The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-08-18
THE RED GROSS.

SuPplleS TO hll a steamer, to be sent
to the suffering as contribution from
Pennsylvania. This steamer will sail
about August IS, and will touch the
several ports nearest to the encamp-
ments in the Southern States, and
distribute supplies where needed.
Thence it will continue its voyage to
the camps in Cuba and Porto Rico.
So long as the Army and Navy of the
United States are IN need of supplies
of any kind, the Society will endeavor
to meet all demands. Thus far, in
this war, with the exception of the
assistance given to starving refugees
from Santiago by Miss Clara Barton,
the effort has been directed toward
the amelioration of the unsatisfactory
condition existing in the army.
In foreign lands the Red Cross So
ciety has been represented by Its
own agents and hospital ships, its
work has surely been creditable. In
our home camps supplies have been
distributed through the efficient sys-
TEN of the National Relief Association
as we'll as directly. These two organ
izations are in hearty sympathy and
intend to cooperate wherever this will
effect the best results.
That there is at present very urgent
need for more than we can send seems
to be undisputed. That this need, in
case peace were declared to-day,
would continue for months, and for
short time increase, is acknowledged
by the press and the government. AS
soon as this war, which has brought
suspense to SO many homes and un-
speakable sorrow to others is declar-
ed ended, and may that day be near
at hand, all the territory now in dis
pute must be garrisoned, each Cuban
and Porto Rican town must have its
regiment. The islands in the Pacific,
for months, will be occupied by SC, 1000
of our brave men. In all these
islands fever is epidemic, and beyond
any doubt, large numbers will be
stricken.
Does any one dispute the statement
that the ordinary army, commissary
and hospital do not afford adequate
comfort and attention to men, who
have offered themselves in their coun-
try's service, and who have left com
Portable homes and genial climates
for the discomfort, trials, temptations
and dangers of army life, and have
gone into the most depressing climate
imaginable !?
When the war is a memory, and
every calamity soon becomes thing
of the past, when the excitement of
war news and narrowing accounts of
suffering, no longer presented to us
by the daily press, fail to act as a
stimulus on the general public to offer
its contributions ofmoney and goods,
then will suffering continue and the
death lists swell
Momentous questions must be de-
termined in Cuba and elsewhere, and
until they are settled, onr armies must
be maintained there. 1t is too much
to ask citizens of this Commonwealth
to continue to double their contribu-
tlons so that the Societies engaged in
the work will be able to give the boys
for most of them are mere boys
those few comforts with which they
are continually surrounded at home.
The Society of the Red Cross ap-
peals to the beart of every sympathe-
tic man and woman in this state for
cooperation. The Society assures
you that each mite contributed actu-
ally does feed an army lad ravenously
hungry, who for months has lived on
coarse army fare or, does help to
supply changes of bed clothing and
those other things, so essential to Or
dinary comfort in hospitals. II letters
from the army are indicative of the
gratitude of the boys, on their return,
those who have co-operated in the
work will be thankful that they had an
opportunity to do so much for them,
Funds as well as the following arti-
cles are urgently needed:
Large and small contributions of
money.
Salt pork, corned beef In barrel,
Goldfish hard cured, mackeral in kits,
smoked beefand hams, bacon, canned
salmon, smoked sausages, Indian or
corn meal, flour, oatmeal, cracked
oats, wheat in any form, barley, can.
ned vegetables of all kinds, canned
fruit of all kinds, dried fruit, such as
apples, prunes, apricots, ETC., and
dried corn, barrels of onions, potatoes.
beans, rice, salt and ship biscuit, beef
extracts, bovinine, ETC., soups, matted
milk, condensed milk Eagle Brand,
or high grnde), evaporated cream,
wines, grape juice, lime juice, clam