The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-01-18
COUNTY WAR PRE-
PAREDNESS BOARD
Gov. Sleeper Names E. o. Dewey, A.
b. Cook and s. @. Pulver for
This County

IRIS county
The following statement is by Sec
retary Mark T. Mckee of the Michi-
gan Red Cross and Liberty Loan Com
mittee.
To produce even greater success
than has resulted from Michigan's
magnificent civilian war efforts in the
past, Governor Albert E. Sleeper, as
Chief Executive of the State, Titular
Head of the Red Cross for Michigan
and Chairman of the State Liberty
Loan Committee and related cam
paigns for the Federal Government,
has decided to combine and coordinate
all civilian war activities under the
War Preparedness Board plan, now in
operation in a number of states and
recommended by the National Govern
ment. Accordingly the Governor,
Thursday, announced the appoint
ment of War Preparedness Board
for each county in the State. Three
men will constitute the board except
in Wayne and Kent, where five men
are named because of the population
of the counties.
These Boards will be the represen-
tatives of the State War Preparedness
Board in each county. They will con-
stitute. in the aggregate county War
Preparedness Division with the Gov
ernor as Chairman and Mark T. Nc
Kee, of Detroit, as Secretary. Mr..
Mckee already being Secretary of the
State Red Cross and the State Liberty
Loan Committee. The appointments
are nonpartisan, the selection being
based upon the ability and public spir-
it of the men. At it's first meeting
the Board will select Chairman. 1t
will then appoint three-men boards in
each township and ward in their dis
trict so that there will be a perma-
nent, statewide organization reaching
into every nook and corner of Michi-
gan, ready for any work that may be-
come necessary through the war.
The Governors action will mobilize
all Michigan's strength for war work.
1t is, at the same time, the first step
in organizing the state for the next
Liberty Loan which will be conducted
this Spring. No authority, duty or re-
sponsibility is removed form any or
ganization now existing. The great
object accomplished is the co-ordina-
tion of all efforts and the establish
ment Of all the recognized organiza-
tions as permanent bodies for the du-
ration of the war. In addition,
through the 'vestment Of control in the
county organizations, the opportuni-
ties for projects launched for personal
benefit as well as those that are ill
advised are removed. Michigan has
not been troubled by the latter two
classes, but other states have had such
experience and the county organiza-
ton plan guards against their intro
duction by selfish OF over enthusiastic
persons.
Michigan has done magnificent
work-no state has, surpassed us in
energy and results said Governor
Sleeper. "We're going to do even bet
ter in the future by this coordination
of energy and effort. Under the new
plan, we can throw every ounce of
Michigan's great patriotic energy into
any given channel, wherever it may
be needed"
IF only the civilians can hold out
is the somewhat cynical but penetrat-
ing comment of the French Army upon
the chances for victory. And that bit
of cynicism is the cold, deadly truth.
If the civilians do not hold >out-the
army is lost. Men and guns we can
supply in abundance. But the sup
port of the army comes from the civil
lians and when the civilians fail, the
army is helpless. Let US mobilize to
the last man and woman in Michigan"
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