Address by Col. E.L. Wilbur
Creator: Wilbur, Colonel E.L.
Date: February 8-11, 1942
Delivered at six regional meetings in Kansas (Dodge City, Salina, Chanute, Hays, Topeka, and Wichita) during the winter of 1942, Col. E.L. Wilbur's remarks strike at the heart of the effort on the home front during World War II. Explaining that the present crisis required more than a military solution, Wilbur extols the virtues and importance of civilian involvement in defense matters.

Anna M. Hogsett to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Hogsett, Anna
Date: October 22, 1942
This letter from Mrs. Anna Hogsett of Brownell, Kansas, to Governor Payne Ratner, details her efforts to help her son Luther who refused to join the U.S. military because he objected to war of any kind. In addition, Mrs. Hogsett's letter is important because it details the stance of many Jehovah's Witnesses toward armed conflict and violence.

Beulah Mongold to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Mongold, Beulah
Date: January 23, 1942
In this letter to Governor Payne Ratner, Beulah Mongold of Topeka, Kansas, proposes that all vacant lots in town be utilized as Victory Gardens because "every foot of ground should be at work." A complete transcription is available by clicking "Text Version" below.

Carl Fredin to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Fredin, Carl
Date: January 20, 1942
In this letter to Governor Ratner, Carl Fredin of Wadsworth, Kansas, offers his suggestions and ideas concerning the best way to go about creating Victory Gardens in Kansas. A complete transcription is available by clicking "Text Version" below.

Civilian protection organization for a municipality
Date: Unknown
This organization chart depicts the Kansas State Council of Defense structure. Listing the Civilian Protection Organization for a Municipality (Citizen's Defense Corps), the chart details how civilians were to respond in the event of an attack on the U.S.

Clark Eichelberger to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Eichelberger, Clark
Date: August 14, 2009
In this letter to Governor Ratner, Clark Eichelberger, on behalf of William Allen White, contends that Ratner must do everything in his power to garner support for sending U.S. destroyers to Great Britain.

Claud McCamment to D.J. Fair
Creator: McCamment, Claud R
Date: January 30, 1942
In this letter to D.J. Fair, Director of the Kansas State Highway Commission, Claud McCamment, a Safety Engineer for the State, reports the results of his survey of five Kansas cities in preparation for the Kansas Federal Defense clinics to be held in those cities.

Dean H. Umberger to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Umberger, Dean H.
Date: August 26, 1942
This letter to Governor Ratner from Dean H. Umberger of the Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in Manhattan, Kansas, details the progress of the Victory Garden Program. Victory Gardens were planted throughout the United States during World War II to help ease the burden on the public food supply in the U.S.

Edgar Nunally to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Nunally, Reverend Edgar
Date: May 21, 1940
This letter, from Methodist Reverend Edgar Nunally to Governor Payne Ratner, argues that the entire U.S. should "be thoroughly organized and prepared for the future contingencies brought on by the European war."

Ed Kaufman to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Kaufman, Edmund G. (Edmund George), 1891-
Date: June 25, 1940
In this letter to Governor Payne Ratner, Bethel College President Ed. G. Kaufman urges the governor to do all that he can to keep the U.S. out of the war in Europe.

E.H. Reed to the American Civil Liberties Union
Creator: Reed, E.H.
Date: June 1, 1942
Letter from E.H. Reed of Hutchinson, Kansas, to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in New York City. The letter is regarding the case of Frank U. Martin, who was arrested for violating the Selective Service Draft Act. Martin, a Jehovah's Witness minister, objected to military service and repeatedly protested the Selective Service's attempts to draft him into the U.S. military. Reed's letter details the difficulties conscientious objectors faced as they tried to remain true to their religious beliefs in an atmosphere that strongly encouraged participation in the war effort.

Governor Payne Harry Ratner
Date: Between 1929 and 1939
This portrait represents Payne Harry Ratner. Ratner was the first resident of Labette County to be elected as County Attorney, holding office from 1923 to 1927. After serving as County Attorney, he went on to serve in the Kansas State Senate from 1929 to 1939, and then later served two terms as Kansas Governor from 1939 to 1943. Notable programs during his administration was implementing a teachers' pension plan and a state employee merit system.

Governor Payne Ratner at the Marais des Cygnes Massacre site, Linn County, Kansas
Date: December 16, 1939
This photograph shows Governor Payne H. Ratner speaking at the Marais des Cynges Massacre site in Linn County, Kansas. The site commemorates the killing of 11 free-state men by Missouri border ruffians on May 19, 1858. In 1941, the Kansas Legislature took ownership of the site, and in 1963 the Kansas Historical Society took final control establishing a museum and maintaining the site and buildings as a State Historic Site.

Governor Payne Ratner to the governing bodies of the counties and cities of Kansas
Creator: Ratner, Payne Harry, 1896-1974
Date: January 31, 1942
In this letter to the Governing Bodies of the Counties and Cities of Kansas, Governor Payne Ratner explains that a number of regional meetings of the Kansas State Council of Defense will be held throughout the state in order to "instruct and prepare" officers and members of the local defense councils "for their duties and responsibilities in the defense programs." As with other states during World War II, the Civilian Defense councils in Kansas were designed to ready civilians and civilian agencies for the threat of attack on the U.S.

Governor Prentice Cooper to Governor Payne Ratner correspondence
Creator: Cooper, Prentice, 1895-1969
Date: June 30, 1942-August 08, 1942
Correspondence from Governor Prentice Cooper of Tennessee to Governor Payne Ratner of Kansas addressing the spread of Victory Gardens throughout the U.S. In the letter, Cooper, Chairman of the National Advisory Garden Committee informs Ratner of the progress of the campaign. Correspondence includes the "Report of the National Advisory Garden Committee," dated June 30, 1942.

Inaugural program for Governor Payne Ratner
Date: January 09, 1939
This is a souvenir inaugural program for Kansas Governor Payne Ratner. Governor Ratner, a Republican, served from 1939 to 1943.

Jay Hormel to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Hormel, Jay Catherwood, September 11, 1892-August 30, 1954
Date: September 27, 2009
In this letter to Governor Ratner from Jay C. Hormel of Hormel Foods, Hormel argues that the U.S. must prepare its economy to meet the potential demands of the war in Europe.

Kansas House of Representatives
Creator: Wichers Studio
Date: 1941
This is a photo of individual portraits of members of the Kansas House of Representatives, Governor Payne Ratner and Lt. Governor Carl E. Friend, Topeka, Kansas.

Kansas House of Representatives
Creator: Hodge
Date: 1939
This is a photo of individual portraits of the members of the Kansas House of Representatives, Governor Payne Ratner and Lt. Governor Carl E. Friend, Topeka, Kansas.

Kansas state highway system. Outline of Ratner-Wilbur civil defense trip
Date: 1942
This Kansas state highway map was used to plan the civil defense trip taken by Governor Payne Ratner and Col. E.L. Wilbur, Regional Liason Officer for the 7th Civilian Defense Region. During their trip, Ratner and Wilbur visited Topeka, Chanute, Wichita, Dodge City, Hays, and Salina.

Minutes of the meeting of State Executive Victory Garden Committee
Creator: Umberger, Dean H.
Date: March 06, 1942-March 26, 1942
This cover letter written by H. Umberger, Dean of the Division of Extension, Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science (K. S. C.), to Governor Payne Ratner is accompanied by the minutes of the March 6, 1942, meeting of the Kansas State Executive Victory Garden Committee, which was held in Topeka. The members of the committee were W. G. Amstein,J. S. Mohler, C. M. Miller, Georgiana Smurthwaite; Renna Hunter, and L. Longsdorf. J. C. Mohler was Secretary to the Kansas State Board of Agriculture and Hunter represented the State Civilian Council of Defense. The other committee members were employed by the Extention Division of K. S. C.

Osa Johnson and Payne Ratner
Date: November, 1942
An informal portrait of Kansas explorer and naturalist, Osa Johnson, shown wearing an orchid corsage, with Kansas governor Payne Ratner at a Kansas Society of New York dinner honoring public health pioneer, Dr. Samuel Crumbine. Also visible is a sign describing a public drinking cup from Sulphur Spring in Fort Riley, Kansas.

Payne Ratner, Kansas Governor
Date: Between January 09, 1939 and January 11, 1943
Portrait of Payne Ratner, 28th governor of Kansas, from Parsons, Kansas.

Payne Ratner, Kansas Governor
Date: Between January 09, 1939 and January 11, 1943
Photo of Governor Payne Ratner signing bill creating the Kansas Industrial Commission.

Ratner and Wilbur civilian defense tour of Kansas
Creator: Ratner, Payne Harry, 1896-1974
Date: 1942
This press release describes the efforts of Kansas Governor Payne Ratner and Colonel E. R. Wilbur to promote civil defense eduction in Kansas. Wilbur represented the Seventh Corps Area defense region including Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas.