Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1917-12-07
KEEP ON KNITTING,
SAYS RED CROSS
WAR COUNCIL WANTS IMMENSE
NUMBER OF SWEATERS AND
OTHER ARTICLES.
PURCHASES HAVE BEEN HEAVY
French Troops Need All That Can Be
Spared-Tremendous Work Carried
on by Red Cross Makes Negligible
Its Few Mistakes.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-It is evident that the
American Red Cross which is doing
such a great work for the armed forces
of the United States is disturbed be-
cause of the still repeated and fast
circulating stories started on their way
by pro-German influences to handicap
the great humanitarian work.
Recently the war department and
the navy department found that some
people in the United States were under
the impression that the authorities did
not supply warm clothing to the sol
failure of the government to do what
of course it is it's duty to do, that 1t
was necessary for the women to knit
sweaters and wristlets for the soldiers
and sailors. In other words, the story
which came was that the goveSnment
was neglecting it's duty and was de-
pending on private work to keep the
men of the military forces warm. Nat
Urally the army and navy authorities
resented the implication that the gov
eminent did not supply it's soldiers
with plenty of warm clothing.
The secretaries Of war and navy
said that the men under the charge OF
their departments were supplied with
warm material and in sufficient guam
tity, but that the extra comforts OF
sweaters and wristIets furnished by the
Red Cross were exceedingly grateful
900 110 or ~
ity of change, and, SO far as the sweat
ers were concerned, an opportunity for
additional warmth in cases of severe
weather and under conditions which
no one could foresee.
Statements Were Misunderstood.
The women of the country, there
fore, should continue knitting sweat
ers, wristlets and socks, and other
things which they turn out by means
Of the long needles. The report which
has just been mentioned did some
harm to the knitting service because
the statements of the war and navy de-
partmentS apparently were misunder-
stood. Secretary Daniels has appoint
ed q special naval officer to look after
the distribution of the knitted articles
which the women make for the sea
forces. So far as the army is concern
ed the authorities and the Red Cross
together see that every knitted article
which is made reaches a soldier.
Only today there comes from the
war council of the American Red Cross
a statement that 1t is imperative that
all sweaters, wHfstlets and socks that
possibly can be made by the women
of the country shall be turned into the
supply department of the Red Cross
at the earliest possible date. This no.
tice was sent to the division managers
who receive the articles from the knit
ting chapters of women.
Some persons seem to be under the
impression that every soldier and sail
or by this time must have been sup
piled with q sweater. Possibly this
thought is natural because in most
places nearly every woman seems to
be. knitting. However, in the notice
sent by the war council Of the Red
Cross to it's division managers it is
said that in addition to the sweaters
which have been knitted by the women
of the chapters, it has been necessary
to buy $4,000 sweaters in the market.
French Need Knitted Goods.
From France comes great demand
for sweaters and knitted goods for the
brave French soldiers who because of
the conditions existing in their coun-
try today are unable to secure the COM
forts which so readily are given to the
men of the American forces. Wool is
hard to obtain in France and while the
French women are devoted, they cam
not work without 1Saterial. The war
council of the Red Cross finishes its
statement to division managers with
with this sentence:
1--WE call upon the women to give us
their very best effort from now until
at least January 1, that we may be
able to furnish our men with these
comforts, and have some to spare for
dire needs in France"
There have been some criticisms of
the methods of the Red Cross in va
rious parts of the country, and 1t has
been the duty of the writer to attempt
TO find out how justlfiable some of
these criticisms are. The expansion
of the Red Cross work within the last
few months has been paralleled only
by the expansion of army and navy
work Little wonder is 1t, therefore,
that few mistakes have been made
here and there, but these mistakes
have been far fewer than would natur-
ally be expected in connection with
work so tremendous and all-embracing.
Social Functions Dropped.
There is no such thing as society In
Washington today as the word society
generally is understood. Social ranks
are leyeled and rich and poor, the
smart set, the non-smart set, and the
no set at all are gathered together in
one big human family working for the
cause Of country, and one would say
The cause Of God were this latter not