Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-30

|
we cannot impugn any ones mo-
tives," Miss Boardinan said, but it
would seem that while there is such
a great national relief agency as the
Red Cross, already fully organized and
actively at work, that there should be
no necessity for organization of other
relief agencies.
The history and achievement of the
RED Cross Is known. Its competency
is known, and / am afraid that we
VIII have cause to regret it in our
work for the European war sufferers
If we do not rely exclusively on the
Red Cross
Tells About Christmas Ship.
G. A. Lyon of the editorial staff of
The Star spoke in response to re-
quest that The Stars Christmas ship
and the activities of it's organization
he described.
(, Mr.. Lyon said in part:
i The idea of sending u shipload of
lChristmas gifts to the war orphans of
Europe came early in the campaign to
James Kelley, editor and publisher of
that while the grown-ups of America
were showing their neutral: non-partisan
sympathy for the war-smitten people
the children OF this country should do
something for their little brothers and
SISTERS of Belgium and France, Germany
and England, Russia, Austria and Servia
for the boys and girls whose fathers
and brothers are falling in the ranks.
for news from the distant war front, or
were perhaps fleeing from their she'll
shattered homes. Mr. Kelley thought
that the children of America needed to
do this for their own sakes as we'll as
for the sake of the war orphans, and he
Wisely concluded that there could be
no stronger appeal to the child than in
terms of Christmas. And so he asked
To 81 I,a;v
toys and Of their pennies that there
might be some Christmas gladness in
the war lands to relieve the awful
gloom.
ITO promote this plan and to make
the result truly national, Mr.. Kelley
invited the cooperation of the leading
newspapers of the country, covering
the territory from coast to coast, and
during these past weeks no less than
eighty papers have been daily calling
ffor Christmas ship donations, with the
result that when the collier Jason, so
generously assigned by the United
rand. through the kindly interest of
Secretary Daniels. sails from New York
November 10 she will be filed from
stem to stern with packing cases con-
tanning not only toys for the young
|sters, but clothing for both the chill
ldren and their mothers.
/ Grown-Ups Are Awakened.
And day by day We could see the
idea of the Christmas ship take a
stronger hold upon the public magma
ton. For some weeks it may have
seemed to anguish, but We had faith,
for we knew that such appeals take
time to reach their marks. Then
!, the children began to show the pro-
ceeds of their little enterprises, their
miniature fairs and bazaars and enter
tainments and street parades. and this
| awakened the grown-ups to sense of
their responsibility. until about week
ago the results of which we had been
iconfident from the outset appeared
Groups of people caught the spirit and
organized their contributions to give
shoes and stockings and other articles
Of wear by the thousand. Just soon
as the word came definitely that the
Jason had been named as the Christ
mas ship the plan began to boom. and
since 1t was announced that she would
sail November 10 it has been almost
impossible to collect the goods and to
count the cash contributions.
II TT is hoped that by next Tuesday Y.
4 when the collection from Washington
will be prepared for shipment and the
lists will be closed. this fund will reach
l 1000. Every dollar of this money Will
be expended in the purchase of cloth
ing to be added to the Jason's cargo as
part of the gift of the people of Wash
ington. And the penny of the little
HeWSnoS " Ao came iiilo the oHiCe early
In the campaign and asked to be en-
rolled as a member of the Christmas
Ship Club was just as welcome as the
$25 of the citizen who the other day
was persuaded to do his own Christmas
ship buying and who braved the hos
iery department of one of our big
stores, and who, on announcing that he
wanted stockings for the war orphans
of Europe, saw. previously ennuied
young woman clerk transformed in
Stantly into live wire of helpful, dis
count-tendering interest"
/ Reception Precedes Luncheon.