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Show their cooperation with the government-hard as it was to accept discrimination-but in their financial contributions as individual citizens. After President Wilson had created the War Council within the American Red Cross, the National Wool Grower Association conducted a vigorous campaign to raise funds to be sent to the Red Cross for purchasing wool blankets for use in field hospitals. There was a long list of doners each month from the membership, and on 20 June 1917, the first check of $5,000 was sent to the Red Cross. $17,000 was raised in this way, and considering the adversities and mounting expenses on frozen incomes of sheepmen, that was a remarkable accomplishment. 2J1 Through the donation of a Lincoln ram by a Wyoming woolgrower, a great deal of money was raised in this manner: The ram was sold over and over to several hundred sheep-men for a total of $7,500 to pay for more Red Cross blankets. Then the ram was sold for the Harry Lauder Fund that raised $11,400. Mr. Lauder, a famous entertainer in that period of time, appeared before the National Wool Growers convention and made his plea for financial relief of crippled soldiers and sailors, and the sheepmen responded generously. The patriotism of the sheepmen and their organizations was indeed at top level during World War One, and John K- although but one individual, played his humble part in support of the patriotic programs sponsored by the organizations and by the government. His buying of Liberty Bonds was an especially patriotic response during that war. 156 |
