After War was declared by honorary Rotarian Woodrow Wilson on April 6^th 1917, the Chicago #1 Club immediately set up a War Services Committee. Initially, the chairman was no less than past president of the International Association Allan D. Albert. Other members of that committee included Paul Harris and Chesley Perry – himself a war veteran from the Spanish-American war. Some Club members volunteered to fight while others put their talents into administration in Washington or joined the Illinois Reserve.

 

The first tangible effort of Chicago was to establish the “U.S Boys Working Reserve” to cope with food shortages. This idea led by Howard H Gross allowed the youngsters to do something positive for their nation by working the land. Gross took only a day to persuade the Chicago Board of Education while at the same time raised over $2,000 from sympathetic Rotarians.

 

Another Chicago Rotarian, A M Briggs helped set up the American Protective League in order to combat German propagandists and agents. Rotary’s Board of Directors welcomed this proposal and after approval Briggs left for the capitol. President Wilson listened to Briggs plan and said: “Thank you for coming. Please do all you can to expedite this. I deeply appreciate the interest shown by your Rotary Club.

 

Secretly, Ches Perry spread the word to other Rotary Clubs in the large cities and soon over 200 similar organisations were founded. The aim of the AML, Perry outlined at its first meeting: “The people at large are being misled and endangered, all of it a part of a diabolical plan. We must organize a counterattack to expose and stop these practices wherever possible.”

 

Rotary One also contributed many millions of dollars towards Liberty Bonds and openly helped the US Marines recruitment drive by providing typewriters and stenographers for their offices.

 

At the end of hostilities, Rotary One held a Victory Ball but complacency didn’t set in. Soldiers homecomings and demobilization needed help as well as Victory parades.