Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-07
RED CROSS GETS
NEW AUXILIARY
National Surgical Dressings
Committee Is Affiliated
With 1t

Washington. Aug. 00.-Ever since
the Red Cross War Council was ap-
pointed by President Wilson, earnest
efforts have been made to secure
effective cooperation with the Red
Cross by all the allied war relief or
ganizations. The first important fruit
of these efforts is the establishment
of working plan of cooperation
with the National Surgical Dressings
Committee. Henry p. Dawson. chair
man of the Red Cross War Council,
to-day authorizes the following state
ment:
The Red Cross is very much graft
fed to be able to announce that the
National Surgical Dressings Commit
tee, one of the most important of the
relief organizations called into being
by the European War, has become an
auxiliary of the American Red Cross.
rms arrangement was perfected after
protracted negotiation between Mrs.
Mary Hatch Willard, the organizer
and chairman of the Surgical Dress
ings Committee, and Judge Robert S.
Lovett, chairman of the Red Cross
Committee on Cooperation.
1T is believed that this is the pre-
cursor of arrangements to be made
whereby other war relief organiza-
tions may become allies of the Red
cross and join with it in carrying a
practical message of aid and relief
among those of our own people and
our allies who may be sick, wounded
and suffering because of the war.
Doing Great Work
The National Surgical Dressings
Committee has done a marvellous
work. 1t has made and forwarded
over 100000 surgical dressings for
use in over $500 hospitals on the con-
tlnent of Europe. It's aim has been
to prepare dressings with special
reference to the particular needs in
different localities. and it's work has
been handled with great efficiency
and with splendid spirit The COM
mittee has about $4,000 working
members in different parts of the
United States.
The arrangement with the Red
Cross provides that the Surgical
Dressings Committee shall retain it's
name and organization, and carry on
its present work in the United States
as national auxiliary of the Red
Cross. 1t may solicit funds in it's own
name, but no solicitation shall be
made in the name of the Red Cross
unless all the proceeds therefrom are
turned over to the Red Cross organ
ization. The committee will give full
reports concerning its activities and
finances to the Red Cross.
The Red Cross will seek to per-
feet the standards of materials sent
abroad, and will disseminate among
all chapters and organizations doing
relief work information as to the ma
ture and quantity of materials and
supplies most needed at the front.
The Surgical Dressings Committee, in
it's work for American hospitals in
Europe, will conform to such stand
ards.
THE French section of this COM
mittee will become the Surgical
Service Department of the American
National Red Cross. 1t will admin
lister in France all the surgical dress
ings work of the Red Cross. and will
be in charge of Mrs. C. X. Austin.
heretofore director in Paris of the
French section of the Surgical Dress
ings Committee.
THE Red Cross seeks to encourage
the efforts of all relief organizations.
1t is hoped that all such organiza-
tions, which are manufacturing mate
rials for hospital or other relief work
among our allies in Europe, may be-
come auXiliaries of the Red Cross,
thus avoiding duplication. Such aux
iliaries will retain, their name and
identity, the Red Cross will assist
them In making their work effective,
and with such affiliation the Red
Cross will transport their materials
to Europe free of charge, and see to
il that such materials are properly
distributed.
Many war relief organizations
have solicited contributions in kind.
Some of the articles solicited have
been necessary; others, while given
in a spirit of a fine generosity, have
not necessarily been of great benefit.
Yet other articles have been sent to
Europe which were not needed at all