The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-10
Mrs. R1pers Carter, Chairman OF the Red Cross
Seals Christmas Sales, Has a Word to Say
BY DOLLY DALRYmpLE

Again II is woman who is responsible
for one of the greatest philanthropic
MOVEMENTS that the world has ever known
for it was none other than a woman
who started the Red Cross seals Christi
mas sales-a custom that has become now
almost universal at the joyous yuletide,
and one which is responded to by every
nationality and creed-irrespective of loca-
ton. birth or affilation.
The CHEEKY message of these Christmas
seals has gone out ON holiday letters and
packages for six years and each penny
spent added to the great crusade.
But what can anyone say of the start of
this great movement? If you were to ask
10 people where and how the Red Cross
Christmas seals originated, nine would tell
you that they did not know The reason
for this lack of knowledge is that a
woman is anxious to escape notoriety-be-
cause she has put her whole heart in her
work and wishes nothing to detract at
tention from the great good.
Some seven or eight years ago the late
Jacob Riis, author and philanthropist re-
cefved letter from friend in Denmark
On the envelope was a curious stamp, and
in answering his letter, Mr.. Ris asked
about the history of it. 1t was plainly not
a postage stamp and Mr.. Ris doubted If
1t were government tax. The story of
that stamp was published. The Nor
wegian Anti-Tuberculosis society had had
these stamps printed, and sold them at
what is the equivalent of one cent in our
money. Mr.. Riis wrote the history of the
stamp and its work in fighting tubercu-
1osis This article was the direct cause
of the birth of the Red Cross Christmas
seals in this country,
Mr.. Riis' story was read by thousands
of people, yet it remained for a ar-seeing
and energetic young lady who was the
secretary of the Delaware branch of the
Red Cross society to see that the idea of
the story could be applied to our coun-l
try, and do a great work.
Miss Emily Bissell asked permission Of
the Red Cross society and they told her
that she might experiment with the
Christmas seals in Delaware. The famous
artist, Howard Pyle was interested in
the idea, and was persuaded to make the
design for the first stamp. 1t was a
question among all the enthusiastic work.
ers as to whether these stamps could be
made to have a popular appeal, and 1t
was with anxious hearts that they
watched their sale.
The result of the idea that this young
woman of Delaware had put into effect
is now history. During that first sea-
sons campaign the sale of the stamps
was limited to the states of Delaware
and Pennsylvania
The next thing that Miss Bissell did
was to attempt to persuade the officials
at Washington, where the Red Cross So
ciety has its headquarters, that her plan
could be effectively worked out if it were
made into nationwide crusade. The
logic of Miss Bissells argument was good,
and this with the $500 that the stamps
had earned for the Delaware branch, con-
WINGED them that the idea was worth try
ing.
At the end of the first holiday season
that these stamps were offered to the
general public, the sales amounted to
$135, 900, and of this 80 per cent was clear
profit. Whatever doubts that the Of
ficals had had were completely swept
away. Miss Bissell had changed the whole
problem of the tuberculosis crusade of the
Red Cross society, and had given them the
means of charging the great work of the
prevention of the great white plague-tu-
berculosis.
If ever a woman has been a true mother
to the world Miss Bissell has. Mother
like, she prefers to sit back and let all
of the glory go to the thing that she has
given birth to-willing to take no reward
for what she has done, anxious to conceal
herself from the eyes of the public, salts
fled and happy in the fact that she has
been a help to humanity.
Added to Miss Bissell's activities and