The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-12-14


fighting line were not American boys, the
Red Cross would be bound to do all II could ior
them. But they own. We do not 1uliy
realize It yet but will later From every
city, every village. every farming community, from
almost every family in the whole land. one or more
boys will help fill the lines in France-and II ID
for them for your friends and mine for your rela-
tiyes and mine that the Red Cross is working
1t Is going to take men and women by the MIL
lion. working all their spare time and good deal
of time which they do not now think they can
spare. And 1t Is going to take hundreds OF mil
lions of doilars-a can spare and maybe all
have, whether not we think we can spare
it. Belgium Is crushed, Serbia Is obliterated Rou-
mania is little more than a memory, Russia Is irn-
potent, Italy is bearing a heavy cross. France Is
immortal in spirit but growing thin. There are
left chiefly the British lion and the American
eagle. and the Engsh-speaking boys who bear
them aloft. If they fail. civilization is dead
There Is no longer any question that civilization
is fighting for It's very life. Germany has set out
to force the whole world to live under the German
imperialistic plan. President Wilson. In his now
famous Buffalo speech, said:
1T is amazing to me that any group OF people
should suppose that any reforms planned In the In
terest Of the people live In the presence OF
Germany strong enough to undermine or over
throw them by intrigue Of force. Any man
who supposes that the free industry and enterprise
OF the world can continue II the Pan-German plan
Is achieved and German power fastened upon the
world. is fatuous the dreamers Of Russia"
There never has been any question that the
American soldier will fight to death, II need be.
when once he begins the job. 1t Is the task OF
the American Red Cross to so supply and fortify
those boys that just few OF them as possible
may be sacrificed.
That is what the Red Cross has in mind when
II comes to your house. your office. or your
kitchen door, wherever you may be found, and
asks you to be Of the 100000 Red Cross
members to stand back Of those boys In khaki
This is not to be a money campaign. Money Is the
least important matter OF this moment. what is
wanted is members. The Red Cross wants these
100000 men, women and children banded TO
gether in chapters organized into committees, and
trained to the minute to do whatever Is needed tor
the boys in France and for their families at home
and for those suffering ones who have lost every
thing but bare life.
If the call Is for warm clothing, 1t wants these
100000 trained to make and turn out the kind
of garments needed so that they may go by train
load and shipload Mt once. II 1t Is for knitted
goods-there has already been call for 6OOOoOo
knitted articles and 1t is almost or quite filled ~
now-these Is 10000 must be organized to get
yarn and knit get others to knit, and deliver
the goods at once. And II 1t is for bandages and
gauze dressings and other things for the wounded.
as assuredly 1t will be many time, there must
be trained Red Cross membership to get them
made and in the hospitals In time to save life.
God help the American army in that day II the
people have not been quick to unite with the Red
Cross and supply the things the wounded boys
when the boys come back from over there-such
of them as come home-and listen to the excuses
we will try to make II we fail to keep them sup
piled with everything they need In their fight
for us.
There will be another call for money befors
long When the country gave s1O0,OOOOOO to the
Red Cross council last summer. the great men
at the head of 1t estimated that by careful spend
ing they could make 1t last six months The
next call probably will be for n larger sum, may
be as much as a quarter of million dollars.
so the American people must give 1t. Every cent
goes for relief work. In what he termed his pub
lie accounting" Henry P. DAWSON chairman of the
Red Cross council, said in recent speech
that of every dollar given the Red Cross for relief
work, about $102 Is spent for relief What he
meant is that not cent goes for overhead
expense, which is cared for in another way. but
that the whole fund, together with about pei
cent interest which 1t accumulated while in bank
goes for relief.
All that will come later. when the Red Cross
needs more money to carry on Its work of mercy
What 1t needs Is members-1O.OOOO 900 add
ed to the 100000 1t has. Every membel
should be at least of the class called Magazine
Members" 1t costs 50 year. and entities thu
members to the really wonderful Red Cross Maya
zine every month, filed with and coloret
pictures of what the great order is doing all ove
'the earth.
If you a member, renew II not become on
when the Red Cross committee comes 1t Is mere
ly trying to get you to help win your war, ant
for the unlucky-who may be some Of you
own family