Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-28
|||MEN'S DEFENSE
] JOINS RED CROSS
state Preparedness League
Now Under U. S. Super
vision in Merger
FOR BETTER WAR SERVICE
0rranization Proceeds for Motor
+. Brigades and for Replacing
Men in Industries


National Preparedness officially went ou,
N existence today at the Red Cross house
=, South Eighteenth street. 1t becomes a
,.rt of the American Red Cross. under the
.rect supervision of the United States Gov.
srnment.
thus thousands of Pennsylvania women
automatically become a part of the Ma
tIonal Red Cross organization.
AZ the meeting this afternoon Dr. Charles
hatfield of the American Red Cross will
al, the presidents and officers of the twen-
,vtwo chapters of the Pennsylvania hi.
rIsion for National Preparedness in Bucks
Srontsomery. Philadelphia Chester and
Delaware counties what is expected of their
organizations now that the merger has been
made
In charge of the State work of the Penn.
.,,vana Division for National Prepared
mass and who has now been appointed eX-
tension secretary. of tho American Red
Cross will speak to the women. Mrs
Melick now will report directly to the Gov
srnment for by the merger the Prepared.
ness Chapters. the old organization instead
of being supplying agency for the Red
\ Cross becomes "A Red Cross itself under
Federal jurisdiction.
UNDER L. 5. DIRECTION
Sone was and is the best possible thing for
us to do" said Mrs Melick. the newly ap.
pointed extension secretary. "Of course
i As the Pennsylvania Womens Division for
National Preparedness were doing good
work. as good and perhaps better than the
Red Cross But before the merger we were
simply a supplying agency We were not
under Government direction. BY the
merger we became part of a great national
body--all working for n common cause
Many of the women did not want to give
up their individuality--their little chapter
ranches, but now they are beginning to un-
derstand. This is time of sacrifices. and
they are willing to make sacrifices that we
may help the Government in every way
: possible
With the adjustment of the merging as
planned for the meeting this afternoon. the
old organization becomes justa name and
oil the preparedness chapters will become
Red Cross chapters.
The women of Philadelphia are mobliz-
Ing
A messenger motor service has been
started by patriotic women in this city.
and registration for lines of national serv-
Ice varying from motor<driving ito agri.
cultural work has begun at the women's
mobilization headquarters 1928 Walnut
street
MOTOR SERVICE PLANS
The motor service is the latest emer-
eency activity. Many women owners of
autopobles have been asked to join. The
organization is designed to make available
corps of fast motor cars in which sup
plies can be rushed to points needed either
Tor hospital service or to meet the require
nents of the Naval Coast Defense Reserve.
Among the first to register for the mes
eenger motor service squad were Mrs.
Thomas l.. Elwyn, 1906 Clinton street,
Miss Letitia McKim, 1908 South Ritten-
house square, and Miss Macy Coleman.
1880 South Rittenhouse square. They VOL
unteered as instructors in automobile driv-
ing Both Miss McKim and Miss Coleman
have seen service in French hospitals
1t Is designed to make the service both
volunteer and professional. If the demand
Tor workers in munition factories should
cause shortage of chauffeurs. women could
take their places in driving motor trucks.
) Mrs. j. Willis Martin, acting chairman of
the Emergency Aid, is urging general en-
rollment of all women in the city willing to
serve their country in any capacity that
may be assigned to them.
TO REPLACE MEN
Women who are capable of working in
the industries are wanted especially, Mrs.
Martin explained. These women, she said,
could in an emergency replace men who
might be forced to leave factories and stores
In case of war.
Many telephone operators have offered
their services to the Government. Some
asked to be put on the volunteer list. while
ethers wanted to be put on the paid list.
1t was announced that through the
courtesy Of the Retail Druggists Associa
ton more than 500 drug stores throughout
the city will act as receiving stations for the
Red Cross
Twenty-Five girls from the Mccall Public
school, Sixth and De Lancey streets, have
onered their services to the Red Cross.
Led by Miss Ethel Prentss, the girls ap-
Piled at the Independence Square Work.
room, sos Chestnut street. They announced
they had come to work, and proved so adept
tnat Mrs Benjamin Rush, chairman of the
advisory board, asked them to come again
~ was decided that the girls will work one
afternoon each week for the organization
rhey will also. contribute small sum each