The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-20
THE RED CROSS
Its Origin, Function and Support.

Vice overseas. the president has calle,
upon the people of this country t,
subscribe 100000. The names q
the ones appointed to the Council n
Defense for the collection Of money ir
each locality is positive evidence that
inc money subscribed will be applied
IN the best interest of all, without
question. Many men who stand hirr
III the business councils Of this coun.
try nave closed their Offices and hous.
es to take charge of the financial con.
ouct or the Red Cross during the
war, without compensation @,
thought Of self.
Recent registration for the draft, t.
take place upon September 1st, show.
that many hundreds of thousands OF
mon, in the flower Of youth will lie
drawn into the dreadful maelstrom o:
war within year, and you who reau
mis- may have one or more dear to
you who will be among those who's,
lives and health may be sacrificed for
their country upon foreign shore.
Therefore, an apeal is made to you
to realize that in your expected con-
tribution you may be giving that
which in the end may spare q dear
ones life or limb, and that 1t be-
hooves every one to contribute with q
generosity that has heretofore been
unknown, as after all it is but a form
OF insurance against the health of life
of one who is dear. 1t is as much
the duty Of every one able to sub
scribe to the Red Cross fund as it is
to meet their taxes, for while one en-
empts the individual from the penalty
of the law, the other may exempt one
from a broken heart.
1t is singular that many in this
country fail to realize that we have
entered upon the worst war that his
tory has known. and simply because
they see no evidences Of it's existence.
Before the end of this year tangible
evidence will be presented to their eyes
when the first ships return from Eu-
rope bringing the wounded of the
first to carry the American standard
against the world enemy. When this
spectacle arouses interest it will be
too late to make the contribution for
which you age, now asked. and il
among those epnded you find a dear
one who has his health or limb
from lack of tha edical necessities to
save them, then will realize to tn
full that the horrd war has been
visited upon you an tr lack of gen.
erosity has reaped Nh reward
There is no form of investment in the
United States that can produce a high
o. interest, nor that can produce in
tercst in such terms of health and
happiness.
Not only do the articles of the Red
Gross make 1t obligatory for the med
ical establishments of an army to Civ :
the same care to the wounded and sick
Of the enemy as to their own, but tn c
dictates Of humanity demand 1t. This
drain upon the resources of the, Red
Cross is to be met only through tho
largcness Of the people, and as large
sums in the past have been cheerful
ly contributed for the re- Of the
Belgians and others. it is :. conscion-
able to think that the American peo-
pie. whose generosity has never been
questioned, will supinely permit the
people of other nations to excel them
In this crisis.
Personal interest demands you read
this article carefully and take its les
son to heart. lest the horrors Of war
he visited upon you in n manner tina
will make you the victim of sclf-rc-
prOach for the remainder of your
days.
A. N. STARK,
1t. Col Med Corps. Dept. Surgeon