USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine county in the world war > Part 21
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RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
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SAVING PARIS FROM THE BIGGEST BERTHAS
The railway artillery guns moved up to the rail heads and from that point, with aid of aeroplane observation, were able to drop sufficient material upon the long-distance German pieces to nullify their operations against Paris.
SHELL DROPPED IN A GERMAN MACHINE GUN NEST
The results are apparent to anyone and pay tribute to the excellent aim of American gunners. The M. G. crew is scat- tered about the landscape together with the equipment. Scenes of this kind were common to the advancing Yanks in the late days of the war as they followed the advancing barrages of their own artillery.
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So many men were working, that often there would be a line of 1,000 men waiting to check in at the timekeeper's gate at 8 o'clock, and the last man would not be at work for an hour or two later. But his pay went right on.
It was stated that the Dupont company was to build the plant without profit, but it was the general belief that the contractors received cost plus 10% profit on the work. It seems reasonable, inasmuch as no effort seemed to be made to reduce costs and there were indi- cations that high costs were preferred. Of course on a "cost plus" basis, the contractor would make more money if the cost was high.
From 8,000 to 12,000 people were working on the munitions plant, and money was flowing like water, when the armistice was signed. With the suspension of hostilities, the great powers vested in the War department were suspended automatically. Construction was ordered stopped. No money was obtainable to pay for the land occupied under the options, and there was no way to get it. The govern- ment no longer wanted the land. That much was understandable by all.
But what of the property owners? When their land was seized they were informed verb- ally that the options were to be exercised and the property purchased. They were actually evicted from their premises. Some had borrow- ed money and made payments on new farms. Others moved into Racine and sought employ- ment while awaiting reimbursement. Their farms were ruined, in many cases. Concrete roads, frame buildings, railroads and other "improvements" of this nature do not serve any good use on a farm. Much of the fertile top soil had been hauled away. Buildings had been torn down ruthlessly. Guards still pa- trolled the borders of the tract to prevent even the owners from entering.
For a time, the owners waited patiently for word from Washington. Then they began to worry. Finally they started to hire lawyers. The public sympathized with them. The man- ner in which the nation's money had been wasted caused much bitter comment, and re- sulted in some grumbling during the last two Liberty Loan drives. Purchasers of bonds saw that any amount they could give would be wasted in a few minutes at the Ives plant alone.
As the winter passed, and spring came, every possible effort was made to learn the government's intentions. The men who had planned the munitions works had left the fed- eral service. Others answered letters ad- dressed to their departments, and often the
successors would be gone before explanations could be completed. The owners could not get the land. There was no sign that they would be reimbursed for their sacrifices. The land was not being used, yet the government seemed unable to relinquish possession because of the large quantities of material stored there.
Agents came to investigate and nothing was heard of their reports. Real estate men from Racine were asked to estimate the damages sustained by property owners. They made re- ports which disappeared into pigeon-holes at Washington, and even their pay for the ap- praisal was not forthcoming.
Up to January, 1920, the only progress made was the announcement that the buildings on the premises would be sold to the lowest bid- der, and a Chicago firm obtained them at the auction. In the meantime it had developed that in other parts of the country land owners had been deprived of their property in a simi- lar manner for other government projects, and a congressional investigation of the methods used was decided upon.
Other industries in Racine did not suffer greatly as a result of the sudden ending of the war. All of them had plenty of private con- tracts in sight as soon as the government busi- ness could be disposed of, and the transforma- tion of the factories from a war to a peace basis was accomplished with hardly a ripple of excitement. In fact, the year 1919 was by all odds the most prosperous ever experi- enced in the history of the city and only the scarcity of material with which to construct new buildings prevented a tremendous growth in population in that year. There was a great shortage of houses and it was also difficult for manufacturing plants to obtain material and sufficient labor for enlarging their plants, as they desired.
Plenty of Jobs for Soldiers
The federal government was determined that no former soldier or sailor who desired to work should enter upon a period of en- forced idleness upon return from the camps, after being mustered out. Elaborate plans were made to furnish the agencies whereby men could be transported from one city or state to another, if necessary, in order to place them in jobs. Fortunately, the prosper- ous condition of the country kept the service from being absolutely necessary. Almost all service men were able to obtain lucrative em- ployment immediately and be earning high wages while seeking some particular position which they desired.
The government proposed to use, and did
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SOME THINGS THAT THE GOBS SAW
M. P. Shellberg, sailor, snapped, above, a line of ships on the near side of their smoke screen, with which they confused submarine commanders. The middle picture shows what sea weather and camouflage do to the images of two vessels. At the bottom an exploding mine is shown. An idea of its power is contained in the jet of water thrown up.
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WORLD WAR
use, the employment service organized during the war as the basis for the scheme. Refer- ence is made elsewhere to the Racine U. S. employment office, which was designed to regu- late the labor supply for war work. It had engaged some 1,400 men for the government TNT plant at Ives and about 500 men for construction work at Camp Grant and the Manitowoc Shipbuilding project. H. G. Pres- ser was superintendent of the office.
For the purpose of placing men who were being mustered out, the Bureau for Returning Soldiers, Sailors and Marines was organized on December 30th, 1918, at the Council Chambers; a special conference having been called for this purpose. The following is a list of names of those present at this conference and the organization which each one repre- sented:
Wm. Thiesen, Mayor of Racine.
C. C. Gittings, representing the Y. M. C. A.
Milton Pettit, representing the Manufactur- ers' Association.
F. R. Pettit, representing the Manufactur- ers' Association.
Mrs. F. R. Pettit, representing the Central Association.
Wm. Armstrong, President of the Eagles.
Angus R. Callender, representative of the Community Labor Board. (Management.)
Wm. Sommers, representative of Labor, of the Community Labor Board.
A. P. Kunig, Chairman of the Community Labor Board.
W. H. Levy, Examiner of the U. S. Employ- ment Service.
H. G. Presser, Examiner of the U. S. Em- ployment Service.
Miss Nellie M. Olson, Supt. of the Women's Division, Kenosha.
Miss Anna Behrmann, Supt. of the Women's Division, Racine.
Walter H. Reed, Racine Commercial Club.
.
T. S. Rees, Vocational School.
Wm. Pauli, Alderman.
T. Olson, Alderman.
Thomas Smader, Alderman.
John Heims, Council of Defense.
Adolph Weber, Grand Army.
Jens Peterson, Danish Lutheran Church, Sil- ver street.
John Jones, Elks' Club.
R. L. Bullock, Knights of Pythias.
R. E. Brown, Sons of Veterans.
W. W. Kradwell, Spanish War Veterans.
S. F. Gates, Spanish War Veterans.
J. H. Brannum, Brannum Lumber Company. Mrs. Foster, Racine Woman's Club.
Mrs. Chas. Carter, Racine Woman's Club.
Miss Harvey, representing Y. W. C. A.
Miss Devine, Representative of the Commu- nity Labor Board.
Rev. J. Dressler, Lutheran Church of Atone- ment.
Mr. Bradshaw, Y. M. C. A.
E. W. Leach, Local Board No. 1.
Carl Straubel, Walker Mfg. Co.
Stanley Weinerowski.
Rev. B. P. Burand, St. Stanislaus Church.
R. C. Rueschaw, Mitchell Motors Company.
W. B. Mitchell, American Skein Company.
L. T. Vance, Ajax Rubber Company.
Mr. Schwartz, Webster Electric Company.
Albert Wirry, Walker Mfg. Company.
Walter Rasmussen, Walker Mfg. Company.
Henry Burns, Trades Labor Council.
Rev. Rusten, State St. Lutheran Church.
John Konnak, President of the Turnover Club.
Rev. G. M. Thimell, First Swedish Church.
Miss Kate Mehder, Central Association.
Mrs. Ostergaard, War Community Service. Rev. C. R. Nickerson, Presbyterian Church. A. J. Link, Trades Labor Council.
N. C. Christensen, Trades Labor Council.
The purpose of this Bureau was chiefly that the soldier, sailor or marine returning to his town or to a strange town could have some certain place to go to to find out information as to what kind of employment was open for him. At the time this Bureau was organized, many soldiers, sailors and marines and war workers were being demobilized; many going to cities where they were relatively unknown. Wherever they went, it was the duty of the community to see that every possible oppor- tunity was given to them to get jobs-to get the best jobs for which they are qualified. These men gave up their work at the country's call, without hesitation. To some of them, their old positions remained open, with others, such was not the case. Still others had ac- quired new purpose and strength and in many cases new skill, which fitted them for better work than they had formerly. It was both a national and a community duty to see that as they came back everything was done to enable them to return to positions wherethey could do most effective work.
The co-operating agencies registered at this office all opportunities for employment which came to their attention. Employers were urged as a patriotic duty to register their op- portunities for employment with specifications as to types and kinds of men wanted and other necessary details. They kept the Bureau in-
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KV
Photos by John Hood
SCENES OF THE DAYS OF THE DEPARTURE OF DRAFT CONTINGENTS
The series shows the head of a draft procession, accompanying officials, the line of the marchers and sidewalk specta- tors, crowds in the streets accompanying the boys, Home Guards and officials waiting for the train that was to carry the men away, sorrowing friends and relatives (note serious faces and woman with handkerchief pressed to eyes in next to bottom picture), and, finally, the contingent on its way, waving flags an dshouting farewells through the car windows.
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formed as such positions were filled or as new jobs were open. The full resources of the Bureau were open without charge to any re- turning soldiers, sailors, marines and war workers, regardless of where he or she first made application. The Bureau used all means at its disposal to furnish them with correct information on the various questions that con- fronted them, or directed them to places where such information could be obtained. This was the general method of operating the Bureau.
In charge of each Bureau was a Bureau Manager, who was selected by the Board of Management. H. G. Presser was selected as Bureau Manager for this Bureau. He was sworn into the Federal Service as a Special Agent of the U. S. Employment Service of the Department of Labor, and was entitled to the franking privileges of such Department, and subject in the executive details, to the in- structions of the Director General of the Em- ployment Service, and of the Federal Director of such Service for this city.
The U. S. Employment Service appointed an agent to be stationed in every demobiliza- tion camp who was there assisted by the camp representatives of the affiliated organization. Each such agent so far as possible, was to telegraph the Federal State Director the prob- able time of arrival of discharged soldiers as
soon as definite information was available. The Federal State Director in turn informed the Bureaus affected. As far as possible, this information contained the number of men who signified their intention to call on the local Bureau for assistance, and a general state- ment of the predominating kinds of work de- sired. He mailed a card for each man who had signified a desire for assistance, stating the kind of work desired. These cards were classified and filed by the Manager of the Bureau, and where possible, matched up with available opportunities before the man called at the Bureau, so that on arrival he could be at once referred to a definite opening.
In Racine there was an average of about 150 registrations per month, and an average of about 120 placed in employment. Of this amount thirty per cent were outsiders, that is. men coming here from different cities who had never before been in this city. A great many of these applied several times for the reason that their position was not available, while others took temporary positions until they could obtain their pre-war position.
The office was maintained by the Govern- ment paying the salaries of the employes there- in and the city paid all other expenses, such as rent, fuel, heat, light and telephone charges.
PART III MILITARY ACTIVITIES
PERSHING PINNING D. S. C. ON 32ND DIVISION PRIVATE
CHAPTER XX THE A. E. F. IN ACTION
T HE American Expeditionary Forces in Europe consisted of 2,079,880 men, all of whom had been transported from the United States after May 1, 1917. It was by far the largest army ever sent so far from its home base of supplies and its organization in- volved many new and difficult problems of warfare.
Some of these difficulties may be realized from a brief statement of conditions confront- ing the Army and Navy. First of all, it was necessary to provide the army itself, and the manner in which this was done has been re- counted in previous chapters. The movement of 2,000,000 men across the Atlantic would be a big job at any time, but it was an enormous one when there was a shortage of suitable transports, and enemy warships menaced every mile of the sea paths.
After the army arrived in France, it had to be clothed and fed. Provision for this must be made before the men landed, because the submarine warfare might at any time sever the lines of communication for days or weeks at a time. It was the policy of the govern- ment to send to Europe at least a month's pro- visions for every man at the same time as the man himself embarked, and thereafter main- tained a reserve supply in France equal to that amount. Of course it was necessary to ship the supplies for the normal automatic issue of rations and equipment, also.
To land the men and supplies it was neces- sary to provide ports, and vast wharves and warehouses were constructed by the Americans at the points designated as debarkation points for the Yanks. These were St. Nazaire, Nantes, Brest, Bordeaux and La Rochelle. Troops were also landed at Le Havre from England, but no American terminal facilities were provided there.
French railroads offered no possibility of transporting the needed men and supplies to the training centers and the front line sectors, so an American railroad system was con-
structed from the west coast right through to Verdun. Rails, spikes and rolling stock all had to be shipped from here, France could furnish little excepting wooden ties, and even these were scarce.
Huge refrigerating plants were installed- the largest in the world, in fact. Vast supply depots were built. Training camps were con- structed. Artillery ranges were laid out. Of- ficers' schools were opened.
As soon as war was declared, Gen. Pershing was sent to France to perfect the organization of this Service of Supply and plan for the utilization of the combat forces which the United States would send as soon as possible. Almost immediately there arose hundreds of exasperating questions, due to the ancient laws and customs of Europe. It was a difficult mat- ter for the government of France to condemn land quickly for use of the Allied armies. Ob- taining rights to build a railroad, American fashion, involved more red tape than our State Department ever saw in its palmiest days. Legal restrictions surrounded every step con- nected with the purchase of timber and other supplies. Eventually Pershing arranged to smooth out what difficulties he and his staff could, and then proceed to do what he wanted to on the assumption that claims could be made for damages later on. What could be brought from America was brought. The troops first arriving were used mainly in the work of con- struction for several months, and several boatloads of civilian mechanics were brought from the United States to supervise the tasks of construction. Regiments of troops were formed of volunteers from many trades, such as railroad men, foresters, etc., and these per- formed gigantic tasks with a skill and ease which caused the more conservative Europeans to gasp in astonishment. The miles of wharves, warehouses and railroad yards at Bordeaux were constructed by American workmen in less time than the French engineers had estimated
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would be required to complete the plans and take out the lines.
The British and French high commands pro- posed that American units be not utilized as parts of an American army, but be used as re- placement units to supply the Allied ranks as they became depleted through death, wounds and illness. The plan had merit only insofar as it provided a quick way of training soldiers. Fortunately Gen. Pershing knew his country- men well enough to be sure nothing but trouble could result from placing American soldiers under foreign commissioned and non-com- missioned officers. He insisted American troops fight under their own flags and under their own officers. Beyond this, he was will- ing to send them wherever they were needed, either acting as a separate force or serving under British or French troops commanders when the latter were in danger of defeat. He urged that all the Allied armies be put under one commander-in-chief, so that they could act in harmony at all times. Failure to do so had been one of the contributing causes of the low ebb of the Allied cause in the spring of 1917. Partly as a result of the American views, the plan was adopted and Field Marshal Foch of France was chosen to fill the important post. Prior to this time, the plan of unified command had been side-tracked for months because each of the Allies wanted its own army commander to be made generalissimo. America had no candidate for the job and favored Foch partly because of his known skill as a tactician, and partly because he repre- sented France, on whose soil the war was be- ing fought to a decision.
For the purpose of training troops, Gen. Pershing obtained the services of numerous British and French instructors. In artillery, particularly, it was necessary to depend upon the French as they were to furnish guns for the first contingent of Yanks and no American officers were familiar with the now famous 75 millimeter and 155 millimeter field pieces. At first, American quartermaster department of- ficers were placed in charge of the organiza- tion of the Service of Supply in France, but Gen. Pershing soon saw that while West Point turns out good soldiers it doesn't necessarily equip a man for a business career, and this was essentially a big business proposition. So America was drawn upon for some of its most famous engineers, bankers, contractors, mer- chants and other civilian leaders to take charge of the work. They were given army rank and they showed the world what speed meant when applied to construction and distribution.
Wherever possible, the French turned over
buildings for hospitals, and furnished all sur- plus cars for use of the American transporta- tion service but the demand was far greater than the supply.
As many troops would be sent to France via England, arrangements had to be made there for the care of men in transit. Lines of communication were established from Liver- pool, London and Southampton to numerous rest camps, training camps and ports, and across the Channel to France. All of this not only requires time and material but meant the detachment of many army officers and men for the operation of the service and to maintain laisson with the Allied governments and of- ficials.
The spot in France where the first con- tingent of American soldiers set foot in 1917 is not Brest, or St. Nazaire, or Bordeaux. It is not even on the seacoast of France. To find the landing place of the first of the two mil- lion, you must go one hundred miles up from the mouth of the river Seine, one hundred miles as the river winds through one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, until you come to the ancient town of Rouen, capital of the one-time province of Normandy, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.
The stone quay that is the north bank of the river in the shadow of Rouen's Grand Pont was made historic on May 25, 1917, by the un- announced coming of the first boatload of Americans. That pilgrim band was not the vanguard of the First Division. It was not a Regular Army detachment rushed over to buoy up the hopes of the Allies, for it was almost a month later that General Pershing and his escort of troops landed at St. Nazaire. That first band at Rouen was composed of sol- diers who had been civilians twenty days be- fore. It was Base Hospital No. 4 which had been assembled at Cleveland, Ohio, on May 5,1917.
When, at 7 o'clock of the long spring twi- light of May 25, the British transport Western Australia swung to in the river channel in Rouen, there were strange uniforms at her rails. While the transport was edging toward her moorings, the word spread among the crowds at the tables under the trees of the terrasse of the Cafe Victor Hugo that the Americans had come. That crowd of the Rouen waterfront terrasses was indisputably the most cosmopolitan in all the world at that time, for Rouen was the place of all places in France where the conglomeration of races fighting under England's flag rubbed elbows and at the same time mingled with the native
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NEMINES
AUFSRT'S CO. TRANSMISSIONS L.
K VII
Photos by John Hood
HOME AGAIN AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF WAR SERVICE
At the top the waiting crowds at the railway stations; below scenes when the boys unloaded and got on the solid ground of Racine once more ; in the upper picture at right a small admirer is looking at one of her heroes: below are scenes of the last marches of the boys before doffing the uniform and getting back into civil life.
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French and France's black colonials and yellow auxiliaries.
The whole cosmopolitan mass came to the waterfront to greet the Americans. Out from the cafes, ont from every building, out of the street ends they hurried until the broad, cob- blestoned roadway was filled with them. Ropes were stretched to keep them from crowding too closely, and from the boat decks it looked as if the first line behind the ropes was com- posed exclusively of mesdemoiselles, waving the earliest welcome. And behind the mesde- moiselles was the mixed mass of the British Army-for Rouen was the biggest B. E. F. base in France.
Yes, and there was a platoon of German prisoners that stopped under escort. Such was the crowd which extended an impromptu welcome to the first of the A. E. F., a welcome that rang true despite the fact that Rouen had long before grown dulled to the uniform and the march of men.
Sergeant R. C. Madden, of Brooklyn, who had been two years in the Regular Army, had the honor of being the first man ashore. Af- ter him came the score of medical officers, thirty nurses and one hundred and fifty en- listed men who composed the unit.
The record of organizing this first unit and landing it in France within twenty days is one of the unusual stories of the war. In addition to being the first in France, the unit also was the first to land in England, racing with the Harvard unit to win the honor.
Assembled in Cleveland on May 6, the outfit proceeded to New York on a special train, en- listment papers being completed on the train. On May 8 it sailed from New York on the Cunard liner Orduna. Losses from submarines in the week before the Orduna sailed had been heavier than in any other week of the war, and it was generally known aboard the boat that American destroyers were waiting off the coast of the British Isles to convoy the Orduna through the danger zone. On May 18 the Orduna sailed quietly into Liverpool.
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