The major aim of the Committee to Defend America By Aiding the Allies was public education and the formation of public opinion in favor of a declaration of a full state of national emergency in 1941. The Committee advocated the employment of our naval and air forces to safeguard the lifeline between the Western Hemisphere and the British Isles, in addition to granting effective aid to Great Britain and China.
At its peak, the Committee had over 766 local chapters, with an estimated membership of 500,000. The national headquarters of the Committee was in New York City and Mr. Ernest W. Gibson, Jr., served as national chairman. The Madison chapter of the Committee was mainly directed by Dr. Dorothy Mendenhall, Mrs. William L. Sachse, and Professor Robert L. Reynolds.
