Civilian activities during World War II, El Paso, Texas PDF
Preview Civilian activities during World War II, El Paso, Texas
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CIVILIAN ACTIVITIES DURING WORLD WAR II, EL PASO, TEXAS APPROVED: U). Chat: * the Graduate Council Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CIVILIAN ACTIVITIES DURING WORLD WAR II, EL FASO, TEXAS THESIS PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL of ' TEXAS WESTERN COLLEGE of the University of Texas IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE Of MASTER OF ARTS By Mabel Vaughan Keeney El Paso, Texas <?une, 1950 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: ep00052 U__M I® UMI Microform ep00052 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION.................... . I December 7, 1941 War The Civilian Defense Committee II. CIVILIAN DEFENSE................... 20 Registration and Training Bonds and Stamps The First War Loan Second War loan Third War Loan Fourth War Loan Fifth War Loan Sixth War Loan Seventh War Loan Victory Loans Crop Harvests Food Victory Gardens The Star spangled Banner Defense Committee Disbands III. THE EL PASO CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS............... 40 Its Preparation Canteen Units Other Units of The American Red Cross Funds IV. COMHUMirV SERVICE ............... 4? The Citizen^ Service Corps The El Paso Rotary Club The Junior League The Sisterhood of the Temple of Mb. Sinai The Y. ft. C. A. 9 The Garden Club ill. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER PACE Russian Relief The Blood Bank Girls Scouts The Defense Recreational Council Morale Churches Bundles for Britain and America United Service Organizations Books Women In Service and Industry Hews via Short Wave Radio V. IH LINE WITH THE NATION........... 74 Rationing Salvage Materials lent Control VI. SCHOOLS AT WAR . . . . . . . . . . 99 11 Paso Public Schools The Children of 11 Paso Schools 11 Paso Public Schools and the Fourth War Loan Recognition of War Work The Goldwell P. T. A. Victory Cookbook Parades The ♦Teen Canteen The College of Mines and Metallurgy The College of Mines1 Cadets VII . THE WAR ENDS .................... 115 VS Day VJ Day Memorials VIII. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Post War Planning BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . ......... 138 Iv. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Preface World War II Is "too much with us" still for re cords of civilian activities to have become stabilized in any authoritative form* There is a wealth of material in newspapers that were printed during the war years* The problem has been mainly one of selection of materials that would give the reader an over-all picture of what El Paso citizens did accomplish in their war ef forts . I wish to express ray appreciation for the coopera tion of the staff of the II Paso Public J»ibrary for their courteous and able assistance in helping me find materialsf to Miss Alicia Swann and to Dr. Haney Dee Swann for their assistance. Also a word of appreciation to Dr. J. L. Waller who has supervised the writing of this thesis is certainly in order. It has Indeed been a pleasure to do this piece of work. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION "The United States has broken the peace*" These words quoted from a Japanese radio broadcast had been picked up over hundreds of radios in our Country, Alarm ing though they were, we still thought not of war as a near disaster, but were confident that the diplomats would in some way bring about an understanding. Even though on November 28, 19AI, Tokyo newspapers were quoted as declaring1 So long as the United States maintains an atti tude of obstructing Japan’s policy to establish a new East Asiatic order, in collaboration with Britain, the Dutch Indies, Australia and Chungking, we have to conclude that the United States lacks faith and sincerity in preserving the peace, not only in the Pacific, but also in the entire World and if any thing breaks out, the United States must bear the whole responsibility.! 1The 11 Faso Times. November 28, 19^1, p. 1 4 * . We did not realise the gravity of the situation, We Joked about war and with an undercurrent of uneasiness and seriousness began to look about us to see Just how we might be affected. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 Interest In the sale of Defense Bonds and Stamps took a new Impetus overnight throughout the country. Inter est in work of the Red Cross became a vital interest and many women who had not knitted since florid War I days hunted up their knitting needles and put them in a handy spot. Still to most of us, war was a far off thing. World War I had been a war to end wars, and most of us clung to the belief that it could not happen again. The newspapers were filled with rumors of war and suggestions that civilians needed to be come war-minded, Mr, Forest Smith, Chairman of the 11 Faso County Defense Bond Committee, announced that the sale of Defense Bonds in this county had passed the million dollar mark. Stamps had been on sale since May, 1940. Mr, Smith said: People in the United States are showing their willingness to do everything in support of their Government they can. This broad land belongs to all of us, but we cannot keep it unless we are willing to fight for it. Buying Defense Bonds and Stamps is about the least we can do. We are making a sound investment which will be good as long as the Country stands.2 M iMU Jims, December 4, 1941, p. 3*2. 11 Pasoans read with interest that a survey had been made of Fort Bliss and its accommodations. They were pleased to note that the number of troops that could be Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 3 accommodated with complete shelter, mess and sanitary fa cilities and hospitalisation, was 28,294. This would certainly Insure SI Paso’s safety* However, there was a great satisfaction in knowing that at that particular date some 22,000 troops were actually stationed there.3 3I1 Paso Herald-Post. December 6, 1941, p. 12:2. December 7, 1941 Then came December 7, 1941, and the flash around the World that Japanese planes had spread death and de struction in Honolulu and pearl Harbor, our most strategic Navy Base in the Pacific. Treachery had been complete we felt. We had paid the price of peace in supplying the Japanese Nation with steel, scrap iron and other war ma terials, only to have such used against us. An editorial of that date in the Jft faso Igrajd- Post summed up the feelings of people all over the United States. It is as follows: The attack on Hawaii united America in a common horror, and in a common resolve— a Unity as grim and complete as if Japan had struck Individually at 130,000,000 Americans. We must fight with every thing we have. Victory must be complete. . . » America, salutes the Armed Forces who have never lost a warI4 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
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