The United War Work Fund was organized as the result of a call by President Wilson in September, 1918 for a United War Work Council to be set up consisting of representatives of the seven organizations authorized by the War Department to collect funds for charitable work among the A.E.F. in France. The seven organizations were the Young Men's Christian Association, the Young Women's Christian Association, the National Catholic War Council, the Jewish Welfare Board, the War Camp Community Service, the American Library Association, and the Salvation Army. This was the only drive to be made for war purposes out-side of the Red Cross and Liberty Loan Drives. It was held the week of November 11-18, 1918.
A national organization was constituted and located in New York City, and the Drive functioned through the six military departments of the United States, each of which was organized along the same lines as the national organization, and had jurisdiction over the states with-in its area. Dr. John R. Mott served as Director-General of the campaign. An Executive Committee, under the authority of the War Department Commission on Training Camp Activities, consisted of Raymond B. Fosdick; Cleveland H. Dodge; John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; George W. Perkins; Mortimer L. Schiff; John G. Agar; Myron T. Herrick; James J. Phelan; George Gordon Battle; and William Hamlin Child.
While 170 million dollars was the amount requested by the seven organizations, the total collected was 203,199,730 dollars, about 20 percent above the quota asked; 46 states exceeded their quota. There was also response from abroad. China subscribed 1,300,000 dollars; Japan 575,000 dollars; and Cuba 118,000 dollars. The largest individual subscription was that from John D. Rockefeller and his son, 8 million dollars. The amount collected was apportioned pro rata among the seven organizations composing the United War Work Council.
In Wisconsin the War Fund Drive was organized with County Chairmen responsible to a State Executive Committee, and volunteers under the County Chairmen. The Polk County Chairman, Nils J. Larsen, who was also Polk County Treasurer, was responsible for the coordination of fund raising activities in the county and for the collection of fund subscriptions from his corps of volunteers. The outline of the organization, from the county downward, is given in “Plan for County Chairmen Who Will Handle the United War Work Campaign in Wisconsin,” a memo filed under Campaign Materials in folder 4. The subscription rate in Polk County was 150 percent of the announced goal.
