WWI - The War at Home

Please read Chapter 19-3 - The War at Home and post your answer to the following questions.

What were some things accomplished by the following wartime agencies and laws?

1. War Industries Board-encouraged companies to use mass production techniques to increase efficiency, urged them to eliminate waste by standardizing products like making only 5 colors of typewriter ribbons. They set production quotas and allocated raw materials.
2. Railroad Administration-controlled railroads
3. Fuel Administration-monitored coal supplies and rationed gasoline and heating oil. "Gasless Sundays" and "lightless nights" were practiced to save fuel. They created daylight savings time in order to take advantage of the longer days of summer.
4. National War Labor Board-to handle disputes between management and labor. Workers who refused to obey board decisions could lose their draft exemptions. The board also worked to improve factory conditions and pushed for an eight hour workday, promoted safety inspections, and enforced the child labor ban.
5. Food Administration-to help produce and conserve food, families practiced "the gospel of the clean plate" and one day a week meatless, another sweetless, two days wheatless and two days porkless. Homeowners planted "victory gardens" in their yards to grow some of their own food in stead of buying it all.
6. Committee on Public Information-the nation's first propaganda agency. This was created to popularize the war and influence people's thoughts and actions.
7. Espionage and Sedition Acts-a person could be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced to 20 years in jail for interfering with the war effort of for saying anything disloyal, profane or abusive about the government or war effort. Clearly violated the sprit of the First Amendment.

Briefly explain why Bernard M. Baruch and George Creel are significant historical figures.

Bernard M. Baruch- leader of the War Industries Board (WIB), a prosperous businessman.

George Creel-the head of the Committee on Public Information (CPI). He persuaded the nation's advertising agencies to create thousands of painting, posters, cartoons, and sculptures promoting the war. He recruited men to serve as "Four Minute Men" who spoke about everything relating to the war. Also he distributed pamphlets, booklets and leaflets about the war. His propaganda was highly effective.