History Series: Kayte Casebolt and Latah County and WW1

This is the Kestrel Country Podcast where we discuss the people, places and events all around Kestrel country podcast. We are very excited to be presenting a history series with Kate Casebolt, who has been a longtime writer now for the Kestrel Post. And if you don't get the Kestrel Post yet, head over to movetomoscocom and sign up to get our free newspaper. But Kate is going to be presenting her past articles, which is a lot of history about our area, so looking forward to hearing what she has to say which is a lot of history about our area.

So looking forward to hearing what she has to say. Many of the men from Latah County were sent to Camp Lewis during World War I. These men trained at the University of Idaho first and then boarded a train at the Northern Pacific Railway as crowds of well-wishers gathered around to say their goodbyes. Camp Lewis was named after none other than Meriwether Lewis. It was the first National Army Cantonment for draftee training, with its first arrivals on September 5, 1917. By the end of that year there were already 37,000 officers, garrison and trainees there During the war. It was the largest military post and it did its best to live up to its name. Subscribers of the Tacoma Daily News for Camp Lewis helped purchase the largest flag ever flown at the time. The flag weighed 257 pounds with dimensions of 60 by 90 feet. On their first attempt to raise this flag at Camp Lewis, the weight of it was too heavy for the pole to hold up and the pole broke under its pressure. The weight of it was too heavy for the pole to hold up and the pole broke under its pressure. After another unsuccessful attempt, the flag was finally raised on December 7, 1918. But the men at Camp Lewis weren't the only ones from Latah County that did their part for the American war effort.

Since the men had left behind many open positions at the mills, like the Potlatch Mill, women had to step up and fill in these roles. Before World War I, many of the women were homemakers. They rarely worked outside of the house, but when they did, it was usually a job at the mercantile or as part of the company clerical staff. Some became maids, post office workers or boarding house cooks. As they worked at the mill, their jobs were in administrative support roles or flunkies those who prepared meals for the loggers. But that all changed during wartime. Early fighter planes needed the spruce from the lumber company, since the planes were built from wood trusses. In order to continue providing lumber, women became loggerettes. During World War II, around 40 women worked at the potlatch mill. Women also served as Red Cross nurses during the wars. Some went to serve in France, while others stayed local and helped make bandages and care packages. They also played an important role in raising funds and marching in Liberty Bond parades. Often they carried blue star flags in the parade, with each star representing a family member in service.

Liberty Bonds were debt securities issued by the government that helped pay for military expenses. William Giz Mikadu, secretary of Treasury, worked with the Division of the Committee on Public Information to develop this campaign. The division was called the Four Minute Men and they often included patriotic language into their posters to motivate people to purchase these bonds. Famous artists were hired to create the posters and famous actors and actresses hosted bond rallies to support the war effort. Like Ethel Barrymore and Charlie Chaplin, american viewers all over the country watched Charlie Chaplin's the Bond, a short film that Chaplin made with money out of his own pocket. Even kids got involved in this campaign. Both the Boy and Girl Scouts sold Liberty Bonds to raise funds for the war. The government was able to raise about $17 billion from Liberty Bonds. This was about $170 per American citizen.

At long last, world War I came to an end and the people of Potlatch were among the earliest to celebrate. Most of the country was still unaware of the end of the war, but Potlatch had frontline connections. Their celebrations began on November 9, 1918, even before the official documents ending the war had been signed. While Potlatch provided much lumber for the construction of fighter planes, they also used the wood for their sidewalks, but since these sidewalks have recently been torn out and piled in the street. They lit the planks on fire for a huge bonfire celebration. Their party lasted two full days and two nights. These warriors shaped our community as people stood together through the most difficult circumstances. Today, the memorial in East City Park reminds one and all that this is the land of the free because of the brave.

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