Lee County, Illinois - Chapter 2, 1920

Chapter 2

The meaning ot Pre.sident Wilson's exjiression that " This is a War of Xations " was more generallj' understood when the work heiian of f)ackin!i' up those who were in the service. Then it was fully reahzed that a modern war was a war ot the whole ]ieoi)le of a country instead of armies.

It is very doubtful if there was a home in LeeCoimt y that did not in one way or another contribute toward the prosecution of the wai'. To many it meant the giving up of one or more members of the family; to others the cnitaihiis of the necessities of life and to comparatively all, it meant standing by their cnuiitiy with whatever financial and moral support they were able to render.

In awarding credit, those who made the supreme sacrifice, those who gave antl offered their lives in the cause of humanitj', have a place in the hearts of their fellow men that is far too sacred to be shared b.y others, regardless of the service they may have renrlered. But full recognition should and will be given to the people (jf Lee ('dunty fur tlieirsplendid and ready response to every call that was made upim them.

While the handling of the war activities in the County devolved upon comparatively few persons it was the moral support given by the people as a whole that enabled the Finance Committee to carry on its work and made it jiossible for Lee County to attain such a good record in the vario\is campaigns.

Bank Deposits Increase During Period Of War

Notwithstanding the great amount of money raised during tlie war perind. the Bank deposits in the County increased, and thei-e was no evidence of a sti-ain iipim tlic finances of the people. In fact, the contributions to the war actix'ities were cDniing more easily with each succeeding drive.

The Fourth Liberty Loan, the largest that was Hoated, was subscribed <mi the first day of the drive. One and a half million dollars in bnmls were taken voluntarily by the people who went to the polls and registered their subscriptions.

On the first day of the Ignited War Work Campaign, which was held Xdv. 11th, the day of the signing of the armistice. Fifty thousand dollars wi>re voluntarily subscribed. This represented about twenty-five pei' cent over-subscription of the ( 'nunty's quota.

Fifty Three thousand, nine hundred forty one d.iUars, forty-three cents. (.?o3,941,43) was the total subscription to this fund. Of this amount .s(i(),(l() was all that remained unpaid.

The Uniteil War Work drive might well be considered the most successful of all the money raising campaigns conducted during the war period. The Amount gi\-en by the people was larger than they were ever called upon to contriliute at one time. This, coupled with the fact that the war was over and the day for subscribing fell on Nov. 1 1th, when the greatest excitement prevailed, was the best proof that the Patriotism of the jieople of Lee County was genuine and had the right ring.

Who before the war would t^eheve that $6,319,718.24 could be raised in the County for war purposes? This is the amount of money that Lee County subscribed for Bonds and other war activities in a period of less than two years. A fact that is more notable because the subscriptions were voluntary.

In the \'ictory Loan Lee County was first in 57 Counties of the 7th Federal Resei-ve ilistrict of the Illinois division. In the general average of the counties, in the 7th Federal Reserve district, Illinois divisidii, Lee County held the 9th place ui subscriptions to all loans.

Organization Of Finance Committee

In the beginning of the war activities campaigns it was evident to those identified with the work that raising money was largely a ([Ueslidn of (iiganization. It was also ciuite apparent that little help, aside from pubhcity, cmild lie olitained from Federal or State organizations. Each County was left to work out its own method of campaign. With this in mind the State Council of Defense directed that a Finance Committee be created having the following duties:

"To pass upon the merits of all applications for lict'nst's for the collection of money for war relief purposes and advise the license bureau of the State Council of Defense; to create a permanent county organization to advise with and assist the various war relief organizations in the raising and collection of all money for war purposes, which organization with its records will be available for instant use for any purpose approved by Fedeial authority or the State Council of Defense; to keep a permanent record of all subscriptions and gifts from each person in the County; and to coopei'ate with and assist all of the only authorized war activities in the County."

The Finance Committee was composed of an executive connnittee of seven members and a township organization which included a Chairman and three or more members in each township. An office was maintained in the Court House and a Secretary employed who remained in the office ihn'ing business hours.

John M. Egan, Vice-Chainnan; John Davies, \'ice-Chairman; A. C. IMcBride, Vice- Chairman; N. A. Petrie, Vice-Chairman; M. AI. Fell, \'ice-('hainnan; Albert Borst, Vice- Chairman; Tim Sullivan, Secretary and Treasure]-,

The Volunteer System Of Raising Money Was Adopted

Thei-e wei'c two i-easons for the atloption of the volunteer plan. First, the people had evinced a willingness to be placed upon their honor and of doing their part without solicitation. Secondly, a feeling existed among the workers that the time had come when it was imnecessary for one loyal citizen to go through stores, factories and fields after another equally loyal citizen to obtain his suliscrijition.

The saving of labor was also a factor in changing to the volunteer idea. Before this system of collecting money was adopted more than five hundred persons in the countj^ were obliged to leave their different fields of endeavor to assist in the war activities campa igns.

It was during the secoml Ke.l Cross drive that the vohmteer system was first use.l m Lee County. Only thrt'e oi- four t(]wnships tried it at that time and the results weri' so good that it was generally adopted by all the townshii)s throughout the country in the succeeding campaigns.

The success of this innovation also attraete<i the attention of the National Ited Cross Committee which sent a telegram of congratulations to tiie local l{ed Ci'oss organization,

Method Of Conducting Campaigns

A campaign of edui'ation was carried on to prepare tiie |>ulilic for the various drives which were following each other with increasing freciuency. The plan was, while in the midst of one eamiiaign to ajijiraise the people of the next campaign which was soon to follow. This idea pro\cd \-ei>' effective inasmuch as stn-plus money which might be invested in other ways was lii'ld in reserve to meet individual bon.l ([uotas.

During the Third Liberty Loan Campaign the press and the speakers who went out through the county told the people to plan for the lied Cioss and War Savings drives which were to follow in the succeeding months.

Through this method of publicity the people were piepared for the Fomth Lilierty Loan, the largest Hoated. which was subscril ed the first ilay of the campaign.

One week |)rior to the opening of the drives, meetings were held in e\er>- township in the county at which speakers ex])lained tl.e nature of the work at hand. Four minute men were at every picture show and enteitainment, newspapers were very liberal in the use of space, and merchants gave page advertisements to the cause. All urged the people to go to the polling places <in the first day of the drive and subscribe their quota.

Polling places and schools were opened on the da.\- ad\-ertised where connnittees were on hand to receive subscriptions. In same instances the township conmiittee maihnl out the individual quotas, but generall>- sul scribers did not know the amotints allotted to them until they went to the jiolls.

Pi'ior to the organizing of the Finance Committi'e a recoid was kept of only those who subscribed to the various war activities. But as time went on it was evident tliat these loyal citizens did not require any special attention to m-ge them to perioini then- tluty. A card catalogue was made of all persons in the county who were financitilly able to pay toward the funds being raised for war purjjoses.

This card catalogue contained the names of more than Eight thousand subscribers. Each township was treated as a separate unit. At the top of the card was tlie name and address of the subscriber; the township in which he or she resided was also given.

The card was ruled in columns as follows; first column Liberty Loan, second United War Work, third Red Cross and fourth War Savings Stamps. Following each drive individual subscriptions were jiosted on these cards. The posting involved considerable

When it l.eeanie known throuuhout the County that this record was lieiiiR kept it aided materially in bringing in those who would no doubt liave escaped paying their proper share toward the various war activities. The efficacy of this method in checking up subscribers was attested by the fact that there were only three persons in the county listed as delinquents in the Fourth Liliei-ty Loan Cani|iaign, whom the Finance Committee believed should have sul-iscribed.

In the T'nited War Work drive which took place after the armistice was signed, there were f()it\'-se\cii delimiuents, a comparatively small nmnl)er considering the war was over ;ind the wide distribution that was made.

The method of handling delinquents was a novel one and is explained in the report of the Delinquent Committee. The names of those who failed to subscribe their quotas were turned ovei- to the township Chairman who forwarded them to the County Chairman. If the I'inance Committee failed t(i obtain the ilelinquents subscription the name was refeired to th(> Delinquent Committee for actiim am! they .seldom missed an opportunity to make the slackers see their patriotic duty.

Determining Quotas

Eacli township in the county had to I'aise its pi-opmiion of the whole amount allotted to the county. The pei'cenlage which the townsliips were given was determined by taking a mean a\ciage of (he assessed valuation and the population. To make the allotments on a puiclv a>^(-se(l valuation b;isis would be unfair to the rural districts. To make them on a po[)ulaii()n basis would be ('(jually unfair to the towns and cities. Hence the mean average was taken of the assessed valuation (not including Pvailroad property) anil the population.

There was no rule by which individual quotas could be made. The finance committees of the townships allotted each precinct or school district its proportionate share of the total amount to be raised. The district or precinct connnittee in turn allotted to the individuals theii- proportionate share of the townsViip and district (luota.

Xo .set plan was used in the making of individual (luotas. The district or precinct committee made the quota from general information as to the financial standing of the person. These quotas were reviewed by an executive committee composed of Bankers, real estate men, merchants and others who would be in a position to pass upon the financial standing of the individual.

The laiiness with which these quotas were made was remarkable. Here and there was a case when some one was overrated but as a rule the subscribers paitl more than was allotted to them. A Review committee was in session at the Court House on appointed days to consider the cases of those whose quotas were thought too high.

The relatively small inunbei' of p(>rsons who came before that connnittee evidenced the fairness and thoi'oughness in winch the men on the Township Finance committees did their work. These men had their work so well systematized that it was possible to make a fairly accurate estimate of the number of contributions to each activity and the amount of money that would be raised for that jjarticular cause.

Neighborhood Committee An Efficient Aid In The Work

Early in the war the Neighborhood Connnittee was organized. The purpose of this connmttee which was conu)oseil of three men in eveiv school district in the county, was to promote patriotism and arouse puhilic sentiinent . Wliiie it may not he traced enlirely to the work of the Neighborhood Committee tlieiv was a iira<iiuil awakening of iiilerest taking place among the people as the war progressed.

The writer recalls several meetings held in the rural ihstricts (hiiinti the h'iisl and Second Liberty Loan drives where there were not eiiouiih in attendanei' to warrant the sjieakers discussing the issues of the campaign.

The Neighhoihood Coinniittee because of th^ an efficient aid to the iMiiaiice Committee in carrying out its work. He organization in each school district they assisted the Finance Cominittee in the dist tion of its work.

Frequently before launching a campaign tlr were called into joint conference. The purpose of these confcacnces was to outline th plan of campaign. They were usually hek'

The high standing and moi-al worth of the men who composeil these coininittees and invariably attended these gatherings was in itself a guarantee of the success oT the money raising campaigns in Lee County. It was evident that anything that this group of intelhgent and capable men would undertake must necessarily be a success. The fact that it was possible to interest men such as were represented in this iinixirtant work augurs well for the future of American citizenship and th(> iireser\atioii of .Vmerican honor.

Townsiiips vied witli each other in the conduct of eanipaigns. It was a usual thing to receive a telephone message that a certain township went over llu' top before noon of the tirsi day of the (hive. There were townships SO thoroughly organized that no s|)ecial thought was ever given tliem by tliose directing the campaigns. It was assumed by the committee that these particular townships would always take care of themselves.

There were other townships, however, that were greatly l;eiieKte(| by the executive branch of the Finance Committee which carried on all their ]Miblicity, mailed out the individual quotas and announcements of meetings.

Sending out notices to delinquents was also part of the executive committees work. These notices usually had thi> desired ivsult and aided the township comniittee in bringing in the tardj' ones.

At first in some townships there were factions, wliich somewhat interfered with the successful conduct of the work. This was due largely to local jealousies and political differences but these were soon swept away by the rising tide of patriotism which was spreading over the c(iuntr>-.

Second Red Cross

Twenty-five thou.Kaiid dollars was the allot inciil made liy the Xational orsaiii^ The surplus ivmaiiicd in the treasury of llie hnmclies in llie different townships to li to inurhase iiiatcria,ls for llie local Red ( 'niss workers.

United War Work Campaign

Lee County's I'ccord in war acti\-ities is one of which her citizens may well be jiroud. Li no instance did the County fail to raise its proportionate share of the Stat(> and Federal quotas of Bonds, War Savings, Red Cross and kindred activities.

The next duty to that of taking our places in the ranks of those who offered their lives in the cause of liumanily was to hack them up with our moral and financial aid. This duty the people of Lee County performed in a hiiihiv creditable manner.