The newest weapon of war, the knitting needle

    October of 1917 saw many Wilmington boys away from home. Some were in training camps, some were on ships and some were already “over there.”
    Many of them lacked some of the basic necessities for the upcoming winter - warm sweaters and socks. There could be no controversy in that.
    But the human race can find controversy in the strangest of places. Grab your knitting needles and come with me to the great sweater controversy of 1917.
    On Oct. 5, 1917 young Robert Jardine wrote home to his mother, “May I ask you to send me some things? Many of the fellows have been getting sleeveless sweater jackets, khaki colored, to wear under the coat and over the shirt. They certainly are fine and I'd like to have one. I could wear it where I can't my blue one. It is envied by many of the boys.”
    “I have a couple of suits of pajamas and bed socks, and a cap comforter. You might send about six pair of heavy woolen socks too. I have seen nothing like that around here. It is beginning to get cold around here, and we all dread the winter.”
    The type of garment requested by Robert was readily available back home. We read, “Send your soldier friends a KHAKI KNIT UNDERVEST, we have them at $3 and $3.50. We pay the postage. Motta's Cash Store.”
    This doesn't seem like much, but in today's money it converts to $57 and $67 respectively. Many just couldn't afford this. The alternative was to buy khaki wool and knit it yourself. Of course, all this knitting would take a long time, so many tried to squeeze it in whenever they could.
    We read, “Peoria women are not to take their knitting to church with them, as is being done in other cities. Pastors of the churches refused to listen to the suggestion.”
    There were many who did have the time. Case in point, “Here is a record hard to beat. Miss Anna Wilson, an inmate of the Soldiers' Widows' Home in this city, who is now in her 80th year, has knitted 36 pairs of socks, 45 sanitary sponges, two sweaters and two scarfs for the Red Cross. Miss Wilson most certainly is no slacker. She also is doing sewing for the inmates of the Home and the money she derives from the work she is investing in a $50 Liberty Loan Bond.”
    Many followed Miss Wilson's lead with the following result: “The Red Cross, Wilmington Branch, Thursday last sent out its fourth box. It contained 600 9 x 9 compressors, 65 pair of socks, 23 mufflers, two pair of wristlets, six suits of pajamas, 3 1/2 dozen bed shirts and 43 sweaters. In addition to the above there has been 23 sweaters sent direct to Wilmington soldier boys, and preparations are being made to supply all the boys from here with sweaters.”
    But then the rumors started to fly. We read this; “For about three months charges have been whispered about that the Red Cross was selling the sweaters and socks and other garments knitted by the devoted women of the country for their sons in the army and navy. So far it has been impossible to find a single one of the persons whose sweater or other garment has been so misused.”
    “The Red Cross will be obliged if anyone having even what sounds like definite information as to sweaters or other garments being sold or otherwise improperly disposed of will report it to the secretary of the local organization.”
    “Meanwhile the duty of every patriotic citizen is clear. If one hears one of these stories repeated he should ask proof of the statement made, or at least the author of them. If he or she fails to do so and goes on to give the almost certain lie further circulation he or she is guilty of something which closely approaches treason.”
    And this is not the only time treason and knitting were linked. We read, “Just now there is a drive on to secure sweaters for our boys in camp, and for those going off to France. The Red Cross is calling for a million helmets and sweaters, and thousands of devoted women are working overtime trying to fill this great demand.”
    “Wool is expensive, some of our women are going without the things they want, yes need, in order that they may buy it. Some of our women would gladly knit if they could buy the necessary wool but they have not the money. And in the meantime, there are thousands of women able-bodied, and well-to-do, knitting pro-German sweaters for themselves. Knitting for Germany!”
    The writer goes on to say that she went to a yarn counter to buy some khaki colored wool and found women lined up to buy blue, pink, red and every other color except patriotic khaki.
    She went on to say, “Suddenly, all in an instant, the answer was flashed upon me. They are knitting for Germany! They're making sweaters for the Kaiser! I'm glad none of my friends are doing it! If you know anyone who is, just tell her that Major Murphy, Red Cross Commissioner in Paris has cabled: “We need at once 1,500,000 sweaters, 1,500,00 mufflers, 1,500,000 pairs of socks, 1,500,000 wristlets.”
    Knitters had come to the forefront. A joint declaration was issued, “To the women of Illinois comes officially from both the War and Navy departments the direction: Keep on knitting! A knitted sweater is a garment of great service and is a welcome addition to a soldier's equipment says Secretary of War Baker.”
    And so, the lowly knitting needle rose to prominence as a weapon of war.