Iowa State Council for Defense
Encyclopedia
The Iowa State Council for Defense was created by Iowa Governor William L. Harding
one month after the United States entered World War I
, and was disbanded soon after the end of the war. It became a focal point of various political battles conducted in the name of loyalty and Americanism.
Its original mission was to "assist in working out the plan for conscription in Iowa and on other war measures as required from time to time by the government." Unlike its counterpart in Minnesota (the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety), the Council was officially an advisory body with no formally delegated powers. Governor Harding refused the Council's request that he convene a special session of the Iowa General Assembly
to grant the Council legal standing and money to spend.
Its history was short, but stormy. The Des Moines Daily News reported that "[t]he meetings of the council were irregular, infrequent and always
star chamber
proceedings. . . . From the beginning, dissension featured the meetings, and long before the close of the war one-half of the membership ceased to attend the sessions." One of the Council's members, Iowa Homestead editor James M. Pierce, accused his colleagues on the Council of conducting a "reign of terror" to drive the Nonpartisan League from Iowa.
To chair the Council, Governor Harding chose Lafayette Young
, the editor and publisher of The Des Moines Capital. Young had been appointed as an interim U.S. Senator in November 1910 immediately upon the death of Senator Jonathan Dolliver, but was defeated by William Squire Kenyon
in the special legislative election in the Iowa General Assembly the following April.
As the Council's chairman, Young urged that "disloyal" persons should be impoverished and imprisoned, arguing that "[a]ny man who has lived under the protection of our laws and has accumulated wealth and is now disloyal should be deprived of every dollar he possesses and he should be interned in a stockade until the end of the war and at that time his fate should be considered carefully." He also campaigned against the teaching of any foreign language in any public school or college, and for the imposition of English literacy tests for voting.
In May 1917, the Council approved the official state flag of Iowa
, designed by Dixie Cornell Gebhardt
, so that Iowa regiments could have a flag of their own in addition to the American flag.
The Council disbanded in January 1919, two months after the end of the war.
William L. Harding
William Lloyd Harding was from Sioux City, Iowa and the 22nd Governor of Iowa from 1917 to 1921.-Biography:Born in 1877 in Sibley, Iowa, Harding opposed extending voting rights for women and road improvements...
one month after the United States entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was disbanded soon after the end of the war. It became a focal point of various political battles conducted in the name of loyalty and Americanism.
Its original mission was to "assist in working out the plan for conscription in Iowa and on other war measures as required from time to time by the government." Unlike its counterpart in Minnesota (the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety), the Council was officially an advisory body with no formally delegated powers. Governor Harding refused the Council's request that he convene a special session of the Iowa General Assembly
Iowa General Assembly
The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Representatives respectively...
to grant the Council legal standing and money to spend.
Its history was short, but stormy. The Des Moines Daily News reported that "[t]he meetings of the council were irregular, infrequent and always
star chamber
Star Chamber
The Star Chamber was an English court of law that sat at the royal Palace of Westminster until 1641. It was made up of Privy Counsellors, as well as common-law judges and supplemented the activities of the common-law and equity courts in both civil and criminal matters...
proceedings. . . . From the beginning, dissension featured the meetings, and long before the close of the war one-half of the membership ceased to attend the sessions." One of the Council's members, Iowa Homestead editor James M. Pierce, accused his colleagues on the Council of conducting a "reign of terror" to drive the Nonpartisan League from Iowa.
To chair the Council, Governor Harding chose Lafayette Young
Lafayette Young
Lafayette Young was a newspaper reporter and editor, and a Republican Senator from Iowa.Young was born in Monroe County, Iowa. His early education was acquired in the public schools and in printing offices at Albia, Iowa and Des Moines, Iowa...
, the editor and publisher of The Des Moines Capital. Young had been appointed as an interim U.S. Senator in November 1910 immediately upon the death of Senator Jonathan Dolliver, but was defeated by William Squire Kenyon
William Squire Kenyon
William Squire Kenyon was a Republican U.S. Senator from Iowa, and a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.-Background:...
in the special legislative election in the Iowa General Assembly the following April.
As the Council's chairman, Young urged that "disloyal" persons should be impoverished and imprisoned, arguing that "[a]ny man who has lived under the protection of our laws and has accumulated wealth and is now disloyal should be deprived of every dollar he possesses and he should be interned in a stockade until the end of the war and at that time his fate should be considered carefully." He also campaigned against the teaching of any foreign language in any public school or college, and for the imposition of English literacy tests for voting.
In May 1917, the Council approved the official state flag of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, designed by Dixie Cornell Gebhardt
Dixie Cornell Gebhardt
Dixie Cornell Gebhardt was a leader of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Iowa during World War I, and was responsible for the design of the Iowa's state flag....
, so that Iowa regiments could have a flag of their own in addition to the American flag.
The Council disbanded in January 1919, two months after the end of the war.