The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-29

troops in France to the
limit Of its power.
mo need of our army which we
can possibly foresee will be LETT IN
covered" cables Major Grayson M
P. Murphy, head of the Red cross
commission in France. In order 10
facilitate his work, Major Murphy
a West Point graduate, who saw
service in the Spanish-American war
has been appointed to General Persh-
ing's staff, and the whole Red cross
campaign is being conducted with a
view to the fullest cooperation VITA
the wishes and policy OF the Amerl-
can commander.
The Red Cross has perfected plans
to care for each contingent of troops
as they land On the route from the
reception camp to the training
camps, a journey which sometimes
takes seventy-two hours, owing TO
the congestion of the French rall-
roads, there have been establlsneu
six infirmaries and registrations, eacn
in charge of a trained nurse and an
assistant, to care for soldiers VINO
are i'll on the way.
When the men reach camp, the
Red Cross will continue to act as
friendly agency to supplement what
the army itself does to make the
men comfortable and to preserve
their morale. Cigarettes to the num-
Der of a million and half, 10000
packages of smoking tobacco and
10000 cuts of chewing tobacco nave
already been sent to lscence for their
use. Red Cross chapters are now
working u2 million pounds OF knit
ting wool into garm ents for the use
of both soldiers and sailors this win
ter, and will keep the men supplied.
At the railroad stations where SOL
diers will be waiting for train con
nections, as soon as the routine OF al.
ternate trench duty, reserve duty and
leave begins, the Red Cross has ar,
ranged to provide canteens where
they can rid themselves Of the filth
Of the trenches and eat, sleep or
amuse themselves in comfort.
Before the first contingent sailed
the men were given comfort kits,
each containing heavy socks, hand
kerchiefs, wash cloth and soap, pen
Gil and writing paper, pipe and the
makings, playing cards, mouth
organ or game, buttons, pins and 9th
er small articles. Further gifts will
UP sent ONCt III III viz >A'A AS'i-N>s'
celebration at the front. ...
Fully organized base hospitals,
prepared for any emergency that the
expeditionary force may meet, are
now in France These units were
recruited by the Red Cross. The
surgeons were drawn from the cream
of the medical profession in the Unit
ed States; the nurses were specially
selected for their fitness for this
duty from those who had been en-
rolled, in accordance with rigid re-
uuirements, by the Red Cross. Thir-
teen thousand thoroughly capable
trained nurses are now enlisted for
such service as may become neces-
sary.
Hospital supplies, drugs and in
struments have been sent to France,
and additional consignments will be
shipped as they are called for by
Major Murphy. Some of them will
be made in France at workshops
which the Red Cross will maintain.
Through the Red Cross chapters and
the surgical dressings committee, now
affiliated with the Red Cross, hospital
garments and dressings are being
made continually in this country and
will be forwarded to France as
needed.
Or. Edward T.. Devine, director Of
the New York school of philanthropy,
has Just sailed for France to study
methods of restoring to self support
and usefulness men who have been
crippled or blinded A Red Cross
institute, for which jeremiah Mil
bank of New York has given $4,000,
will be established in New York In
accordance with the results of his
Investigations.
If Americans are captured, there is
a Red Cross bureau already organ
lied at Berne which will maintain
communication between prisoners in
Germany and their homes in the
United States, and will forward the
supplies and feodstuffs which the
men in the German prison camps
will need