USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine county in the world war > Part 6
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CHAPTER IX
PROTECTION AT HOME; THE STATE GUARDS
W ITH the departure of the National Guard troops of the various states to their mobilization camps, the states themselves were left without any military forces. The same, or greater necessity existed for them during war time as in days of peace. The suppression of riots, enforcement of law when local authorities were unable to maintain order, the training of citizens in the use of arms, the maintenance of a force at home which could be called upon by the government in times of peril-all of these duties had been shouldered by state militia organizations since the foundation of the government.
On August 24, 1917, a meeting was held at the Commercial club rooms in Racine and it was decided to raise two companies of militia in Racine for home guard service during the war. Most of those accepted were men unfit- ted by age or physical condition for active serv- ice with the combat forces, or exempt from such service by reason of dependencies or their employment in essential industries. Neverthe- less, they desired to be trained for military duty, and stood ready to "do their bit" as far as possible.
The state guard was to be subject to the call of the governor at any time for duty within the state, and probably could have been sum- moned into federal service anywhere within the boundaries of the nation to repel invasion or suppress insurrection, if needed.
On September 28, 1917, the two local com- panies organized by the election of the follow- ing officers by ballot:
Co. I .- Captain, Paul M. Matson; 1st Lieu- tenant, Wallace F. McGregor; 2nd Lieutenant, Rudolph P. Peterson.
Co. K .- Captain, Richard Drake; 1st Lieu- tenant, John T. Olson; 2nd Lieutenant, John H. Owens.
When Captain Drake resigned to enter the United States army, Lieutenant Olson was com- missioned Captain, 2nd Lieutenant Owens be-
came 1st Lieutenant, and F. C. Haumerson was named as 2nd Lieutenant.
The two companies were mustered into serv- ice October 4, 1917, and eventually were as- signed to the Seventh regiment, of which Horace M. Seaman of Milwaukee was colonel, and Henry C. Baker of Racine lieutenant-col- onel.
The annual encampment of the regiment at Camp Douglas, July 6-13, 1918 was attended by practically the full membership.
During the year drills were held weekly. The muster rolls showed 65 men in each com- pany.
The state guard was held in service until steps could be taken to reorganize the national guard regiments after the demobilization of the national army. Fortunately, there was no need for any demonstration of the fighting ability of the citizen soldiery, but undoubtedly they would have rendered good account of themselves had there been any cause for their shouldering rifles, for serious work.
The non-commissioned officers of the two companies are as follows:
Co. I .- First Sergeant, J. E. Wilson; Q. M. Sergeant, C. B. Washburn; Sergeants P. F. Peterson, A. W. Johnson, Ed. Rasmussen, A. W. Clutter. Corporals: William Myers, S. E. Craig, D. C. Washburn, A. E. Wilkins.
Co. K .- First Sergeant, John Konnak; Q. M. Sergeant, W. M. Rodgers; Sergeants, B. M. Kerr, T. M. Kearney, Jr., Lee Archer; Corpor- als, Charles Nelson, A. D. Hermes, Peter Ver- heyen, E. Findley, Arthur Ehrlich, Elmer Dur- gin.
The state guards did valuable service in help- ing to train selected men who expected to be called to the colors soon. Many of these drilled with the local companies and obtained an elementary knowledge of drill and tactics which resulted in their rapid promotion after they were inducted into federal service.
PART II CIVILIAN ORGANIZATIONS
CHAPTER X
COUNTY COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
T HE raising of an American army by means of the selective draft necessarily brought the war home to every com- munity, every factory, every farm and every family in the county. The public attitude to- ward the draft might have been one of curiosity or distrust or even hostility; but in fact it was one of active sympathy with its purposes and was marked by a real desire to help.
The deep-seated patriotism of the Racine people could never be doubted. From the very day war was declared the great majority of men and women were asking themselves and each other "What can I do to help?" A state of bewilderment existed. All felt that big tasks would be required of them. What these were no one knew.
The privilege of fighting for one's country is not given to all. Age, sex, infirmities, de- pendencies and other causes may and do make a large share of the people unfitted for the bat- tlefield. Production must be kept up or armies are helpless.
In Racine, as everywhere, there was an im- mediate attempt upon the part of many peo- ple to "organize something." Realizing that the civilian population must do its part, there naturally arose numerous ideas and sugges- tions as to what it had better do and how it had better do it. Each advocate had his or her ideas on the subject, and proposed to demon- strate their value.
Fortunately, clear-sighted men and women began at once to evolve a system which would obtain the greatest results from the work of civilians with the least amount of waste mo- tion and useless expense. The government it- self gave the matter careful consideration. Within a short time the civilian activities were pretty well concentrated along the following channels.
First: A central body which should assume the responsibility of telling the people what the government wanted done, and provide means for doing it. This was the County
Council of Defense. Its principal subsidiaries were: (a) Local organizations to assist in financing the war, such as Liberty Loan, Thrift Stamp and War Chest Committees: (b) A Women's committee to aid in directing the efforts of women in the home and elsewhere, solving industrial problems affecting the sex, and cooperating with the other branches of the Council and of the government; (c) Certain bureaus and committees charged with the work of giving information to the public, con- serving the necessities of life and industry, and increasing production. Examples of these are the Food Administration, Four Minute Men, War Garden Committees, Etc.
Second: The local branch of the American Red Cross. This was part of the nation-wide organization which supplied comforts to men in service, conducted relief work, maintained con- tact between men in service and their families, and assumed the task of providing certain surgical supplies for army hospitals as well as recruiting nurses for hospital work. It had 32,000 members in Racine.
Third: Organizations created at the request of the government to assist in administration of draft laws, alien enemy legislation, etc. Among these were the Legal Advisory Board and American Protective League.
The off-shoots of the County Council of De- fense in many cases assumed the importance of entirely separate organizations and perhaps over-shadowed the council itself at times, but they were all part of a co-ordinated whole. The council outlined plans, appointed those to execute them and turned to new problems. The Council was what it was intended to be, the directing spirit of civilian war work out- side of certain specified lines.
There were many other organizations which must be given due credit for their useful and patriotic labors. Most of them, however, were adjuncts of the parent bodies named above, or in some cases merely temporary or neighbor-
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hood associations intended to deal with certain phases of the larger problems.
There were hundreds of individuals also who did valuable work outside of the organizations formed upon the broad lines indicated. The scope of their efforts was so varied that it would be impossible to attempt to record them. One of the great duties of the civilian popula- tion was to maintain the morale of the armies in the field, and there is no one who can esti- mate the actual worth to the nation of the cheerful letters sent to homesick boys in can- tonment and field; the burdens assumed by patriotic women that men might be enabled to serve in uniforms; the individual financial sac- rifices made to assist the country in its time of peril; the welfare work done for those in service, and the almost unanimous attitude of willingness to do whatever task might be re- quired to add to the effectiveness of the na- tional efforts regardless of inconvenience, dis- comfort or expense.
Racine, like other communities, presented a united front to the enemy; its people were eager to do their share, and did their part to prove that a peaceful nation, ambitious only for its prosperity, freedom and happiness, can none the less be relied upon in times of na- tional danger to sacrifice anything and every- thing that our democracy may live.
On April 16, 1917, President Wilson outlined a practical plan for civilian work. He propos- ed a central administrative body, the National Council of Defense, with State Councils at each State capital appointed by the governors, and subordinate to them, the County Councils of Defense which would be the basic, responsi- ble unit. These organizations were semi-offi- cial, with the authority of the government and state back of their work, and yet they had no legal executive powers. Probably they accom- plished more than they would had they been armed with an autocratic authority to compel obedience for the American people dislike to be driven. The County Council soon had local committees in every town and village, so that in case of need an order from Washington could be transmitted to almost every fireside within a few hours, by the orderly function- ing of this large organization. The same plan, reversed, enabled the central body to collect information and obtain an expression of senti- ment promptly.
Before America entered the conflict there had been in existence a Committee of Ten, in this and other cities, for the purpose of outlin- ing a scheme for the mobilization of national industries and resources in case of war. This
was the outgrowth of a plan prepared by Mar- tin J. Gillen, a Racine. attorney, and adopted throughout the country.
The Committee of Ten responded to the presidential announcement of the new plan by calling together a number of leading men of the city to form the Racine County Council of Defense. The first gathering of this body was held at the Commercial Club at 8 o'clock on the evening of Tuesday, April 17, 1917. The aims of the organization were read by J. H. Brannum, who acted as chairman, and then he went right to the point by stating that the first order of business was the election of a permanent chairman, and that Captain Wm. Mitchell Lewis was the man. His election fol- lowed and in a brief utterance Captain Lewis tersely charged the group with their duties.
"It is necessary that every member of this body go the limit to accomplish what may be set out for them to do," he said.
Like the people generally, the members felt that great responsibilities were being assumed, but they did not know yet just what they were. In the first days of its organization the Council members were much at sea as to their duties, their powers and their objects-but they dis- creetly said little about it and let the public believe what it would. They awaited instruc- tions from Madison.
Wisconsin was the first state to create a state council of defense by legislative enact- ment (April 12, 1917) and it was the first state to perfect its state and county organizations. The legislature in May authorized a county tax to provide funds for the County Councils.
At the first meeting of the Racine Council of Defense referred to above, the following ob- jects were outlined :
To assist nation and state in doing all things necessary to bring about the highest effective- ness and to co-ordinate all activities; to re- ceive, distribute and execute orders and sug- gestions from the National and State Councils; to increase production and conserve food pro- ducts; to aid the military plans; to study sources of supplies; to investigate the acts of persons suspected of disloyalty, and to inter- est all organizations and citizens in problems which might arise and secure their aid in solv- ing them in such a manner as will result in the greatest possible benefit to the nation.
Following the election of Captain Lewis as chairman, there were spirited addresses by Mr. Gillen and Rev. C. S. Nickerson.
William H. Armstrong, later elected mayor, was made vice-chairman. At the suggestion of Captain Lewis a conference was arranged with
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-----
PHOTOS BY LEONARD
Top Row-W. J. Pearmain, L. C. Pedersen, Arthur Rick, A. C. Hanson, A. L. Agne, Theo. Jacobson, E. T. Bjorkman. Second-Anthony Miller, J. J. Henkes, Frank Abbati, Fritz Reichert, Theo. Schliesmann, Wallace Kelly, Chas. Wratten. Third-Edw. Wurz, L. E. Ganss, F. A. Frudenwald, B. F. Crandall, Edw. Piepmeyer, H. Trinke, Rud. Prott. Fourth-R. R. Green, R. P. Driver, L. L. George, A. R. Miles, A. A. Bradley, Ephriam Hansen, J. W. Gulbrandsen. Fifth-R. A. Fisher, N. P. Hansen, W. A. DeYoung, W. R. Wadewitz, C. T. Peterson, G. W. Schutten, R. F. Jungck. Bottom-J. H. Mura, A. J. Christensen, E. N. Mangold, L. J. Christiansen, E. H. Wood, Oscar Johnson, T. R. Foxwell. .
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William Horlick, Jr., in the hope of getting him to act as treasurer. The hope was realized. Miss Minnie I. Queckenstedt was suggested as permanent secretary. This capable young woman accepted, although declaring that she was not quite sure what she was getting into, but was willing to answer the call of duty. As it turned out her worst fears were confirm- ed, but she remained at her post to the last and when it was all over, was probably glad of it.
As a matter of fact none of the council was just sure what lay ahead, but all were willing to "take a chance," and after Captain Lewis concluded one of his terse, characteristic speeches, in which he said that the idea was to "go to it" and to deliver, the spirit of deter- mination was born in that organization.
Subsequently the membership was subjected to changes by resignation, etc., but following is a complete list of all those who served at one time or another during the war: William Mitchell Lewis* and F. Lee Norton, chairmen; Wm. H. Armstrong, vice-chairman; Minnie I. Queckenstedt, secretary; William Horlick, Jr., treasurer; Peter T. Stoffel, Milton H. Pettit. Frank H. Miller, Jacob Heim, A. C. Mehder, O. C. Friend*, Mrs. F. R. Pettit*, Mrs. John W. Owen*, Peter J. Myers, John D. Jones, Jr., Frank B. Renak, Jr., W. J. Hansche, S. B. Walker, John H. Dwight, Mrs. Stuart Webs- ter*, W. T. Harvey, N. C. Nelson, Mrs. R. S. Preble and Mayor T. W. Thiesen, ex-officio, all of Racine; A. S. Titus and Henry Caley, Waterford; A. G. Cady*, A. B. Steele and M. H. Herzog, Corliss; H. A. Runkle*, Mrs. W. G. Rasch, C. Roy McCanna*, George W. Walker, Albert Hanson and D. A. Warren* of Burling- ton; Joseph Smerchek*, John H. Kamper* and L. C. Christensen Franksville; O. P. Graham*, Robert Nugent and J. Z. Collier, Union Grove; Matt Lavin, Kansasville; George Ela, Roches- ter.
The earlier meetings of the council were oc- cupied largely with matters concerning the organization-getting into its stride and feel- ing its way about in regard to its powers and duties. One of the first matters to come up for action was the report that many sailors on furlough from the Great Lakes Naval Train- ing station were getting liquor in Racine and had lately appeared in all sorts of stages of intoxication, in spite of the government order that prohibited the selling or giving liquor to men in the uniform of the United States. In- vestigations were carried out and one report submitted stated that the boys got their liquor at South Milwaukee. At about that time the
military authorities caused action through fed- eral civil channels which resulted in a much stricter observation of the rule against selling liquor to men in uniform. The practice of uni- formed men going into saloons had not been prohibited, and when one of them would stand alongside a civilian customer who had a drink before him, and take it and consume it, pro- secution was out of the question for there was no law against the men taking drinks if they could get them.
The organization for the First Liberty Loan was also before the council in this period and hardly had that plunge "over the top" by Ra- cine county been properly recorded before plans for the Second loan in October were taken up. The loan campaigns, which were problems primarily in the hands of the council, are de- scribed in another portion of this volume.
Functions and powers of the council were by this time fairly well defined. The council had altered somewhat in personnel. Captain Lewis had gone into the army as a Major of a signal battalion, Mrs. F. R. Pettit had resigned and Mrs. John W. Owen has succeeded her. But the old guard, Milton H. Pettit, Peter Stof- fel, Mrs. W. G. Rasch, Wm. Horlick, Jr., and others were regularly on the job. F. Lee Nor- ton had succeeded to the chairmanship and also had a lot of other work on other war- time organizations. The routine concerned the lining up of "slackers" of various kinds- Liberty loan, selective draft and the like and the encouragement of various wartime service organizations. A canteen had been established at the home of Mrs. Paul Ostergaard, where visiting soldiers and sailors were fed, enter- tained and extended various comforts. The Motor Corps had been organized to answer Red Cross, Secret Service, Home Service and Council calls. The Women's Committee of the Council, as a co-ordinate of the Council had been organized and was producing some re- sults.
The general effectiveness of the Council soon became apparent. The experiment of an or- ganization to carry out the federal and state plans, which extended to wards and precincts in cities and townships and even sections in the country, had proven a mighty institution. Should another national crisis arise which de- manded universal activity from President to the humblest workman, this system will doubt- less be used, and at another time its organi- zation and effectiveness can be developed in a fraction of time that was employed in estab- lishing it in 1917-8.
Along in October the labor shortage question
*Indicates resignations. Captain Lewis resigned to en- ter service and F. Lee Norton was elected to succeed him.
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2
FNol
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PHOTOS BY HOOD
Top Row-Fred Danzer, Louis Demant, Ingv. Amundsen, August Sustachek, B. W. Kolander, And. Jensen, T. Thompson. Second-B. Dembrowski, D. J. Swencki, Apkar Markarian, Paul Citiago, Arthur Petersen, Arthur Konrad, Joseph Block. Third-Myrl E. Ward, Baghas Yahnian, Nels Nelson, Giuragos Hurshostian, Gustav Zelmer, Robt. Smitt, M. J. Thomsen. Fourth-Ermino Zamin, Louis Buisse, Matt M. Mohr, Martin Nurnberger, Herman Nissen, Emanuel Carlson, Ed. Stegner. Bottom-Julius Weiss, H. E. Pfarrdrescher, Anthony Pinuta, A. E. Stephans, C. Paolocci, Mike Kalagian, L. E. Brierly.
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became serious both on Racine county farms and in the city factories. It was reported to the council that hordes of loafers were about town and many of them were aliens and not susceptible to the selective laws. The problem was before the council for months in an effort to get a special law to deal with this class of "birds," but the war had nearly ended when the "Work or Fight" order was promulgated.
Another matter developed at the October 11 meeting. That was a tendency of some mem- bers of the council, itself, to shirk. It was found that a number of members had not at- tended more than one or two meetings, and it was finally decided to notify delinquents that unless they appeared at the meetings or sent sufficient excuses, their resignations would au- tomatically follow. Three members were drop- ped at the next meeting as a result. But there also was a feeling that the council was not getting the proper reach and the question of enlarging the membership was taken up, so that its influence would extend into the coun- try districts. In addition to the decentraliza- tion of the council into the corresponding local or community councils, it was decided that standing committees of the County Council should be made up of members of the council, who were to gather about themselves an ad- visory body of men and women especially fitted for handling the problems presented. In all its efforts the Council had the support and aid of other organizations engaged in war work.
In December, 1917, the council proposed the curtailment of Christmas giving, both as an aid to thrift and to reduce the need of extra help in stores. At about the same time in- vestigation of stories of alleged disloyalty was begun and several persons of pro-German pro- clivities were put on the grill and warned to mend their ways.
"Daylight saving," procured by setting the clocks ahead an hour in the summer, was given local approval and finally was accomplished by law.
The more important, definite tasks of the Council are discussed in later chapters devoted to its subsidiary bodies-the Liberty Loan Committees, Women's Committee, Food Ad- ministration, etc. Numerous problems, how- ever, were handled by the membership of the board itself. Among the principal committees were those on:
Agriculture-A. S. Titus, W. J. Hansche, A. B. Steele, Peter J. Myers, Frank B. Renak, John D. Jones, Jr., S. W. Walker, and A. L. Thomas. Purpose, to encourage production,
aid in securing seeds and fertilizer, and assist in finding markets for products.
Labor-G. A. Kanters, E. A. Polley, H. C. Berger, Jacob Heim, J. H. Smith, John F. Kovar, John H. Dwight, A. J. Hay and Joseph Christianson. Purpose, to analyze the labor situation, discourage idleness, and cooperate with the government in matters affecting the supply, distribution and welfare of labor.
Re-Classification of Farm Labor-A. E. Pol- ley, A. B. Steele, John D. Jones, Jr., and A. L. Thomas. Purpose, to see that justice was done in respect to the exemption claims of farm workers. Some confusion existed as to wheth- er the owner or employe on a farm was the essential worker in the industry, and as to what constituted a skilled farmer. It was also reported that some men were getting ex- emption from service as "farmers" when their only claim to distinction in that line came from recent purchases of rural property.
Threshermen's Committee-H. M. Thomas, W. T. Harvey, and A. E. Polley. To eliminate waste in the threshing and regulate rates.
Boys' Working Reserve-L. W. Brooks, A. R. Graham, W. E. Stone, A. E. Polley, E. V. Donaldson, Frank LaBudde, H. C. Berger, Al- bert Koehn. To encourage boys under draft age to engage in productive agriculture during vacations.
Marketing-M. H. Pettit, A. J. Lunt, D. E. Fitzgerald, W. H. Reed, C. E. Brewer, W. H. Armstrong, Mrs. W. H. Reed, Mrs. N. C. Nel- son. This committee started three public mar- kets for produce. It also arranged for the pur- chase and sale, with no administrative cost, of several carloads of potatoes and apples, and large quantities or rutabagas, fish and beans. Nearly 200 farmers were supplied with seed corn during the shortage in 1918.
Old Glory Committee-Thos. G. Dickinson, Oscar P. Hoppe, E. D. Kosterman, Vilas E. Whaley, T. J. McCrory, Henry S. Keefe, Julius Jappe, A. C. Hanson, Christian H. Heck, Gus- tave Hilker, O. E. Gertenbach, H. P. Kohlmann, Ed. Hilker, Peter J. Myers, Thorwald Thomp- son, Max C. Lau, H. S. Mogensen, William G. Maxted, Elmer J. Knudson, Louis Peterson, A. J. Eisenhut, Cliff Russell, Mat Myrup, Robert Hurley, Axel W. Pichard, E. G. H. Wendt, John P. Barry. This committee made a personal call at every residence, business house, office and factory, asking that the Na- tional Colors be displayed.
War Gardens -- A. J. Lunt, Max W. Heck, W. H. Reed, James Pottinger, Mesdames A. A. Guilbert, W. G. Rasch, and J. W. Owen, and the members of the city park board. This com-
RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
63
PHOTOS BY PAVEK
Top Row-Olaf Anderson, J. D. Christensen, J. O. Siebert, Il. M. Holden, W. Mck. Christensen, S. A. Titus, S. Martino. Second-H. F. Schulz, Alex Wolgat, John Fachko, Frank Manko, J. T. Saras, Francesco Brancaccio, E. H. Alstad. Third-J. Kurianowicz, F. Llongo, John Sadowski, P. Yenid unian, Henry Black, Wm. Miller, Alf. Anderson. Fourth-W. F. Wolff, Arthur Moe, Chas. Vrana, R. Maritat o, Neshan Kenasian, Mihram Dadian, Frank Higgins. Bottom-Nichola Riviello, Frank Maur, Vinc. Cefalu, Adolph Sopinski, H. C. Anderson, Ulgar Peterson. A. Christensen.
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mittee listed the vacant property in cities and towns, arranged to get permission for amateur gardeners to plant vegetables, and then re- ceived applications and assigned the lots. The committee provided 364 lots in 1917, 450 in 1918 and 250 in 1919. In addition, it reported 3,427 war gardens which were not under its supervi- sion. The Boy Scouts assisted in protecting these war gardens from theft and school chil- dren aided in cultivating and protecting them.
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