a large plate and angle shop of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation was de- stroyed by fire on the night of September 11, 1918, dur- ing a Liberty Loan parade. The flames threatened four- teen destroyers under construction for the Navy Depart- ment and the firemen wedged themselves between the blazing angle shop and warships and managed to save them.
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NINTH WARD ASSOCIATION.
The Ninth Ward Republican Association at Broad- way and Royden street made a splendid record during the war. Patriotism was placed above partisanship and on April 4, 1917, the association had a joint session with the Camden Democratic Association, at which time a resolution was adopted pledging the support of both as- sociations to the President and Congress. The Ninth Ward Association had a membership of four hundred members and every member subscribed in every Liberty Loan, Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus, Salvation Army, Jewish Welfare and United War Work campaigns. The subscriptions amounted to nearly $250,- 000. At the close of the war the association erected a magnificent victory arch across Broadway, which became the pride of the city. It cost $6,500 and the money was raised by subscription among the members.
YORKSHIP VILLAGE
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