Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-10-10
RED CROSS LIES
BEING RUN Down
Serious Consequences viii Re.
suit to Any Offender
Against Law.

Against Law.
Stories that Red Cross supplies are
being misappropriated have been in
circulation, and are having the full at
tention OF the officers of the Kandi-
yohi County Chapter. Every such re-
port will be run down and investi.
gated.
AS such reports tend to seriously
hamper the work and public support
Of this most necessary part of the war
service, anyone thoughtlessly giving
circulation to rumors is guilty of
very unpatriotic act. Every case of
misuse of Red Cross supplies would
mean vigorous prosecution Of the Of
fender. Anyone knowing of any such
case should make complaint to the
authorities.
The following is from letter re-
ceived by the officers of the KandiyOhi
County Chapter of the Red Cross, and
should leave no one in doubt as to
the attitude of the Red Cross on this
matter:
Sept. %, 1917.
A LIE NAILED.
The most complete publicity is de-
sired for the following telegram just
received from Washington:
Washington, D. c., Sept. %, 1917.
Northern Division,
Mr. A. R. Rogers, Division Mgr
Minneapolis, MINI.
CT md ctri0 nj
culated to the effect that sweaters,
the Red Cross are being sold either
to the public in shops or direct to the
! soldiers. 1t is very important that
each chapter denying this as vigor-
! ously as you know how. No articles
whatever, either knitted or otherwise,
made by Red Cross workers and turn
ed into any Red Cross chapter, branch
house, are sold either to the soldiers
or in shops. If any willful case of this
sort should come to the attention of
Headquarters the charter of the Red
Cross chapter or subsidiary sanction.
ing it would be Immediately withdrawn
with full publicity. Should it trans.
above character occurred wherein al
individual sold articles. after their
having been turned In to the Red
violation Of the fundamental law OF
the Red Cross and we would take Wig
orous steps to prosecute the offender
It is also true that persons, other than
those who acquired the right prior tt
nineteen hundred and five, using the
name or emblem of the Red Cross t.
assist in the sale of merchandise ars
violating the provisions of the FEEDER
al Criminal Law and the offender
should be reported to the United
States District Attorney for prosecu
tion. There is no way to prevent peo
pie from making the same type of ar
ticle as are produced by Red Cros.
workers and selling them for thei
own advantage, thus subjecting tn,
=. Red Cross to unjust criticism. Shoult
they use the name or emblem of tn,
Red Cross in connection with sucl
sales, however, they will be vigorous
i, ly prosecuted
H. D. Gibson, Gen. Mgr.
: Every variant of this story whic]
> reaches this Office is being investiga,
. ed. In no case have we as yet foun,
any truth in the stories. Full public
8 ity will be given should it be foun
e that the law has been violated.
8 The statute prohibits the makin
l. or use of any articles having on the1
t the emblem of the American Re
d Cross. The emblem must not be CON
e mercialized, and local chapters are d
rected to stop, by proper legal step:
any activity that tends to do so.
Experience has shown that in man
4 cases the misuse of the emblem of til
l Red Cross is due to ignorance. and u
ually in such cases the practice is di
continued when attention is called I
the statute. In some instances, hoy
ever, there is disposition on the pal
OF the user to gain time by discussio,
The best way is to bring the matte
to the attention Of the United State
district attorney. If he wishes any i
structions the Attorney General of tt
H United States will advise him.
The law makes the misuse of tt
name or emblem Of the American Re
Cross a misdemeanor and provides
penalty of fine of not more than $5l
and Imprisonment up to one year.
4 Regarding the policy to be followt
with reference to profit-sharing "ben
fits" attention is directed to the Il
lowing general rules issued by Natio
al Headquarters:
First-No offers should be accept,
contemplating a division of profits .
tween the promoters and the R,
Cross. This rule applies to the man
facture and sale of merchandise
articles of any kind as well as to {
tertainments.
Second-No one should be perm
~ ted to promote or advertise an ent,
. tainment or like function as a R
"a Cross entertainment or benefit unle
it is certain that the management
I control is entirely in the hands of t
/ Red Cross chapter.
I Third-1f, after due investigate
7 those offering to conduct enterta
] ments for the benefit of the Red Crt
] are found to be entirely reliable a
] acting in good faith, they may be p
mitted to make announcement in I
I press or otherwise of their i1tentj
] to donate the proceeds of the ent
I tainment to the Red Cross, but the
! tertainment should not be advertts
) as Red Cross benefit or Red Cr,
I entertainment, nor should any wo