The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1917-12-13
pRocLAIMs RED CROSS DRIVE

Ten million new members in a
week!
That is the goal the American Red
Cross has set for itself in its Christ
mas membership campaign that is to
be launched December 16. Through
out the United States, Red Cross
chapters are preparing for the enroll
ment of the new army which is to
stand as the organized support of the
boys in the trenches.
No man is more deeply concerned
in the world war than Presidnt Will
son-who is also president of the Red
Cross-and this is his proclamation:
"To the People of the United States
Ten million Americans are invited
to join the American Red Cross dur
ing the week ending Christmas Eve
The times require that every branch
of our great national effort shall be
loyalty upheld, and it is peculiarly fit
ting that at he Christmas season the
Red Cross should be the branch
throug which your willingness to help
is expressed.
You should join the American Red
Cross, because it alone can carry the
pledges of Christmas good will tc
those who are bearing for us the rea
burdens of the world war, both in oui
own army and navy and in the ma
tions upon whose territory the issues
of the world war are being fought
out Your evidence of faith in this
work is necessary for their hearten
ing and cheer.
You should join the Red Cross, be
cause this arm of the national service
is steadily and efficiently maintaining
its overseas relief in every suffering
land, administering our millions wise
ly and well and awakening the graft
tude of every people.
Our consciences will not let us en-
joy the Christmas season if thi
pledge of support to our cause ant
the worlds veal is left unfulflled
Red Cross membership is the Christ
mas spirit in terms of action.
WOODROW WILSON,
President American Red Cross.
Plans have been perfected to max,
the Christmas Eve ceremonies a fit
ting climax Of the patriotic campaign
At 1880 o'clock on the night before
Christmas it is proposed that light
ed candle shall be placed behind tht
transparent flag in the window OF
every Red Cross home. Local chap
ters will strive to see that this idea
is carried into effect. The candles
are to burn until 9 o'clock, and al
half intervals during the even.
ing church bells are to be rung to
lend impressiveness to the Red Cross
ceremony. During the same hours
groups Of Red Cross workers in every
community will march through differ
ent neighborhoods singing carols in
further acclaim of the Red Cross
Christmas.
The Red Cross needs the active
support of millions whose good will il
already has. The big Christmas men,
beship drive was conceived in and will
be carried out largely for the pur-
pose of turning passive friends into
active workers And II was a pecu-
liarly happy thought that gave ex-
preston to the idea of making this a
cred Cross Christmas" Il will be
Americas first Christmas in this war.
It will be Christmas of serious pur-
pose, when the minds of every one
will he turned to the war, TO our SOL
diers in France and in training camps
waiting orders to cross the sea. and
to our sailors an dmarines. Thought,
too, will rest on the soldiers of our
allies an don the suffering peoples in
the war zones. That the nation will
he in lust the spirit at this Christmas
time to produce a whole-hearted re-
sponse to the Red Cross appeal is not
doubted.
At the conclusion of the Red Cross
membership drive there will not be
any excuse for any one not having
become member. There are hun
dreds of thousands of persons whose
names are not on the Red Cross roll
merely by reason of their own
thouPhtlessness. All these will have
the chance and be reminded of their
patriotic duty to Join the Red Cross.
In the words Of President Wilson. the
people as whole vii lbe afforded op-
portunity to show the Christmas spir-
it in terms of action.