JOHNR.AIOTT
THE NATIONAL DIECTOII GENERAL



				
				

					
UNITED WAR WORK CAMPALGN
AS CONDUCTED ^EIN WISCONSIN
In the greatest benevolent campaign in the annals of
Wisconsin this state subscribed the magnificent sum of
FORTHE    $4,546,706.25 in the United War Campaign, conducted No-
BOYS vember 11 to 20. By subscribing 134 per cent, of its min-
- TERE      imum quota, which was $3,390,000, the Badger state ranks
among the highest in the United States. It is third in the
Central War Department, comprising fourteen states.
Never before in the history of Wisconsin was such a sum
raised by voluntary subscription. This is the more remarkable in view of
the fact that this immense undertaking was accomplished in the face of
such adverse circumstances as never before confronted a campaign. With
but scant preparation for the actual drive, by reason of its immediate pre-
cedence by the Fourth Liberty Loan and the general elections, the many
difficulties were augmented by serious influenza epidemics, quarantines
and forest fires in some of the northern counties. The influenza situation
prevented the scheduled speaking campaign and hundreds of speakers
were unable to add their mite to the campaign as a consequence. Schools
were closed and in some instances did not open until long after the close of
the drive.
Another serious handicap was the inevitable reaction which followed
the signing of the armistice on the very day scheduled for the inauguration
of the United War Work Campaign.
Then, too, it must be borne in mind that prior to the actual launching of
the campaign revision after revision, change after change and substitution
after substitution in the national plans followed in successive events re-
quiring repeated readjustments of organization plans and of state and
county quotas. It was only through the executive ability of the Wiscon-
sin campaign leaders and the patriotic and generous response on the part of
the people of Wisconsin that the campaign in this state succeeded. De-
spite these obstacles--or because of them--Wisconsin wrote another glor-
ious chapter to its lengthy and honorable war history.
With such leaders at the helm as Chief Justice J. B. Winslow, chairman
of the general committee, Emerson Ela, chairman of the state executive
committee, Mrs. W. L. Roach, chairman of the women's council and the va-
rious members of the state staff, augmented by ten sterling district chair-
men and seventy-one county chairmen of unquestioned ability the machine
set up in Wisconsin swept across the goal like a well oiled automaton.
AS iT STARTED
The inception of the drive which eventuated into the United War Work
Campaign was a joint campaign contemplated by the Army Y. M. C. A.
and the Y. W. C. A. War Work Council. As far back as in May of 1918
these two organizations had perfected plans for a national drive which
contemplated the raising of $115,000,000 of which the Y. M. C. A. was to
receive $100,000,000 and its sister organization $15,000,000.
In preparation for this drive, campaign organizations were set up in
every state of the union. In Wisconsin a strong working body was formed