Racine County, Wisconsin - Chapter 10: County Council of Defense, 1920

Chapter 10: County Council of Defense

THE raising of an American army by means of the selective draft necessarily brought the war home to every community, every factory, every farm and every family in the county. The public attitude toward 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, dependencies and other causes may and do make a large share of the people unfitted for the battlefield. Production must be kept up or armies are helpless.

In Racine, as everywhere, there was an immediate attempt upon the part of many people to "organize something." Realizing that the civilian population must do its part, there naturally arose numerous ideas and suggestions 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 demonstrate 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 motion and useless expense. The government itself 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 aff'ecting the se.x, 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, conserving 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 contact 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 ofl'-shoots of the County Council of Defense 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 outside 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-

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 population was to maintain the morale of the armies in the field, and there is no one who can estimate the actual worth to the nation of the cheerful letters sent to homesick boys in cantonment and field; the burdens assumed by patriotic women that men might be enabled to serve in uniforms; the individual financial sacrifices 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 required to add to the effectiveness of the national efforts regardless of inconvenience, discomfort 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 national danger to sacrifice anything and everything that our democracy may live.

On April 16, 1917, President Wilson outlined a practical plan for civilian work. He proposed 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, responsible unit. These organizations were semi-official, with the authority of the government and state back of their work, and yet they had no legal executive powers. Probably they accomplished 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 functioning of this large organization. The same plan, reversed, enabled the central body to collect information and obtain an expression of sentiment promptly.

Before America entered the conflict there had been in existence a Committee of Ten, in this and other cities, for the purpose of outlining a scheme for the mobilization of national industries and resources in case of war. This

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 followed and in a brief utterance Captain Lewis tersely charged the group with their duties.

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 discreetly said little about it and let the public believe what it would. They awaited instructions from Madison.

Wisconsin was the first state to create a state council of defense by legislative enactment (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.

To assist nation and state in doing all things necessary to bring about the highest effectiveness and to co-ordinate all activities; to receive, distribute and execute orders and suggestions from the National and State Councils; to increase production and conserve food products; to aid the military plans; to study sources of supplies; to investigate the acts of persons suspected of disloyalty, and to interest all organizations and citizens in problems which might arise and secure their aid in solving them in such a manner as will result in the greatest possible benefit to the nation.

Photos By Leonard

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 confirmed, 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 determination 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 L 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 Webster*, 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 Burlington; 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, Rochester.

The earlier meetings of the council were occupied largely with matters concerning the organization - getting into its stride and feeling 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 Training 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. Investigations 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 federal civil channels which resulted in a much stricter observation of the rule against selling liquor to men in uniform. The practice of uniformed 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, prosecution 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 Racine 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 described 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 Stoffel, Mrs. W. G. Rasch, Wm. Horlick, Jr., and others were regularly on the job. F. Lee Norton had succeeded to the chairmanship and also had a lot of other work on other wartime 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, entertained 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 results.

The general effectiveness of the Council soon became apparent. The experiment of an organization 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 demanded universal activity from President to the humblest workman, this system will doubtless be used, and at another time its organization and effectiveness can be developed in a fraction of time that was employed in establishing it in 1917-8.

Photos By Hood

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 members of the council, itself, to shirk. It was found that a number of members had not attended 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 automatically follow. Three members were dropped 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 country districts. In addition to the decentralization 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 advisory 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 investigation of stories of alleged disloyalty was begun and several persons of pro-German proclivities w-ere 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 Administration, etc. Numerous problems, however, 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.

Labor - G. A. Kanters, E. A. Policy, 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. Polley, 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 whether 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 exemption from service as "farmers" when their only claim to distinction in that line came from recent purchases of rural property.

Boys' Working Reserve - L. W. Brooks, A. R. Graham, W. E. Stone, A. E. Policy, E. V. Donaldson, Frank LaBudde, H. C. Berger, Albert 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. Nelson. This committee started three public markets for produce. It also arranged for the purchase and sale, w-ith 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, Gustave Hilker, O. E. Gertenbach, H. P. Kohlmann, Ed. Hilker, Peter J. Myers, Thorwald Thompson, 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. Richard, E. G. H. Wendt, John P. Barry. This committee made a pei-sonal call at every residence, business house, office and factory, asking that the National 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- mittee listed the vacant property in cities and towns, arranged to get permission for amateur gardeners to plant vegetables, and then received 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 supervision. The Boy Scouts assisted in protecting these war gardens from theft and school children aided in cultivating and protecting them.

Non-War Construction - F. Lee Norton, Herbert F. Johnson and James V. Rohan. Its duty was to carry out the order of the War Industries board to reduce non-essential building to a minimum that men and materials might be used for war work. As a result, construction work of an unnecessary nature almost entirely ceased until after the armistice. It was considered unpatriotic to make repairs that could be postponed. As in other movements of the kind, the public took pride in living up to every suggestion of the committee.

There were also numerous committees named for temporary work in connection with the gathering of information of all sorts for the state and national Councils. There was even a committee appointed which successfully carried out its purpose of encouraging community singing of patriotic airs.

The Council secured a list of enemy owned property in the county; took the initiative in seeking a law providing for the arrest of persons circulating propaganda which might hinder the successful prosecution of the war; cooperated in a rigid enforcement of vagrancy laws to stamp out idleness; kept a record of men in service; presented a huge Service Flag to the county; arranged patriotic parades on Memorial day, 1917 and April 13, 1918, the largest ever held in the county; collected clothing for the destitute people of France; distributed posters; assisted in arranging housing for employes of the government (Dupont) high explosive plant; assisted in organizing the Home Guards; enrolled 400 men for the Shipbuilding board; supervised solicitation of funds, and discouraged all campaigns not approved by the state council; collected maps and pictures of localities in western Germany for use of the army; secured donations of field glasses for the navy; aided in the elimination of weeds and insects injurious to crops; took up the "soldiers' pal" movement, to insure that all soldiers had correspondence from home people; and assisted in the Americanization of foreigners.

of facts and records which would show Racine county's part in the war. A general committee was named, consisting of E. W. Leach, chairman; F. R. Starbuck, George W. Waller, Mrs. W. G. Rasch, W. S. Goodland and J. Z. Collier. Localities were represented on a subcommittee which included Henry Caley, A. S. Titus, T. H. Skewes, W. J. Hansche, Robert Nugent, George Ela, Albert Hanson, F. B. Renak, Jr., John D. Jones, Jr., Matt Lavin, L. C. Christenson and Clarence Beaumont. Mr. Leach took active charge of the work. He obtained a room in the public library for the collection of data and within ten months had almost completed the labor of listing all men and women in service, collecting photographs and indexing newspaper files so that it will be simple for future seekers of knowledge to obtain the data and information which they seek. The results of his labors will be permanent property of the county and will be of great value as the years pass. He has filed for reference a mass of interesting facts which would provide material for a dozen volumes the size of this.

One of the interesting activities of the Council of Defense was in connection with the suppression of all pro-German talk. Information coming to the Council in April, 1918, of the meetings of the Staats verbund here, a committee was appointed to investigate. As a result of the disclosures regarding the society, the Council advised it to disband, which it did. The funds in the treasury was used to purchase Liberty bonds.

In September there was complaint from Burlington that the Schwaebsden Saengerbund of Chicago had been having a three day "session" at Burlington, talking entirely in German and singing German songs. Burlington men who had attended the parties said the songs were merely drinking songs. As there was no witness handy who could testify that the songs were German patriotic melodies, the matter was dropped.

During the Fourth Liberty loan drive reports came in regarding disloyal talk at Waterford, and a visit was paid there by representatives of the Council to warn certain German- Americans that they had better exercise more discretion.

About the same time it was discovered that slips of paper containing poems in the German language were being circulated in Burlington. Investigation disclosed that they were the work of an old man entering his "second childhood" and the poems when translated had little or no meaning.

Re-Photos By Hood

As an example of the things which frequently came up in Council meetings, there might be cited the case of Miss Johnson's haylot. It seems that Miss Anna Johnson owned 40 acres in Mt. Pleasant, and the hay was not cut on it. Neighbors wanted to know why, and the usual rumors ran their course. Inquiry developed that she had had some trouble with the man who usually bought the hay, and as he wouldn't carry out his alleged agreement she had decided to let the field remain uncut. She finally told the Council it could have it cut and use the proceeds as it wished. By that time the hay was too old for use, and the matter ended with an agreement that the next season would see the field used for adding to the food or forage supply of the nation.

Another tempest in a teapot arose over a petition from people in the town of Raymond that L. C. Christensen, a member of the board, be asked to resign. In an effort to find out what was the matter, a committee was sent there to conduct a hearing and a large number of farmers appeared as witnesses. It appeared that Mr. Christensen had aroused criticism by his efforts to have the rules of the Council strictly enforced. The report of the board completely exonerated him. When the town board refused to appropriate money to carry on the work, the Council of Defense decided to pay all necessary expenses of the local branch.

The County Council of Defense disbanded on August 28, 1919, after a remarkable record of service and usefulness. The last business was the turning back to the city and county the balance of the funds on hand, and passing resolutions thanking Chairman F. Lee Norton for his conscientious labor in behalf of the Council. In responding Mr. Norton expressed his appreciation of the cooperation of the Council members in performing their arduous and often thankless tasks.

"I know why you have done it," he concluded, "and you each know why. You sacrificed your time and your business that you might aid this community in doing its full share in supporting our nation in carrying on the war to a successful conclusion. Racine county has made an enviable record through the work of the Council of Defense. Not only you gentlemen, but practically every citizen of the county has done his share. I think we are all entitled to feel well pleased at what was accomplished."

During the year and a half of its existence, the County Council of Defense had a total of $14,726.60 at its disposal, $9,000 coming from the county treasury and $4,852.70 from the city. The balance was the proceeds from entertainments, interest on bank deposits and sale of vegetables. When the Council disbanded it had money on hand, and returned it to the principal sources from which it came, '.16 to the county and $474.56 to the city.

Most of the money spent was for advertising and printing; decorations; general office expenses and hall rental. The Minnesota fire sufferers were given $1500; the collection and filing of war history material cost $2,641, and there was expense of about $2,600 in connection with the Liberty Bond campaigns for advertising and luncheons for workers.