Committee on Public Information Weekly Report Ending October 21st
Title
Committee on Public Information Weekly Report Ending October 21st
Creator
Nester, Byron M.
Identifier
WWP25317
Date
1918 October 21
Description
Resources of the Committee on Public Information.
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
World War, 1914-1918--Propaganda
Contributor
Morgan Willer
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC INFORMATION.
PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT
From: Mr. Byron M. Nester
To: Mr. John Hearley
Subject: Weekly Report ending October 21st.
PHOTOGRAPHS. We have now 225 weekly displays in 140 cities and towns including very small villages never yet reached by any other propaganda. Furthermore we have 40 displays in 9 Army Corps. These displays were accompanied by letters to the Mayors offering other material, which have brought even telegraphic replies that are astonishing in their enthusiasm for America and for President Wilson. See translations attached. In on[e] Barracks there are two examples where soldiers have hung up President Wilson’s picture and burn candles before it as a shrine, and each night to him almost as to a saint for the Salvation of the World: All of which with the approval of the Commanding Officer of the Barracks.
BOOKLETS, POSTERS, SPEECHES ETC. At the present moment we have supplied towns and cities with Wilson Posters, Wilson Speeches, Booklets, flags, I….American Ribbons and post cards. In Sienna the Mayor distributed flags and Wilson speeches on the chairs of the town Councillors who on taking their places made a tremendous demonstration for America and sent a congratula[tory] telegram to the American Ambassador in Rome. In addition to these centr[es] of distribution, 9 Army Corps, The Teachers Association with 7 thousand branches, the Italian Ministries, the Italian Propaganda, the Y.M.C.A. and the Italian and American Red Cross and countless unclassified individuals send constantly increasing demands for all kinds of material. The recent addition is the Association of Roman Catholic Societies of Italy. Four weeks ago this department arranged that their Chief of Propaganda should present himself at this Office and ask the privilege of distributing 20….
Our Propaganda Material, by means of all Army Chaplins, Parish Priests, three Catholic newspapers and all Catholic Societies. This distribution was to have begun on All Souls’ Day, NOV. 2nd, but they requested the immediate shipment of 20,000 post cards which were sent out on October 19th. ….Post cards were consigned to the 3rd Army Corps on the same date. All of this work has been done with one quarter of the supplies needed. Requests for after-war propaganda are already being received.
Extracts from letters:
“While thanking you for the gift of photographs in my own name and in that of the Commune, I gladly accept the offer you so courteously extend to me of sending me pamphlets and the speeches of your incomparable President, whose name henceforth belongs to posterity. I will greatly appreciate any material you send me concerning this war in the cause of civilization, liberty, justice; a war, in faith with you, and with you and all the Allies, in the holy undertaking against German Barbarity.”
“I was invited Saturday to a conference and I should like to use this occasion to distribute there post cards and pamphlets. The time is ripe for our resistance and it is necessary to publish everywhere the sympathetic likeness of Wilson, the Saviour of Humanity.”
“This (material) will make our people appreciate more thoroughly the magnificent contribution of the American Nation toward the saintly cause of civilization and justice; and will tighten the bonds of our sympathy with sacrificing their bravest sons and their most powerful resources.”
“I quite agree that the display and diffusion of these photographs form a powerful means for the commun cause, because they will afford us an opportunity to become better acquainted with what your Great Nation is doing, and to appreciate better the nobility of sentiment and the disinterestedness of your Great People, who have joined with enthusiasm in the Cause of Justice and of Civilization.”
PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT
From: Mr. Byron M. Nester
To: Mr. John Hearley
Subject: Weekly Report ending October 21st.
PHOTOGRAPHS. We have now 225 weekly displays in 140 cities and towns including very small villages never yet reached by any other propaganda. Furthermore we have 40 displays in 9 Army Corps. These displays were accompanied by letters to the Mayors offering other material, which have brought even telegraphic replies that are astonishing in their enthusiasm for America and for President Wilson. See translations attached. In on[e] Barracks there are two examples where soldiers have hung up President Wilson’s picture and burn candles before it as a shrine, and each night to him almost as to a saint for the Salvation of the World: All of which with the approval of the Commanding Officer of the Barracks.
BOOKLETS, POSTERS, SPEECHES ETC. At the present moment we have supplied towns and cities with Wilson Posters, Wilson Speeches, Booklets, flags, I….American Ribbons and post cards. In Sienna the Mayor distributed flags and Wilson speeches on the chairs of the town Councillors who on taking their places made a tremendous demonstration for America and sent a congratula[tory] telegram to the American Ambassador in Rome. In addition to these centr[es] of distribution, 9 Army Corps, The Teachers Association with 7 thousand branches, the Italian Ministries, the Italian Propaganda, the Y.M.C.A. and the Italian and American Red Cross and countless unclassified individuals send constantly increasing demands for all kinds of material. The recent addition is the Association of Roman Catholic Societies of Italy. Four weeks ago this department arranged that their Chief of Propaganda should present himself at this Office and ask the privilege of distributing 20….
Our Propaganda Material, by means of all Army Chaplins, Parish Priests, three Catholic newspapers and all Catholic Societies. This distribution was to have begun on All Souls’ Day, NOV. 2nd, but they requested the immediate shipment of 20,000 post cards which were sent out on October 19th. ….Post cards were consigned to the 3rd Army Corps on the same date. All of this work has been done with one quarter of the supplies needed. Requests for after-war propaganda are already being received.
Extracts from letters:
“While thanking you for the gift of photographs in my own name and in that of the Commune, I gladly accept the offer you so courteously extend to me of sending me pamphlets and the speeches of your incomparable President, whose name henceforth belongs to posterity. I will greatly appreciate any material you send me concerning this war in the cause of civilization, liberty, justice; a war, in faith with you, and with you and all the Allies, in the holy undertaking against German Barbarity.”
“I was invited Saturday to a conference and I should like to use this occasion to distribute there post cards and pamphlets. The time is ripe for our resistance and it is necessary to publish everywhere the sympathetic likeness of Wilson, the Saviour of Humanity.”
“This (material) will make our people appreciate more thoroughly the magnificent contribution of the American Nation toward the saintly cause of civilization and justice; and will tighten the bonds of our sympathy with sacrificing their bravest sons and their most powerful resources.”
“I quite agree that the display and diffusion of these photographs form a powerful means for the commun cause, because they will afford us an opportunity to become better acquainted with what your Great Nation is doing, and to appreciate better the nobility of sentiment and the disinterestedness of your Great People, who have joined with enthusiasm in the Cause of Justice and of Civilization.”
Original Format
Letter
To
Hearley, John
Files
Collection
Citation
Nester, Byron M., “Committee on Public Information Weekly Report Ending October 21st,” 1918 October 21, WWP25317, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.