Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-01-02
MARYLAND COUNCIL
OF DEFENSE PASSES
Efficient Organization, Born Of
War Emergency, Lays
Down Sword
HAD WIDE WORK RANGE

With the closing of the old year the
Maryland Council of Defense laid
down its sword, and virtually retired
to private life.
After a year and half of valuable
work in which its activities have touch
ed almost every phase of the life of
the state, the Maryland Council of De-
fense Tuesday night practically sus-
pended its operations. Except for its
headquarters Office and staff, its var
ious agencies and committees will
stop work, and while the council or
ganization will be kept intact for any
emergencies that may arise. but little.
if any more, money will be spent.
And as Secretary Meekins was wind
ing up a number of the councils af-
fairs, this New Years greeting and
expression of appreciation arrived in
letter to Gen. Francis E. Waters,
chairman of the council, from Grosve-
nor B. Clarkson, director of the Nat
ional Council of Defense: I'VE highly
value the fine cooperation that you
and your co-workers in the Maryland
Council of Defense have rendered to
the National Council throughout a
long and trying period. 1t seems to
me that you are very distinctly justi-
fed in feeling that you have made a
definite and lasting contribution in
connection with the prosecution of the
war"
Many Tributes Received
This tribute is one of many that
have come to the Maryland Council
and that, have established it among
the very foremost of the State Coun-
ellis of America.
The Maryland Council was created
by an act of the legislature at its spe-
cal session in June, 1917, and it be-
gan its work on July IL, following.
Prior to that time the work was in
the hands of the Preparedness and
Survey Commission, an organization
of citizens appointed by the Governor,
but which had no appropriation nor
budget. The State Council, however.
was given an appropriation of $1,000
900 when it was organized, and it was
given an additional appropriation of
81 900 900 at the regular session of the
Legislature following.
Since its formation the Council
built up the most extensive civilian
organization that the state has ever
had. The council consists of fifty
members appointed by the governor,
with an executive committee of seven.
Each county has a commission of four,
the chairman of which is a member
of the Council. BY appointment the
known as the Women's Section, which
received it's finances through the Coun-
cil Later there was appointed the
Colored Division and also a Woman's
Department of that Division. The or
ganization was then carried to the
creation of community councils, of
which one hundred and fifty are still
in existence. The total number of
persons engaged in Council work has
been about two thousand.
In many enterprises the Maryland
Council was either first or among the
first, such as the Compulsory Work
law, the securing of improved seed
and the buying of tractors. Five states
followed Maryland's example in tractor
work
The Council did particularly valu-
10 In. nI.xn T&
cured better seed for the farmers and
purchased tractors to help them in
their work. 1t was often said that the
increase in food production in the
state in 1918, due to the encourage
ment of the council, was worth many
times over the whole cost of the coun-
Gil
Range OF Its Work
The range of the work in 1918 was
Maryland Council took care of the
many motortruck trains arriving in
Baltimore, and this work was the
precursor of what is now the splendid
establishment at Camp Holabird. The
Compulsory Work Bureau secured
national fame and was accounted
great success. Its total cost was only
about $4,000. Maryland was among
the very first to protect and entertain
the soldiers and for this purpose more
than $4,000 was spent and one re-
suit of it was the creation of the pres
ent War Camp Community Service,
which is the successor of the War
Recreation Commission of the Mary
land Council. Ehe Council sent field
directors to every part of the state
and its educational committee was
constantly at work. 1t was the rally
ing point for all the war activities and
it did an immense amount of work of
confidential nature for the govern
ment.
In the early days certain sections
were reported to be fifty per cent or
less loyal, but after the propaganda
campaigns reports from these same
sections rose to 100 per cent. The
Maryland Councils work in exceeding
the quota for the shipyards brought
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