Racine county in the world war, Part 9

Author: Haight, Walter L
Publication date: c1920]
Publisher: [Racine, Western Prtg. & Lithographing Co.
Number of Pages: 612


USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine county in the world war > Part 9


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69


went to Milwaukee to buy a suit of clothes. He returned the same evening, and before he reached home had been told by no less than seven persons of a generally-credited report that he had been taken to Ft. Leavenworth prison that afternoon by agents of the govern- ment.


A real estate man with relatives in Germany finally had to ask the assistance of the news- papers in squelching a tale to the effect that he had been "beaten to a pulp" for expressing pro-German sentiments and was even then un- der arrest awaiting trial for his life as a spy.


During the war rumors constantly sprang up regarding the fate of soldiers in France. At one time, the story spread over night that Bat- tery F had been wiped out in one day's fight- ing near Chateau-Thierry and it was a long time before parents of boys in the battery were entirely convinced that there was no basis for a story which was retold by hundreds. Mail service was so slow to France that similar stories had plenty of time to go the rounds before they could be disproved. Use of cables for private messages was almost entirely pro- hibited and the censorship made news dis- patches generally indefinite when dealing with the identity of units in action.


Along in May, 1917, a report became cur- rent that a certain Racine man who was born in Germany, was preparing to raise a regiment of his former comrades and march against Canada. The story gathered momentum as it travelled, until it carried such details as the point of rendezvous for his troopers near the Canadian border; the amount he was paying for horses with which to equip his cavalry troop; the hiding place of old army rifles and shot guns with which he would arm his forces, etc.


When someone finally confronted him with all these "facts" and denounced him as a traitor in our midst, he was probably the most as- tounded man in the community. He had never heard a single whisper of the story until it was put up to him in the most damning form, with all details complete and seemingly accur- ate. Fortunately he was able to prove his in- nocence of the charge. It is doubtful if his accuser would have been satisfied with the mere knowledge that the old gentleman was in no physical condition to ride from here to Canada, much less to mount a fiery steed and lead his army across the country to attack Winnipeg.


One of the interesting incidents with the rumors about enemy activities had as its hero, or victim, no less a personage than Mayor


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RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR


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QUOTA FOR COLUMBUS BARRACKS JULY 6, 1918 FROM BOARD NO. I


There were listed for entrainment the following :- Dominick Mados, Anthony Lennertz, Edward Langdon, Arthur Miller, Nels J. Andersen, George C. Ruetz, Elmer Weill, Neshan Kehugian, Arthur Meier, Henry Cummings, Mihran Mighakian, William B. Staaden, Frank Goggins, Charles Truedell. Joseph A. Petura, Leonard P. Qualler, Herbert J. W. Cole, William Christensen, Henry C. Baumgard. Joseph Fizzari, Clarence Clement, Jens C. Eliasen, Alan King, Arthur C. Welty. William P. Robey, Soren C. Anderson, Harry Barsamian, Edward Ruzicka, Ernest Haase, Eric Nielsen, Leonard Baumblatt. Louis II. Nelson, Hans P. T. Nygard, Carprail Kehishain, William Nelson, Irving Christianson, Julius Mielke, Rudolph Prott. Charlie Arndt, Charles Svitavsky, Sam Cidampanglia, William 1I. Shook, Edwin J. Buberg, Chris Isager.


CIGARS


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QUOTA FOR JACKSON BARRACKS AUGUST 9, 1918 FROM BOARD NO. 2


There were listed for entrainment the following :- Mihail Koklas, Mark F. Bayermann, Thomas Meibos, Frank Charles Bronnenkant. Matthias P. Hommelsen, George Carl Klein, Clarence W. Brinkman, Henry Leonizen, John F. Gallagher, Andrew Poulson, Howard John Mckinsey, Robert J. Fryer. Arthur C. Fredrickson, Roy Leon Wilton, Harvey A. Mahnke, Benjamin Charlton, Rocco Volenti, Frank H. Thome.


82


RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR


T. W. Thiesen of Racine. Mayor Thiesen was in New York when the two local batteries re- ceived order to board the transport Leviathan on March 4, 1917. Troop movements were sup- posed to be kept secret, of course, and the fact that the 57th Field artillery brigade was to sail that day was not known to many persons outside of Camp Merritt.


The Leviathan was a big ship, however, and it had a big crew. It was known in New York city that she was in the Hoboken slip across the river and was the object of great interest to passengers on the ferries. The fact that she was to sail that week was quite generally known throughout the city, because even sail- ors talk sometimes. The writer, for one, was told by a total stranger on the streets of New York that the transport would sail on March 3 or 4.


Mayor "Bill" Thiesen was told by some of the people at the camp that the 121st F. A. was to go on the boat. He was asked not to say anything about it until they left, and he agreed, or course.


The day of sailing came. Battery C had embarked March 2 and Battery F on March 3, and on March 4 the great vessel backed out of the slip, and steamed down the bay past the Statue of Liberty, while thousands upon thou- sands of men and women cheered her from of- fice windows, ferry boats and housetops along the shore. Aeroplanes escorted her, whistling tugs accompanied her for a ways, and an ob- servation balloon preceded her, high in the air. Early in the afternoon the Leviathan was out of sight beyond the eastern horizon. That night Mayor Thiesen decided that he owed it to the anxious parents and friends of the Ra- cine soldiers to let them know that the boys had sailed, for the rules prohibited them notify- ing their parents in advance. He could see no harm in doing so then, as the facts were well known by everyone in New York.


He therefore sent three telegrams to Racine telling of the batteries' departure. They were addressed to city officials, and one suggested that the newspapers be informed of the big news next day. They were.


Then the storm broke. Someone suggested that the Germans, reading the news, would send a submarine out to sink the Leviathan. Everyone knew the Germans would do it if they could, and didn't stop to think that all the German agents in New York saw the ship sail twenty-four hours before anybody in Racine heard of it and they could communicate with Berlin rather more easily than a spy could from Racine.


It was reported that the telegrams from the Mayor were signed with various names. This was substantiated. One had been signed "Bill," one "Thiesen" and one "Prexy," a nickname ac- quired by Mr. Thiesen when he was president of the city school board. Added to all this evi- dence was the undoubted fact that the mayor was of German parentage.


When Mr. Thiesen arrived home, expecting to cheer up the soldiers' parents by telling how nicely the boys got away on their long journey, he was met with icy stares. Argument avail- ed nothing. The fact that the sailing of the Leviathan was public knowledge all over the country didn't help him. That he was one of the most patriotic of war workers couldn't off- set his German name. The fact that almost everybody in town was in the habit of calling him by one or another of the names signed to the telegrams could not discount the statement that the use of those different signatures "look- ed mighty suspicious."


A Racine man wrote a highly colored account of the matter to the United States district at- torney. The mayor heard of it and hastened to Chicago prepared to be thrown in jail as a spy. He related the whole story frankly. He was told to return home and "forget your trou- ble; we don't want you."


But it will be a long time before "Bill" Thie- sen forgets the outcome of his efforts to spread good cheer and comfort to the friends of the Battery boys.


"If the U-boats had ever sunk the Leviathan, I would have been strung up to a lamp post before I could have said a word," said Mr. Thiesen a year later in recounting the episode. "I don't know yet how they figured that there could be anything suspicious in my perfectly plain telegrams, which were accepted without question by the government telegraph company at New York, but I guess some people thought the messages proved me to be the head of the enemy intelligence service in America."


Nothing was more significant of the tense nerves of the nation than the uncanny speed with which rumors of tragedies and catastro- phes spread from coast to coast, from the Canadian border to the gulf.


All that was necessary was for some person to pass some remark, such as "I guess that tuberculosis is taking a heavy toll of lives among the soldiers in France," and if two or three persons heard it, the idea would gain ground until within a week almost everyone in the United States would be repeating the story of terrible lists of deaths as gospel truth, whether there was any foundation for it or not.


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RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR


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QUOTA FOR CAMP SHELBY OCTOBER 2t, 1918 FROM BOARD NO. 1


There were listed for entrainment the following :- Albert Sandhurg, Fred Nelsun, Julius Prowatzke, August Bicha, Arthur Peterson, Carl Brautigan, Harry H. Draves, Russell H. Manchester, John Pistulka, George Kroes, John R. Proost, John R. Doonan, Russell S. Olson, Fred C. Brinkman, Reuben F. Elmergreen, Mike Hijenia, Erick H. Hack, Earl H. Sieverkropp, Roy D. Skow, Anker Egeberg, Joe Filippone, Jacoh P. Burant, Peter Thellefsen, Franklin J. Caspera, Daniel A. Kerth, Andrew Wendt, Robert A. Heinrichs, Harold R. Beeston, John Kanyuih, Frank Musilek, Jr., Frank N. Lorence, William Liebenow, John Volz, Frank Yaeger.


DIGA


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QUOTA FOR CAMP GRANT SEPTEMBER 5, 1918 FROM BOARD NO. 2


There were listed for entrainment the following :- Ismael Moustafa, Clarence Rehbein, Fred Peter Ilelm, Raymond C. Johnson, Paut L. Nelson, Sigmund Pezanoski, Leonard Flamingo, Ralph J. Zinnen, Frank G. Lipp, Rudolph Becker, Lyle James Brehm, Erwin T. Bjorkman, Enysart N. Bowden, Harry Johnson, Geo. B. Hayward, Roland A. Mickelson,


84


RACINE COUNTY IN


THE WORLD WAR


There is hardly a person today who does not remember the story that a shipload of Belgian children had arrived in New York, all of them with one or both hands cut off by Germans. The government press bureau declared that the source of the story could not be traced, al- though hundreds of intelligence officers and A. P. L. agents tried to locate its origin. There is a question whether any Belgian children ever had their hands cut off by Germans. If they did, they probably died as a result. None came to America.


There was a rumor current that hundreds of American soldiers had returned minus both legs and both arms and that, classified as "basket cases" because they were kept in a sort of clothes basket arrangement, the grue- some company occupied one entire floor of a New York hospital. Plenty of people had "talked with those who had seen them." But no such case was ever recorded in the annals of the army medical department during the war. To a person who took time to think about


it, there would seem little chance for a soldier who was thus injured on the battlefield to survive even long enough to be put in a basket.


Almost every civilian in the country "knew a friend who saw" trainloads of Japanese soldi- ers going across this country on their way to France. But none ever went.


In regions from which certain army divisions came. there would come occasional reports that entire organizations were drowned at sea or killed in battle. The war department felt morally bound to deny these fabrications. These were the only "wireless rumors" which the government felt might have eminated from enemy agents. The purpose may have been to get the government to disclose the location of organizations in order to correct the false- hoods. This would have given the foe valu- able military information. If this was the plan, it failed as the location of units was never given until it was known that the Germans were aware of the fact through other sources.


CHAPTER XIII


SEMI-OFFICIAL AUXILIARY ORGANIZATIONS


T HE Legal Advisory Boards and the as- sociate legal advisers appointed to as- sist the boards, performed one of the most important tasks in connection with the administration of the Selective Service Law.


The legal adage that "ignorance of the law excuses no one" could not, as a general proposi- tion, be applied to the execution of the provi- sions of this law. After a few months it was realized that a law applying alike to literate and illiterate, and the success of which de- pended upon the promptness with which the registrants complied with its provisions, could be successfully enforced only by careful in- struction of the people as to its requirements.


The American Bar Association volunteered to assist in finding the remedy for the draft boards' troubles, and within one week an- nouncement was made that in every state a central board of attorneys had been created, and that within a few days each county would have a committee of attorneys known as the Legal Advisory Board, who would see that ev- ery registrant had an opportunity to obtain competent legal advice regarding the law, free of charge.


The bar associations took a firm stand against any lawyer charging fees for any service in connection with the draft law, af- ter the Legal Advisory Board was created. Claimants for exemption were not permitted to appear by counsel, as a general thing.


It was so arranged that men could take the somewhat complicated questionnaire to one of these advisers and get all necessary assistance in filling it out. Offices were opened for this purpose in each draft district.


As a result, the draft boards had but little difficulty in sorting over and classifying the questionnaires and they were relieved of the endless labor which would have been the result if each registrant had descended upon the board to have things explained to him.


Legal Advisory Boards were consulted rela- tive to legislation affecting the selective serv-


ice act. They gave advice to the various war work organizations. They cooperated with local boards in effecting the rectification of classifications in May, 1918 when it was seen that Class I was not as large as it had been anticipated. In September, 1918, they were confronted with a task equal to all they had accomplished before when the new registra- tion brought forth thousands of new regis- trants.


The legal advisory board appointed for Ra- cine county consisted of Peter J. Myers, Fulton Thompson and George W. Waller.


The associate members of the board were: Racine-O. E. Ahrens, M. Armen, H. N. Bacon, Rev. J. M. Bach, John C. Barry, Thorwald Beck, Arthur N. Bell, A. J. Berg, Charles O. Beach, Guy A. Benson, C. O. Bergener, E. B. Belden, J. F. Bickel, M. C. Bidwell, A. E. Black, George S. Bliss, Helen L. Blythe, George H. Bolton, John Breese, J. H. Brannum, R. E. Browne, Dr. C. F. Browne, George L. Buck, E. E. Cahoon, Rev. J. W. Carter, Charles V. Carter, George N. Case, W. H. Carpenter, Martin Christianson, Jens A. Christensen, Nels Chris- tensen, W. S. Coley, H. G. Cowles, S. E. Craig, George G. Dana, William C. Davis, Joseph Domanik, Frank F. Dunse, H. F. Edmands, M. S. Edmonds, W. M. Edmonds, Arthur Ehr- lich, George N. Ellefson, S. L. Emmett, John O. Erlands, Malcolm E. Erskine, John B. Ettel- dorf, E. L. Evans, Thomas A. Fagan, David H. Flett, Jerome J. Foley, Fred H. Foster, Leslie M. Fowler, Russell Frank, E. F. Freeman, H. C. Freeman, H. G. Fyhrie, W. C. Gausch, John A. Gemmill, C. C. Gittings, Elmer E. Gittins, E. H. Glantz, H. Goldsworthy, Frank S. Gordon, Arthur Haas, R. G. Harvey, H. V. Harvey, E. B. Hand, Edward J. Hate, Frank L. Haven, Max W. Heck, T. S. Hegard, E. J. Herrington, Fred J. Hermes, Geo. H. Herzog, H. E. Hinkle, John C. Hood, W. F. Hood, Josiah Hocking, Knud Holland, H. G. Hulett, Chas. O. Jandl, A. R. Janecky, Arthur R. Janes, Sophus Jeppesen, Arthur N. Jerstad, O. W. Johnson,


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RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR


P. E. Johnson, A. Cary Judd, Thomas M. Kear- ney, Thomas M. Kearney, Jr., Henry S. Keefe, George H. Kehl, Roswell P. Kelley, A. W. Koerner, H. M. Koelbel, Martin P. Koke, E. J. Kraft, Isadore Krasnow, Charles Krenzke, Prof. Lannerd, A. R. Laube, E. R. Lehman, H. D. Mann,, W. F. MacGregor, Leo C. Maut- ner, W. F. McCaughey, Walton H. Miller, Frank G. Miller, Louis Mogenson, F. A. Morey, P. W. Morrissey, H. J. Mueller, A. J. Nack, Rev. J. M. Naughtin, J. C. NeCollins, Harry F. Nehoda, F. P. Nelson, Sophus Nelson, N. C. Nelson, C. R. Nevin, Rev. C. S. Nickerson, B. F. Nield, Charles O'Connor, J. B. Overson, John W. Owen, Walter C. Palmer, Edward J. Parker, Joseph J. Patrick, L. A. Pease, P. Walter Pet- erson, Al. Pfister, T. J. Pryce, William H. Pugh, Lewis J. Quinn, Walter H. Reed, E. F. Reitmeier, Edward N. Rice, J. A. Ritt, J. V. Rohan, C. S. Roherty, John D. Rowland, L. H. Rowlands, John E. Schelling, Simon H. Sauter, William Smieding, Robert J. Statz, J. W. Spence, A. M. Schneider, W. F. Schimming, Arthur Simonson, Rev. V. Slavinas, John Preston Smith, L. W. Smith, Walter S. Smalen- ski, Viggo Sorenson, T. W. Stewart, F. B. Swingle, W. D. Thompson, Jack Verfuth, Dr. P. T. Van Ornum, Harry C. Voss, Mortimer Walker, Warren H. Walker, D. C. Washburn, Vilas H. Whaley, J. E. Wilson, W. J. William- son, A. B. Wilty, John A. Wood, Julius J. Wosilait, Edward L. Wratten.


Burlington-Joseph T. Groff, John T. Git- tings, H. W. Halbach, T. Parker Hilborne, R. H. Fitch, Mattie E. Karcher, Fred W. Kemp- er, G. F. Meredith, Herbert A. Moussa, Henry Plucker, William Sanders, F. H. Schwaller, George E. Stickney, George W. Waller, How- ard A. Wood, E. J. Wehmhoff, K. A. Stimpson, Louis H. Zimmerman.


Waterford-Charles E. Apple, Fred Cooper, Max T. Huber, Richard K. Manaton, Raymond MeCrory, A. J. Smith.


Union Grove-John T. Asby, Henry Barnes, Anthony N. Erz, W. E. Stone.


In Racine there were from fifteen to twenty- five of these men on hand at the court house, and as many at the city hall, all day and until 10 o'clock every evening. The courts adjourn- ed for weeks at a time so attorneys would be free to perform these tasks and so that court rooms could be used for headquarters. At times one or two hundred men would be lined up awaiting advice from the hard working board members and numbered cards were given out to them so they would be sure to keep their proper place in line. Some members of the


board devoted almost all of their time to this work, without any reward.


Offices were established for the board mem- bers in most of the large factories so the em- ployes could get the necessary assistance with- out going down town. With every question- naire mailed to a registrant went a letter of instructions showing where he could get free counsel in regard to the manner of filling it out.


The board fulfilled an arduous duty well, and its labors went far toward making the suc- cessful administration of the draft law possi- ble. Perhaps no single factor outside of the draft boards themselves was as important.


The Medical Advisory Board was created in each community to examine physically those registrants whose claims for exemption had been appealed by the registrant, a government appeal agent or the local board. The boards were made up of specialists in various branches of medicine and surgery, and to them were re- ferred doubtful cases of registrants who had, or claimed to have, obscure physical defects. The members served without compensation at considerable sacrifice to themselves. Natural- ly, their work was of incalculable value to the draft boards. The Racine county Medical Ad- visory Board consisted of Dr. J. S. Keech, W. P. Collins, W. S. Haven, Emil L. Tompach, L. E. Fazen, G. W. Nott, T. J. MeCrory, J. G. Meachem, P .T. Van Ornum and F. C. Christen- sen.


Four Minute Men


The Four Minute Men were speakers who volunteered their services to lecture on the war, on drives for funds or such other topics as the Committee on Public Information at Wash- ington desired to have put before the people. Wherever there was an assemblage of people (as, for instance, at theaters, clubs, political meetings, etc.,) a Four Minute man made his appearance to discuss in forceful language some issue which the government desired to have elucidated. In this way it was practic- able to reach those men and women who did not read the daily newspapers thoroughly.


A. J. Lunt was in charge of the local organi- zation of Four Minute Men. He arranged to fill all requests for speakers, and also saw that invitations for speakers were forthcoming from such meetings as might prove fertile ground for the seeds of thought the orators were pre- pared to scatter.


The following men enlisted for this unique service: Rev. Charles S. Nickerson, Jerome J. Foley, Rev. J. M. Naughtin, Elmer E. Gittins, Milton J. Knoblock, R. G. Harvey, Rev. B. Tal-


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QUOTA FROM BOARD NO. 2 LEAVING RACINE OCTOBER 21, 1918


There were listed For entrainment the following :- Soren J. Sorensen, Henry Edward Carls, Alfred E. Nelson, Benjamin F. Brooder, Lawrence R. Larsen, Ilubert Gregor. Clar- ence C. Dahlen, Jalmer R. Lund, Paul Zierk, Walter John Herst, Joseph A. Kowalsky, Conrad J. Linden, Clarence S. Petersen, Fred C. Klingenmeyer, Wm. J. Berres, Walter G. Weiss, Jerome Harvey Olle, Calvin Raymond Young, Albert James Roberts, Nels A. Beck, George l'eter Olsen, Millard Ilerman Domm, Walter Erick Kopplin, Paul Patrick, William Ottu Gabbey. James Joseph Bonnar, Julius Roy, Rudolph Herman Baker, John P. Pedersen, Melvin O. Christensen, Clifford Perce, Jas. L. Johnson, Oscar W. Michaelis.


QUOTA FOR JACKSON BARRACKS OCTOBER 22, 1918 FROM BOARD NO. 1


There were listed for entrainment the following :- Frank Jadrny, Winfield W. Fieker, Goolbank Levonian, Ilarry P. Rick, Arthur Schatz, Hachar Mekailian, Roy Hoffert, Moses Torosian, Charles Hauser, Frank C. Gevers, S. G. Egtvedt, Frank O'Laughlin.


WORLD WAR


IN THE


RACINE COUNTY


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RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR


bot Rogers, Peter J. Myers, William D. Thomp- son, William H. Armstrong, Elbert B. Hand, L. J. Quinn, Mortimer E. Walker, Guy A. Ben- son, Max W. Heck, William Smieding, Jr., Thomas Kearney, Jr., Thorwald Beck, the Rev. Arthur MacDavitt, the Rev. J. W. Carter and Vilas Whaley.


The speakers visited churches, schools, and public halls to deliver their four minute mes- sages. One-minute community singing was finally added to the plan, and this feature was developed under the direction of Miss Lillian Watts.


To assure the official character of the brief speeches they were prepared at National Head- quarters in continued consultations with the proper officials of each Government depart- ment responsible for them and were published in the form of bulletins from which the speak- ers were required to select the material for their speeches during each campaign designat- ed.


With the exception of the first two or three which were put on before the organization was formed in Racine, Racine Four Minute men put on the campaign for every bulletin furnish- ed by the National organization in Washing- ton and the following table will serve to indi- cate just what the Racine Four Minute men talked about in 1917 and 1918 until their dis- charge in December 1918.


"Onward to Victory."


"Second Liberty Loan."


"Food Pledge."


"Maintaining Morals and Morale."


"Carrying the Message."


"War Savings Stamps."


"The Shipbuilder."


"Eyes for the Navy."


"The Danger of Democracy."


"Lincoln's Gettysburg Address."


"The Income Tax."


"Farm and Garden."


"President Wilson's Letter to Theaters."


"Third Liberty Loan."


"Organization."


"Second Red Cross Campaign."


"The Meaning of America."


"Mobilizing America's Man Power."


"Where Did You Get Your Facts ?"


"Certificates to Theater Members."


"Register."


"Four Minute Singing."


"Fourth Liberty Loan."


"Food Program for 1919."


"Fire Prevention."


"United War Work Campaign."


"Red Cross Home Service."


"What Have We Won."


"Red Cross Christmas Roll Call."


"A Tribute to the Allies."


It is impossible to set an adequate value on the good accomplished in this patriotic service. Heavy calls were made upon their time but they responded willingly and cheerfully and the high standard of their work was reflected in the great aid given to the various drives.


Another organization which did good work during the war was the Wisconsin Loyalty Legion. This was a state society founded primarily to stamp out sedition by patriotic propaganda and, where deemed necessary, to take part in political campaigns to insure the election of loyal men to office. The main thing done was the distribution of literature from the Bureau of Public Information. Some 4,- 000,000 documents were thus distributed. The newspapers of the state were supplied with matter for publication, and the league offered to provide speakers for large gatherings in any part of the state. Walter S. Goodland of Racine was a vice-president of the legion.


Solving the Labor Problem


Wisconsin was first in carrying out the government's war labor program and received much praise from national authorities. George P. Hambrecht was State Director as well as chairman of the State Industrial commission. An agent of the United States Public Service Reserve was named in each county to assist in recruiting labor for essential industries. A community war labor board was named in each industrial center to handle labor questions and see that there was "a man for every necessary job." The position of the government was ex- pressed thus: "If we can have enough shells in France we can blast our way to Berlin. To the extent that we fall behind in the supply of material, we shall have to make up the deficit from the living bodies of our young men. This is not rhetoric. It is cold, precise, military calculation. As soon as Americans realize it they will cease to carry on 'business as usual' and swarm into war work."




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