Content note: Quotes wartime anti-German language, including "Hun", and period terms for racial and national groups. This object is shown as it was published. Why
The Bureau of Cartoons was officially established as a part of the Committee on Public Information on May 28, 1918, its purpose being to mobilize and direct the scattered cartoon power of the country for constructive war work. The principal activity of the bureau was the weekly publication of the Bulletin for Cartoonists. Every week the bureau obtained from all the chief departments of the Government the announcements which they particularly wanted to transmit to the public, wrote them up in the Bulletin and sent them out to over 750 cartoonists. As general suggestions and advance news "tips" were published rather than specific subjects for cartoons there was no danger of cartoonists losing their individuality or originality. Cartoonists all over the Nation followed out these suggestions. This made for timeliness and unity of cartoon power, which developed into a stimulating and actively constructive force for shaping, public opinion and winning the war.
Relations were established with 37 Government agencies, which regularly furnished material for transmission to the cartoonists.
The Bureau of Cartoons gave service in two ways :
1. By devoting issues of the Bulletin to giving special facts and sidelights on the various campaigns.
2. By obtaining from cartoonists original cartoons to be syndicated during the campaign.
Special numbers of the Bulletin have been published on the September Draft, Liberty Loan, Merchant Marine, United War Work Campaign, and the December Food Conservation Drive, etc. It has also secured cartoons for advance publicity for some of these drives.
When original cartoons were received unrequested they were turned over to the department interested. When asked for original cartoons by Government departments, the bureau transmitted the requests to a few of the many cartoonists who had volunteered to supply drawings. Cartoons were thus turned over to the Food Administration, the Fuel Administration, the Boys' Working Eeserve, the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense, the Reclamation Service of the Interior Department, the Emergency Fleet Corporation, the Young Men's Christian Association, the Red Cross, etc. In several cases the Bureau of Cartoons supplied rush orders for cartoons for special campaigns.
Mr. Alfred M. Saperston was the first manager of the bureau. After he enlisted in August in Marine Aviation, the work of the bureau was conducted by Miss Gretchen Leicht. Mr. George J. Hecht, who established the bureau, maintained an unofficial supervision throughout its period of existence.
Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information, George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information. A work of the United States government, printed by the Government Printing Office in 1920, so not protected by copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105) and in the public domain by age as well. The Library of Congress states that it is unaware of any copyright restrictions on the item. Provenance and rights.