Evening star., 1914-12-20


for sixty soldier cOnvaleSCentS.
Yale University has recently sent an am
bulance t. the German Red Cross, fine
sample of the universal spirit.
From Berlin the nurses for Austria were
ordered to Vienna and Budapest respect
lively, the former receiving Unit K, under
the direction of Dr. Cary A. Snoddy, and
the latter Unit E, with DR.. Charles E. Mac
Donald in charge. Nearly all the nurses at
Budapest came from Cleveland.
IN the arrival of the American contin-
~ gent at their stations in Austria, on
October Is, they found immediate need for
their services and supplies, particularly cot
ton. On account of an inadequate supply
of the latter, the doctors and nurses there
have been obliged to use tiny bags of threads
obtained by unravelling small squares of
cloth, cut from sheets and handkerchiefs.
The pieces of thread are sewed into bags of
gauze, sterilized, and used in place of cotton
in dressing wounds.
Americans who want to do something for
humanity ought to send cotton to Vienna.
Boxes of any size may be obtained at the
nearest drugstore, securely wrapped, and
sent by parcel post to the "Red Cross, Wen
na,' marked "Hafte fir die Ver7vnnieten"
Cotton for the wounded).
If any feel surprise that it has not been
possible for the Red Cross Society to attend
to needs of this sort, it should be remem-
bered that the greatest demands ever known
are now being made upon it. To put the
mercy ship" in commission, and organize,
transport, and distribute the nurses, sir
geeons, and supplies to their various points
of duty cost Sl93, ,043.S2, with an additional
$1,000 for the forwarding of further sup
plies purchased and donated for this work.
No fancy salaries are paid, $3.50 month
to the nurses, all of whom are qualified to
receive much more at home, Sl66 to the
surgeon assistants, and $3.50 to the eleven
surgeon directors.
MOT penny is wasted, and as all ac-
~ counts of the American Red Cross are
audited by the War Department at Wash
ington, under the strictest government su-
pervision, the public is assured of the wisest
kind of management of the dollars it con-
tributes for the work. Furthermore, Con
gress has passed laws laying down explicitly
the methods Of raising funds by the Red
Cross. Severe penalties are provided for
any individual or organization attempting
to collect cash on any other basis.
Only a short time ago the national socie-
tvs officials learned that impostors were at
work in New York. The LEGAL branch in
that city Immediately issued warning to
look out tor woman VINO went from door
to door of residences in the upper West Side
of the city, ostensibly collecting money for
the organization, and simultaneously Police
Commissioner Woods instructed the police
to arrest anyone caught soliciting in its
behalf The Red Cross never asks for
money at the hands of agents, using only the
advertising columns of newspapers, or ap-
peals in reading notices and on the platform
All donations are sent through the mails or
taken directly to the headquarters in Wash
ington or the branch offices.
1t transpired on another occasion at more
than one point in the United States that
committees had been formed to raise funds
for foreign Red Cross Societies without
authorization from our own society. Con-
sequently the latter was obliged to send out
a notice that this violated the provisions of
the federal statute prohibiting the use Of
the words ~Red Cross" or any combination
in which they appear, or even the sign of the
Red Cross, without proper authority.
Such law is obviously necessary, by
reason of the danger of irresponsible and
unauthorized persons soliciting funds in the
name of the organization, and as a pro-
lection to the contributing public. The
1anquaoe of the act positively prohibits the