Page:The North Carolina Historical Review - Volume 1, Number 1.pdf/29

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The War Savings Campaign in 1918
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tive of each of the other subcommittees, finance committee, school committee, committee on speakers, committee on churches, committee on fraternal orders and other organizations, women's committee, committee on banks, stores, and railroads, publicity committee, manufacturers' committee, committee on colored people, and, in agricultural counties, a committee of farmers. A complete organization under this plan would take from seventy-five to a hundred and twenty-five of the leading men and women of the county. This of organization was especially adapted to a campaign of education, inasmuch as there was a special committee to present thrift propaganda to each group of citizens. But the plan was not at all adapted to soliciting pledges. And when Mr. Vanderlip announced the June drive, it became necessary to effect a new organization in each County in the State. This, the third plan of organization, called for a COunty Chairman, a chaiman for each township in rural districts and for each ward in cities and towns, and canvassers for each neighborhood. This compact, geographical organization was adapted to canvassing and soliciting and reporting pledges. The second type of organization, which was but an outgrowth of the first, was the one under which the counties operated from the time of their organization in the early months of 1918 until the first of June. The third type was the one under which they operated the balance of the year.

Early in the winter of 1917-1918 the Campaign of Education began. First, the State Director called a conference of one hundred of the most prominent citizens of the State to lay before them the plans and purposes of the Campaign. Then he called a meeting of the editors of the State. The purpose of the Campaign was brought to the attention of the teachers of the State in their assembly of 1917. Several speakers of note from outside the State made tours, addressing large and varied audiences on the War and the War Savings Campaign. Notably among them were Mr. Milton W. Harrison, then Secretary of the Savings Bank Section of the American Bankers Association; Mr. Harry Lasker of the Publicity Department of the National War Savings headquarters; Captain David Fallon of Australia, who before the War had been a teacher in the Military Academy of New South Wales and who during the War had been awarded the Military Cross of King George; Lieutenant A. Newberry