The Creel Commission, also known as the Committee on Public Information, was established under President Woodrow Wilson as an independent agency by Executive order 2594, April 13, 1917. Consisted of George Creel (Chairman) and Secretaries of State (Robert Lansing), War (Lindley M. Garrison), and the Navy (Josephus Daniels) as ex officio members. Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the 28th President of the United States (1913–1921). ... Federal independent agencies were established through separate statutes passed by Congress. ... An executive order is an edict issued by a member of the executive branch of a government, usually the head of that branch. ... 13 April is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... George Creel George Creel (December 1, 1876-October 2, 1953) was an investigative journalist, a politician, and most famously the head of the United States Committee on Public Information, a propaganda organization created by President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. Creel began his career as a reporter for the... Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. ... To learn about Robert Lansing (the actor), go to Robert Lansing (actor). ... The Secretary of War was a member of the Presidents Cabinet, beginning with George Washingtons administration. ... Lindley Miller Garrison (1864-1932) was a New Jersey lawyer who served as Secretary of War under U.S. President Woodrow Wilson between 1913 and 1916. ... Flag of the United States Secretary of the Navy. ... Josephus Daniels Josephus Daniels (18 May 1862–15 January 1948) was an American politician and newspaper publisher from North Carolina, who served as Secretary of the Navy during World War I. A native of Washington, North Carolina, Daniels owned and managed several newspapers before purchasing the Raleigh News and Observer...

Its purpose was to influence American public opinion toward supporting U.S. intervention in World War I via a vigorous propaganda campaign. Among those who participated in it were Wilson adviser Walter Lippmann and Edward Bernays, the latter of whom had remarked that "the essence of democratic society" was the "engineering of consent", by which propaganda was the necessary method for democracies to promote and garner support for policy. Many have commented that the Commission laid the groundwork for the public relations (PR) industry.
World War I, also known as the First World War, and (before 1939) the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict lasting from August 1914 to the final Armistice (cessation of hostilities) on November 11, 1918. ... North Korean propaganda showing a soldier destroying the United States Capitol building. ... Cover of Time Magazine, March 30, 1930 Walter Lippmann (September 23, 1889 - December 14, 1974), was an influential United States writer, journalist, and political commentator. ... The front cover of Bernays 1928 book Propaganda Edward Bernays (November 22, 1891 - March 9, 1995) is regarded by many as the father of public relations, although some people believe that title properly belongs to some other early PR practitioner, such as Ivy Lee. ...

The CPI at first used material that was based on fact but censored to present an upbeat picture of the war. Very quickly, however, the CPI began churning out raw propaganda picturing Germans as evil monsters. Hollywood movie makers joined in on the propaganda by making movies such as The Claws of the Hun, The Prussian Cur, and The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin. These titles illustrated the message the CPI tried to convey. CPI pamphlets were created and warned citizens to be on the lookout for German spies. Dozens of "patriotic organizations," with names like the American Protective League and the American Defense Society], sprang up. These groups spied, tapped telephones, and opened mail in an effort to ferret out "spies and traitors." The targets of these groups was anyone who called for peace, questioned the Allies' progress, or criticized the government's policies. They were particularly hard on German Americans, many of whom lost their jobs, and were publicly humiliated by being forced to kiss the American flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, or buy war bonds. ... Spy and secret agent redirect here; for alternate use, see Spy (disambiguation) and Secret agent (disambiguation). ... The American Protective League was a World War I-era private organization that worked in conjunction with the Bureau of Investigation to propagandize a pro-war message and to harass and intimidate anti-war citizens and organizations. ... Started in the August of 1915 by Clarence Smedley Thomas, Cushing Stetson, and John F. Hubbard. ... When spelt with a capital A, Allies usually denotes the countries supporting the Triple Entente who fought together against the Central Powers in World War I and against the Axis Powers in World War II. For more information, see the related articles: Allies of World War I and Allies of... German-Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry. ... Flag ratio: 7:12; nicknames: Stars and Stripes, Old Glory The flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars... Dorothea Lange photograph of Japanese-American students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise or oath of allegiance to the United States, and to its national flag. ... Categories: Stub ...

Committee work was curtailed after July 1, 1918. Domestic activities stopped after the Armistice was signed on November 11, 1918. Foreign operations ended June 30, 1919. The Committee was abolished by executive order 3154 on August 21, 1919. July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

External link

• Records of the Committee on Public Information