The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-03
[By R. B. Pixley, Publicity Manager,

State Council of Defense.1
March &c, 1917-Third regiment,
Wisconsin National Guard, mustered
into federal service, and assigned to
police duty in various parts of the
state.
April IL, 1917-Bill creating the
Wisconsin State Council of Defense
passed by legislature and signed by
Gov. Philip. (This was the first state
council created in the United States.
Today every state has similar body.
The idea of National Defense Coun-
Gil, with auxiliary bodies in the states,
came from Wisconsin, and the Wiscon-
sin council has been the model for
other state organizatiOns.)
June 5, 1917-Registration day un-
der selective draft law. WISCONSIN
election machinery was used, an idea
soon adopted by other states.)
June 6, 1917-Governor signs bill by
which legislature apprOpriates $4,000
for enlisting and training health aid
classes, $4,000 to be available in 1917
and $4,000 in 1918. WISCONSIN was
the first state to recognize the need
of nurses for the war, and these class
es were recruited from ranks of young
| women, who enlisted to serve as aids
| in nursing the civilian sick during the
| war;
| June 6, 1917-Wisconsin first state
in union to report registration COM
pleted (The Wisconsin report was
filed in Washington at a. M, four
hours before that of the District OF
| Columbia.)
| June 8, 1917-Wisconsin reports
show state has subscribed $36,236,75O
to First Liberty Loan. (This was an
loversubscription, and Wisconsin was
first of the states in the Seventh Fed
eral Reserve District for percentage
of subscription.)
| June Is, 1917-Bill exempting men
in service of the United States from
civil actions during period of such ser
vice passed by the legislature and
signed by the governor. WISCONSIN
was the first state to recognize the
rights Of it's soldiers and sailors in
this regard.)
| June %, 1917-Bill providing aid
for soldiers dependents passed by leg
islature and signed by governor. (The
law provides for the payment of suf-
ficient sum to make the income of
each dependent wife $50 a month
while her husband is in the service. A
wife and child is guaranteed $40 a
month, three dependents $50 and SIS a
month is paid for the fourth and each
additional dependent. Up to January 1,
1918, the state had paid $37,979.2O to
such dependents, and the average
monthly payments will make this de-
mand upon the state treasury 100000
year. This is in addition to pay
ments to soldiers dependents by the
national government)
June %, 1917-Provost Marshal
| General CrOwder wires governor In
acknowledging registration day re-
cord: 81 have come to expect the i'm
possible Of Wisconsin,"
| July 1, 1917-Washington reports
that Wisconsin has registered 104.6
per cent of the number of men estim-
ated on the basis of population. Zone
state registered as low as 500 per
cent?
| July l, 1917-Washing reports
| WiscOnsin's percentage of men Of mil
itary age failing to respond to draft
| less than 2 per cent. (The percentage
| in the United States as a whole was
SO per cent?
August 1, 1917-Adjrtant General
HOlWay reports Wisconsin National
Guard recruited to war strength and
| ready for call for active service. (The
National Guard had been recruited to
1927 men, in the following Organiza-
tons: Six regiments of infantry, one
| regiment of cavalry, one regiment of
artillery, one battalion of signal corps
one battalion of engineers equal to
one-half regiment).
August 2, 1917-First regiment
goes to Camp Douglas.
August 4, 1917-Second regiment en-
| trains for Camp Douglas.
August II, 1917-Fourth regiment
goes to Camp Douglas.
August II, 1917-Fifth regiment
goes to Camp Douglas.
August 23, 1917-Sixth regiment
goes to Camp Douglas.
August %, 1917-Companies E, F
and G, Second regiment, leave for
front as part of Rainbow Division.
| (These companies were from Fond du
Lac, Oshkosh and Appleton.
August 81, 1917-Washington re-
ports Wisconsin's credits for volun-
teer enlistments 54.16 per cent The
average percentage for the United
States as whole was 40.42 per, cent.
Wisconsin was reported eleventh in
standing, being exceeded by Hawaii,
Oregon, District Of Columbia, Maine,
New Hampshire, Wyoming, Vermont
Rhode Island, Kansas and South Da-
kOta.)
September 1, 1917 = Wisconsin
troops begin leaving for Camp Mac
Arthur, Waco, Texas. WISCONSIN
equipped her troops out of funds in
the state treasury, thereby loaning to