Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-05-08
COUNTY COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
Organized on Thursday and Necessary
Work Now Under Way

Mayor H. E. Marquardt, who early
last week appointed the County
Council of Defense, at the sug
gestion of the University of Wisconsin
Extension Division, called a meeting
of the council for organization or
Thursday morning, May Sd, at Il
O'Clock at the city hall
All OF the members were present
viz. H. E. Marquardt mayor: c. c
Yawkey, for the manufacturing inter
ests; Ed. Gensman, for the farmers
Mrs. A. Fl. Reid. for the Women s
clubs; DR.. Joseph Smith, for medical
profession; H. G. Flieth, for the bank
ers; c. B. Bird, for the bar associa-
ton; s. Winkleman, for the mer-
chants; E. B. Thayer for the press
A. V. Gearhart, for the city council and
+. F. Chesak, for the county board.
Mr. Marquardt stated the objects
of the council and read articles adopt
ed by the Portage county council and
presented each member with a COPY
of the same.
c B. Bird was elected temporary
chairman and Z. B. Thayer temporary
secretary.
MIR. Bird went into details as to the
purposes of the organization That it
was to cooperate with the State
Council OF Defense, gather statistics,
facts and other information necessary;
supervise and direct investigation in
the county and make recommended
. tlons to the governor as may be
deemed advisable; prevent as far as
possible a scarcity of food and fuel
Advise the governor in case of such
scarcity, and to prevent excessive
profit
A. V. Gearhart and Mayor Marquardt
told what the city was doing to secure
potatoes for seed, and other seed. and
that many lots were being plOwed and
given to the people. Up to date, so
lots have been taken and plowed up
and the city now has three teams at
work plOwing. Nearly all the vacant
land in the city will soon be growing
crops.
w. K. Mitchell, Dist, representative
Of the University of Wisconsin EXten-
sion Division, gave an interesting ac-
count of the doings of county councils
in other counties in Wisconsin. He
has attended nine of such meetings
and all were doing excellent work:
he was able to make suggestions
which were valuable.
The council adjourned at l p. m
to meet again at 1870 o'clock, when
all were present but F. F. Chesak of
Athens. A. G. Burg, superintendent
of the Marathon County School of
Agriculture, and J. L. GiesseI County
Supt. of Schools were present, who ex-
planned what had been done to in
crease crop production this spring in
the county. Mr. Berg has been very
active in securing seeds of all kinds
for our farmers and had not been able
to get anywhere near enough potatoes
to supply the demand, but with what
he had promised and with what Mayor
Marquardt and others expected to get
in, it was thought the supply would be
very close to the demand Mr.. Giessel
said that indications throughout the
county pointed to an increase of acre
age planted.
A committee of three consisting of
a. V. Gearhart, A. II. Burg and II. G. !
Flieth was appointed to draft a circular |
to be sent to the farmers of the county |
on Saturday and to be published in |
the various papers in the county, Civ
ing information as to where land can
be had free. where labor can be Sc
cured and where to apply for seeds, |
especially potatoes.
1t was ascertained that the railroad !
companies would let responsible per
sons have cleared land along their
right of ways, free. and it was thought
many would take advantage of this.
The school board of each district
in the county. was appointed to act
as a local council of defense of its
district and to cooperate with the
county council and to call a meeting
at the district school house for the
discussion of the important questions
submitted to the councils throughout
the country at this time.
The council will hold another meet
ing in the court room at the court
house at 1880 O'Clock next Friday
evening and will meet weekly after
that.