Presented by President John S. McCook, 1943.
The second year of World War II has seen approximately 250 members of the Young Republican Club on active duty with our armed forces, while 50 members are serving on the home front in various government positions directly connected with the war effort.
Despite the inroads that the war has thus made upon the active membership of the Club, we have held our position as an aggressive force for good government in the community. More than 50 new members have been added, and a full program has been maintained. Regular club meetings have been held, addressed by prominent speakers; the City, State, and National Affairs Committees have reported at intervals on important legislation and other matters, and club members took a leading part in the recent election, for which six members of the Club campaigned on the local and State tickets.
Our chief interest this year has been to keep in touch with our members in the armed forces. Several communications have been sent to them, including an eight-page issue of the “Young Republican,” which was revived this summer. War ballots were mailed to them upon the Club’s application, and we are already at work laying the foundation necessary to ensure a full-service vote in the 1944 presidential election. The response from our absent members to these efforts has been gratifying and has served to spur us on in our determination to keep alive during the critical war period the liberal and progressive ideals for which the Club has stood for over thirty years.
Not the least of our assets this year has been the splendid support we have received from some of our older members, who have realized the Club must keep strong in these times. With their continued help, we will maintain our traditions and ideals and will emerge intact from the war period.