Brice Disque

General Brice Pursell Disque (1879–1960) was a U.S. Army officer and businessperson. He is notable for having been in charge of the Spruce Production Division of the Bureau of Aircraft Production.

Disque resigned from the Army to become the warden of the Michigan State Prison in 1917. This position did not last long, as World War I soon began. Disque resigned from the warden position to return to the Army.

Disque was placed in charge of the Spruce Production Division of the Bureau of Aircraft Production, and was the president of the United States Spruce Production Corporation from 1917–1919. 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 a 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 (LLLL) 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. [ [http://depts.washington.edu/labhist/strike/canterbury.shtml Seattle General Strike: International Union of Timberworkers ] ] For his service with the Spruce Production Division, Disque was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. [ [http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv69776 Guide to the Brice P. Disque Papers 1899-1957 ] ]

Despite problems that arose within the LLLL and accusations against Disque, Congress still approved his promotion to Brigadier General. Disque drifted in and out of active duty in the 1920s and 1930s, alternating between performing training missions for the Army and serving on the board of trustees of various private firms. [ [http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcoll/findaids/docs/papersrecords/DisqueBriceP0316.xml Brice P. Disque papers - Special Collections, UW Libraries ] ]

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 in 1960.

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