The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-04
RED CROSS STARTS NOVEL STAMP PLAN Funds Used to Build Tubercu-
 IoSis Hospitals SELL THEM FOR CHRISTMAS Plan By Which Thousands of Dollars Have Been Raised In Denmark Will Be Tried In America
 This Year.
SELL THEM FOR CHRISTMAS


 This Year.
 Washington, November 3-(Speeial)- sued a Christmas stamp, with the Kings head and the word "Jul' the same as our "Yule," on it. It was not good for postage, only as 'sticker'' for Christ mas letters, postcards and packages. The proceeds from it were to go toward build ing a tuberculosis hospital for little chill dren. Ii succeeded beyond all expecta- tion, 100000 being sold at an oere, or F cent apiece Denmark has continued it since to maintain tuberculosis work, and the sale ill the native land of Hans Chris tian Anderson has doubled each year.
 Why Red Cross Issued Stamp.
 America needs such stamp, but her pcstoffice officials cannot issue or handle it under the present postal laws; and a special act of Congress would be neces- sary. Jacob Reis himself a Dane, wrote an eloquent article published in the Out look of July 6, 1907, urging government action in the matter, but there were too many difficulties in the way. It seemed hopeless to try, but at this junction the Red Cross, which exists for just such emergencies took it up
 The Red Cross is a great national or ganization, with branches in each state, formed to act in times of crisis and to render aid in war, pestilence and famine. Tuberculosis, the great white plague, is the most terrible pestilence in the known world, claiming one death out of every seven. The Red Cross has taken up tu- beroulosis work. therefore, as part of it's peace activity" The present time is one of crisis in the war against con- sumption. Each state needs education for the work The Red Cross, therefore, with the approval of the postal authori- ties, took up the Christmas stamp last Christmas and tried it in one state
 Where Christmas Stamp Started.
 This was the little state of Delaware very small, very conservative, not given to enthusiasms, and having only a few shacks in a woodland meadow near Will mington as a tuberculosis hospital The state as whole was ignorant and unin- terested on the subject, yet the stamp, printed and put on the market only IS days before Christmas, amazed every one by its sensational record. Fifty thousand had been printed to sell at 1 cent apiece. They went in week, and then the stamp got into Philadelphia, where the Penn sylvania Red Cross welcomed 1t and backed it, and the North American gave 1t splendid aid. The Delaware schools sold it, the women's clubs in Delaware took it up, the newspapers gave columns to it. the department stores, banks, drug stores and hotels sold it. It was sold in the corridors of the Wilmington federal building, by permission from the govern ment, though not the postoffice itself The presses in the last few days before Christ mas ran night and day to supply the de- mand. People used the stamps on pack ages and letters. and business firms on their correspondence. Nearly 400000 were sold, and nearly 5000 cleared from this small unobtrusive penny stamp.
 What Stamp Did for Delaware. With this money the Delaware Red Cross first brought an educational anti tuberculosis exhibit to Delaware, which was visited by 20,OO0 people in 10 days The clubs, granges, city boards, teach- CTS, clergymen, labor unions, state of ficials, were all specially invited on spe- cial days, and the whole state was walked up. A nurse was sent to the santarium and a free dispensary supplied with milk and eggs, drugs and a visiting nurse for 1 the consumptive poor, and this has gone | on all year. One thousand dollars has l been set aside as d nucleus toward build- ing hospital Delaware is now decid- 1 edly interested in tuberculosis work, and 1 all this was done in IS days by penny stamp
 The Plan for 1908.
 The American National Red Cross this i year has decided to issue the Christmas l stamp in every state A beautiful stamp l has been especially designed by Howard 1 Pyle, the famous artist. It bears a wreath ! of holly and Merry Christmas and l Happy New Year" It will be on sale at I the Red Cross headquarters in each state, 1 and it probably can also be obtained from local dealers in almost every town after November l, 1908. It will be sold in sheets, l like an ordinary stamp, and also in sl. | books, g for 10 cents, "A for D cents, 4S l for 50 cents, like the government stamps. | The Christmas stamp is not good for | postage. It will not carry any kind of mail, but any kind of mail will carry it. l Each one who uses this holiday stamp will help to stamp out the white plague" | It has been printed this time by the million to supply the demand, so any l quantity can be ordered, but cash must be sent with each order, this rule having been followed last year with success. Mo- body makes any profit on the Christmas l stamp, but 1t was found last Christmas l that every one was glad to help it along on these terms. For an order of one stamp or a thousand the price is the same, except in the little books, which add the cost of the binding, just as the | government does. The proceeds in each | state go toward tuberculosis work in that l state.
 | During the run of the stamp last year, l Jacob Refs wrote a congratulatory letter 1 the Delaware Red Cross, and Governor | Stuart of Pennsylvania Secretary Root aud Secretary Taft all telegraphed their 1 approval and good wishes. This year the stamp goes forward to a wider use l fitness. Its value will be twofold. It educates and arouses. It gives each one a chance to contribute, if only penny,