The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-03
HOW IT IS SPENT
90 Million Already to France
by Red Cross.
War Relief Extended in Eight
Other Nations.

Washington. Dec. Six months of
effort to meet the most far reaching
appeals for relief in history is de-
scribed in a report to the American
people made public tonight by the war
council of the American Red Cross.
1t is the councils first semi-annual
report and it tells how more than
$4O,0OO,00O of the $100,000,000 war
fund, contributed by the people, has
been allotted for expenditure at nome
and abroad.
Demands from Europe continue to
increase and on the recent basis of
expenses, the council estimates that
the war fund will not last much be-
vond spring. So far about $88, 900
900 in cash has been paid into the
fund by the subscribers OF $40,27
657 appropriated by the council, ST.
$4,000 has been advanced to chap
tiers for the purchase of material and
will be refunded. For work abroad,
$27,855,615, has been appropriated.
France where suffering has been be
yond description" For work outside
of France, exclusive of $750,OO0 re-
Gently sent for emergency relief in
Italy, the following appropriations
have been made: Belgium, $720,001;
England, 81 ,O66. 500; Italy, $4,000;
Russia, $1,359.440: Rumania, $1,51S,-
39S; Serbia, $493.203; Armenians and
Syrians. $1,800,000; others, $113,012.
The report describes in detail how
this money has been spent and tells
of the vast organization set up by the
war board since it's appointment.
Perhaps the most interesting part
of the report relates to the work in
France.
Urges to Keep Up Work.
The commission in France has al
ready submitted to the war council
oil
which will be necessary to carry on
the work now under way in France.
Detailed budgets will follow. This
statement suggests how important it
is that adequate resources be accumu-
lated and maintained in the United
tailment of the work of relief in
France.
The message in part follows:
Our departments have nearly COM
pIeted their budgets for six months
period ending April 80. AS far as we
can see now, if all the various lines
of work now contemplated are to be
actively carried on. the budgets will
call for an aggregate expenditure of
at least $30,0GO.0OO over the six
months period This sum, added to
appropriations already granted, will
amount to about $40,OOO,0O0, or about
four-fifths of the amount which we
have understood is available for work
in France from the war fund raised
last summer
We do not know to what extent. if
at all, we are justified in proceeding
on the theory that additional funds
will be available, and consequently it
is difficult to determine what we
ought to count on spending during the
next six months. We believe we could
expend 30,000,00 and more in Red
Cross work in France and Belgium
with the armies and civilian popuIa-
ton with most excellent results. and
IN many respects the coming winter
will be a most crucial time.
We must, however, at all hazards.
reserve sufficient funds to meet ali
demands which may be made upon us
by our army during the coming year
and to enable us also to deal satisfac-
torily with the problem of emergency
relief which will almost certainly re-
suit from radical changes in the line
in northern France and Belgium. If
we can safely count on spending here
approximately $5O.OOo.0OO only, it
would be folly for US to proceed with
the different branches of our work at
rate which will practically exhaust
that sum by next summer. In this
case it would be necessary for US to
curtail in a most radical way the
plans now in prospect for useful work
with the civilian population. including
work for the care and prevention of
children, the active prosecution OF