The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-24
RED CROSS DRIVE.
Christmas Campaign for Ten Million
New Members Planned.

New Members Planned.
A nationwide Christmas member
ship drive has been planned by the
Red Cross War Council. The build
ing up of the Red Cross membership
60 $4,000. 600 i'm the United States is
the goal of the campaign. This means
the addition of approximately 10000
OtO names to the present muster roll.
The drive Is to start December 17th.
and continue to Christmas Eve.
General features of the membership
campaign were worked out and ap-
provcd' at a conference at the Nat
ional Headquarters OF the Red Cross
In Washington last week, In which
representatives of each of the Rel
Cross Divisions OF tho continental
United states participated.
a national Christmas membership
drive committee has been appointed
by the war council to have general
charge of planning and later con-
Quoting the whole campaign. Theo-
dorc n. Vail. President of the Amer.
lean Telesraph and Telephone Com
pany. has accepted the chairman
ship. and DIR. IT.. n. MacCracken.
president OF Vassar College. will be
executive secretary. other members
of the committee are:
His Eminence, James Cardinal
Gibbons; Bishop William Lawrence.
Boston; DIR. Henry van Dyke. former
Minister to the Netherlands. Prince
ton. y. j.; John w. Britton, San
Francisco; Benjamin Gratz. st. Louis;
y. Pan Johnson, Chicago: Hervcy
Iindley. Seattle: John Mitchell. New
York City.
"AIake it a Red Cross Christmas" is
to be the recruiting slogan. Every
one taking out membership in the
Red Cross during the drive period will
be known as a Christmas member"
The effort practically will be limited
TO securing annual members. paying
annual dues OF one dollar: or two dol
lars i'm the case OF subscribing or
magazine members.
During Red Cross week i'm June, the
s1OO,00O.0O0 mark set by the War
Council was oversubscribed and gave
assurance of a national interest in the
Red Cross work which should make
the Christmas membership drive fully
as successful.
Division Christmas membership
drive committees are to be selected by
the Division managers of the Red
Cross. these committees TO work under
the general direction of the national
committee. Each of the 5000 or so
Red Cross Chapters also will appoin.
committe to cooperate. under the
guidance of the respective Division
committees. The Division committee
--Htefs with communicate with the chair
mon of all. the Chapters not later
than November 18th to map out the
campaign on local lines.
Clergymen are TO be requested To
preach Red Cross Christmas sermons
on December 23rd. A plan is being
considered to have fifty thousand en-
rollment booths open all through the
campaign. TO be located at railroad
stations. public offices. banks, depart.
ment stores. theaters and the like. II
Is expected also that public utilities
companies and department stores, lr
sending out their bills on December
1st will insert slips 20 remind patrons
who do not belong 10 the Red Cross
that their membership is needed.
As this Is the country's first Christ
ipas In tho world war. IL is felt that
the people Will he thinking OF service
rather than festivities. and that minds
generally will be turned to the battle
heids OF Europe. and especially 10 our
own soldiers and sailors. 1t Is be-
beyed. therefore. that the country
VIII be In frame OF mind at Christ
mas time TO give expression TO all its
anxiety and hope. by showing and re-
newing evidences OF it's support Of the
He'd Cross.