Brice Disque
Encyclopedia
General Brice Pursell Disque (July 19, 1879–February 29, 1960) was a U.S. Army officer and businessman. He is best remember for having headed the Spruce Production Division
during World War I
, for conceiving the idea of sending military troops to work in the logging industry to spur wartime wood production, and as the creator of a government-sponsored union, the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
.
in 1899 to serve in the Philippine-American War
, rising in rank from private to first sergeant to second lieutenant in Company E, 47th Infantry, United States Volunteers, between September and November 1899. In January 1900 his company landed at Sorsogon
in the Bicol Region
of Luzon
in the Philippines, where it did garrison duty, advanced north against the Filipino Army, and engaged in operations against Filipino guerrillas. In February 1901 he mustered out of the volunteers to accept a regular's commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the 5th Cavalry, with temporary duty at Fort Thomas
, Kentucky
.
In September 1903 he accepted a transfer to the 3rd Cavalry, where a 1st lieutenant's billet was available. Disque was a Distinguished Graduate of the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth
in 1904-1905, then completed the Staff Course in 1905-1906, where his thesis was in law: The Suspension of the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States. Disque served as a first lieutenant until 1916, when he was promoted to captain under the 14-years-in-grade rule.
In 1917, he resigned to become the warden of the Michigan State Prison
. When war was declared, he volunteered to return to the Army, hoping for a battlefield command. On May 7, 1917, he was called to Washington to meet with Gen. John J. Pershing
and Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord. They convinced him to remain a civilian and investigate the lumber shortage, caused by a combination of labor union strikes and mill owner profiteering, which was hindering airplane production. Disque decided to bring in military crews to replace lumberjacks who had joined the military forestry divisions, as well as striking workers, who had shut down most timber operations in Washington, and the subsequent on-the-job "slow-down" actions.
, headquartered in Portland, Oregon
. When Congress approved the formation of corporations by the United States government as war instrumentalities
in the summer of 1918, the United States Spruce Production Corporation was incorporated in September 1918 to control logging production and the building of railroads to move the lumber. Brice also became its president from 1918–1919. He was sent to Seattle, Washington
in October 1917 to deal with the alarming lack of production of woods vital to the war effort, especially the spruce
necessary for airplane production. Brice worked with local lumber barons to establish another union for the lumbermen, in an effort to get them to work eight-hour days. The first local of the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
(Four L) was organized in Wheeler, Oregon
on October 30, 1917. Several more locals were established in short order: by January 1, the Legion had 10,000 members; by January 24, 35,000. For his service with the Spruce Production Division, Disque was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
.
The Four L was organized after opposition to the Spruce Production Division by the IWW's
Lumber Workers Industrial Union
, which had declared an industry-wide strike in the summer of 1917, latching onto the momentum of the many spontaneous strikes that were occurring. The goal of the Four L was to counter the IWW as the union of lumber workers by fostering a spirit of patriotism. The Four L required its members to sign a loyalty oath to the United States and no-strike agreements. The Four L was headed, at first, by army officers, and all 28,000 soldiers of the Spruce Production Division became members.
approved his promotion to Brigadier General
in September 1918. Disque continued service as a general in the Army's Organized Reserves
from 1922 to 1939, alternating between performing training missions for the Army and serving on the board of trustees of various private firms. From June 6, 1922 to April 14, 1937, he commanded the 151st Cavalry Brigade, headquartered in Rochester, New York
, and from April 15, 1937 to June 1939, the 152nd Cavalry Brigade, headquartered in New York City. Both were the major subordinate units of the 61st Cavalry Division
.
Disque served as president of several corporations such as the Anthracite Equipment Corporation, G. Amsinck and Co., and the Sulphide Ore Process Company. He also served on various private and public boards and commissions such as the Anthracite Institute and the Solid Fuels Administration for War.
Disque died February 29, 1960.
Spruce Production Division
The Spruce Production Division was a unit of the United States Army established in 1917 to supply the army with high quality spruce and other wood products needed for the production of aircraft for the United States war effort in World War I. The division was part of the Army Signal Corps's...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, for conceiving the idea of sending military troops to work in the logging industry to spur wartime wood production, and as the creator of a government-sponsored union, the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
The Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen , commonly known as the "Four L") was a patriotic company union founded in the United States during World War I in 1917 by the War Department as a counter to the Industrial Workers of the World....
.
Early career
Disque enlisted in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1899 to serve in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
, rising in rank from private to first sergeant to second lieutenant in Company E, 47th Infantry, United States Volunteers, between September and November 1899. In January 1900 his company landed at Sorsogon
Sorsogon
Sorsogon is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region; it is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities and one city. Its capital is Sorsogon City and borders the province of Albay to the north...
in the Bicol Region
Bicol Region
The Bicol Region or Bicolandia is one of the 17 regions of the Philippines. Its regional center is Legazpi City...
of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
in the Philippines, where it did garrison duty, advanced north against the Filipino Army, and engaged in operations against Filipino guerrillas. In February 1901 he mustered out of the volunteers to accept a regular's commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the 5th Cavalry, with temporary duty at Fort Thomas
Fort Thomas
Fort Thomas may refer to a place in the United States:* Fort Thomas, Arizona, an unincorporated community* Fort Thomas, Kentucky, a city...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
In September 1903 he accepted a transfer to the 3rd Cavalry, where a 1st lieutenant's billet was available. Disque was a Distinguished Graduate of the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
in 1904-1905, then completed the Staff Course in 1905-1906, where his thesis was in law: The Suspension of the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States. Disque served as a first lieutenant until 1916, when he was promoted to captain under the 14-years-in-grade rule.
In 1917, he resigned to become the warden of the Michigan State Prison
Michigan Department of Corrections
The Michigan Department of Corrections oversees prisons and other correctional facilities in the state of Michigan, USA. It has 34 prison facilities, and a Special Alternative Incarceration program, together composing approximately 44,000 prisoners. Another 72,000 probationers and parolees are...
. When war was declared, he volunteered to return to the Army, hoping for a battlefield command. On May 7, 1917, he was called to Washington to meet with Gen. John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
and Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord. They convinced him to remain a civilian and investigate the lumber shortage, caused by a combination of labor union strikes and mill owner profiteering, which was hindering airplane production. Disque decided to bring in military crews to replace lumberjacks who had joined the military forestry divisions, as well as striking workers, who had shut down most timber operations in Washington, and the subsequent on-the-job "slow-down" actions.
World War I
Disque was reinstated on September 29, 1917, as a lieutenant colonel, promoted to colonel on November 6, and placed in charge of the Spruce Production Division of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal CorpsAviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the military aviation service of the United States Army from 1914 to 1918, and a direct ancestor of the United States Air Force. It replaced and absorbed the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and was succeeded briefly by the Division of Military...
, headquartered in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. When Congress approved the formation of corporations by the United States government as war instrumentalities
Instrumentality
Instrumentality can refer to any of the following:* The quality or condition of being instrumental* The theory of Instrumentalism in the philosophy of science* The philosophical concept of Instrumental rationality...
in the summer of 1918, the United States Spruce Production Corporation was incorporated in September 1918 to control logging production and the building of railroads to move the lumber. Brice also became its president from 1918–1919. He was sent to Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in October 1917 to deal with the alarming lack of production of woods vital to the war effort, especially the spruce
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
necessary for airplane production. Brice worked with local lumber barons to establish another union for the lumbermen, in an effort to get them to work eight-hour days. The first local of the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
The Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen , commonly known as the "Four L") was a patriotic company union founded in the United States during World War I in 1917 by the War Department as a counter to the Industrial Workers of the World....
(Four L) was organized in Wheeler, Oregon
Wheeler, Oregon
Wheeler is a city in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The population was 391 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
on October 30, 1917. Several more locals were established in short order: by January 1, the Legion had 10,000 members; by January 24, 35,000. For his service with the Spruce Production Division, Disque was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
.
The Four L was organized after opposition to the Spruce Production Division by the IWW's
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
Lumber Workers Industrial Union
Lumber Workers Industrial Union
Between 1915 and 1917, the Agricultural Workers Organization of the Industrial Workers of the World organized hundreds of thousands of migratory farm workers throughout the midwest and western United States...
, which had declared an industry-wide strike in the summer of 1917, latching onto the momentum of the many spontaneous strikes that were occurring. The goal of the Four L was to counter the IWW as the union of lumber workers by fostering a spirit of patriotism. The Four L required its members to sign a loyalty oath to the United States and no-strike agreements. The Four L was headed, at first, by army officers, and all 28,000 soldiers of the Spruce Production Division became members.
Post-war career
Despite problems that arose within the Four L and accusations against Disque, CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
approved his promotion to Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in September 1918. Disque continued service as a general in the Army's Organized Reserves
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
from 1922 to 1939, alternating between performing training missions for the Army and serving on the board of trustees of various private firms. From June 6, 1922 to April 14, 1937, he commanded the 151st Cavalry Brigade, headquartered in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, and from April 15, 1937 to June 1939, the 152nd Cavalry Brigade, headquartered in New York City. Both were the major subordinate units of the 61st Cavalry Division
61st Cavalry Division (United States)
The Organized Reserve's 61st Cavalry Division was constituted 15 October 1921 from the perceived need for additional cavalry units after World War One. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation. The Division was officially disbanded on 30...
.
Disque served as president of several corporations such as the Anthracite Equipment Corporation, G. Amsinck and Co., and the Sulphide Ore Process Company. He also served on various private and public boards and commissions such as the Anthracite Institute and the Solid Fuels Administration for War.
Disque died February 29, 1960.
Distinguished Service Medal citation
Citation:The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Brice Pursell Disque, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, in connection with the organization and administration of the spruce production activities of the Bureau of Aircraft Production while serving as Officer in Charge of the Spruce Production Division and President of the United States Spruce Production Corporation.