Council of Defense

In order that we may appreciate the rapidity with which Clay County, a peace loving rural community, girded en her armor and got into her place in the front ranks of the nation's effectives, a brief resume of some dates is appropriate.

On August 29, 1916, The Council of National Defense was created by act of Congress and approved. On April 2, 1917, the United States Congress assembled in special session and was addressed by President Wilson who asked Congress to declare war. On April 6, 1917, the President issued the proclamation of war with Germany. On April 9th, the Secretary of War addressed a message to the governors of the various states asking for the establishment of State Councils of Defense.

Governor Gardner of Missouri responded April 12th by calling a meeting of representative men from all walks of life. These men convened in Jefferson City on April 23rd to hold a war conference. The citizens invited to represent Clay County were Edwin Yancey, E. E. Kirkland, Frank C. Hamilton, Soper J. Taul and Robert S. Withers.

The meeting was a very patriotic and enthusiastic demonstration of Missouri's determination to do all in her power to win the war and on the following morning Governor Gardner announced the appointment of the members of the Missouri State Council of Defense. Robert S. Withers of Clay County was appointed by the governor among the original twenty-nine who formed the State Council and was immediately appointed County Chairman of Clay County. Thus Missouri was practically the first state to form a State Council of Defense and Clay County was among the very first counties of the state to be organized.

The purpose of the State Council of Defense was, in the words of the governor, "to be the supreme authority of the commonwealth in relation to the state's duty to the nation during the entire period of the war."

It will be seen at once that the duty of the County Council of Defense was to support the state in every way in this work. However, the intelligence and patriotism of Clay County was of such high order that many duties that were most arduous in other counties were little in evidence here. In fact the duty of the County Council of Defense in Clay County resolved itself into keeping the people informed as to what the administration wanted done. The people responded spontaneously.

Missouri ranked among the highest three in the National Council of Defense and Clay County ranked equally as high in the state organization.

A great deal of the work of the Council of Defense, much of its most valuable work, was of a confidential nature and was not made public at the time. Later all records kept by the entire state were made public property by being placed on file in the archives of the Missouri State Historical Society at Columbia, where they can be inspected by any one at any time.

Some of the duties assigned to the Council of Defense by the administration were as follows: To arrange a suitable farewell for each draft contingent; to locate skilled men for the army's technical work; to detect draft evasion and assist the local board in every way; to recruit for the regular army; to recruit for the aviation school and pass on the applicants for the same; to assist in the location of military units in colleges; to cooperate with the British Recruiting Mission in locating British subjects; to establish Home Guard units; to investigate disloyalty; to co-operate with the Secret Service Department; to prevent non-war construction; to return an alien property survey; to pass on all applications for Army Officers Schools, Red Cross work in military service, the Salvation Army and Y. M. C. A. service at the front and in camp and the Near East Relief service.

In addition to discharging the above duties, the Clay County Council of Defense co-operated with the special committees in all Liberty Loan and War Savings work and in all other war drives that were made.

The following constituted the membership of the Clay County Council of Defense:

Robert S. Withers, Liberty, Chairman.
E. H. Norton, Liberty.
R. R. Fleet, Liberty.
E. L. Black, Liberty.
Miss Grace Tickle, Liberty.
Mrs. Ralph Davidson, Liberty.
Mrs. Robert S. Withers, Liberty.
Harry Gordon, Smithville.
Ben Will Thatcher, Smithville.
R. C. McIlvain, Kearney.
Hugh Wilhite, Excelsior Springs.
Charles Fish, Excelsior Springs.
Ernest Holt, Excelsior Springs.
Allen Thompson, Nashua.
Ernest Davidson, North Kansas City 

Clay County| AHGP Missouri

Source: History of Clay County, Missouri, by W. H. Woodson, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, 1920.