Description
The Council of National Defense was established by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 to coordinate resources and industry in
support of the war effort during World War I. In 1917 the Council asked individual states to create their own Councils of
Defense to assist in carrying out its work. At the same time, a women’s committee was organized at the request of the Women’s
Committee of the National Council of Defense and made part of the State Council of Defense of California. This collection
consists of material involving the San Diego Division of the Women’s Committee of the State Council of Defense of California,
which was organized with 19 town and 6 district units. This committee conducted work on such aspects of the war effort at
home as Americanization, child welfare, food administration, education, health and recreation, women in industry, and Liberty
Loans.