Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-12-06
CROSS DRIVE
FOR MEMBERS To
C0MMENCEDEC.17
ENROLMENT OF 100000 Bv
CHRISTMAS EVE IS THE
GOAL SET.
SOUTHWEST QUOTA 100000
Every Person With Red Blood In MS
Veins, Who Is Not Already a
Member, Viii Join
by Dec. Is.

make it a Red Cross Christmas!"
This is the slogan of the Southwest
ern division of the great American
Red Cross. which will begin a drive
| Monday. Dec. II. to obtain 100000
new members in the states Of Mis-
souri,. Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma
and Texas.
A similar drive is to be made at the
same time in the other ~ divisions of
the Red Cross throughout the United
States. The Red Cross has 100000
members at the present time. Fiji
teen million members by Christmas
Eve is the goal of this wonderful or.
ganization.
Outside of the army and the navy
the Red Cross is the most important
I instrument for winning the war. Facts
and figures dictate this statement and
not sentiment.
Much has been said and written re-
garding the sentimental side of the
Red Cross and too little has been said
and written of the actual work which
the Red Cross does. AS a matter Of
fact. the Red Cross is nothing more
than Gods own instrument for max
ing the world safe for democracy. All
of the armies and all of the navies CT
all the allied countries would be inn
potent unless back of them there was
q Big Something making for the
morale which is the backbone of every
fighting machine.
Morale Makes an Army.
Every soldier and every sailor must
know that his country is backing him
up with something more than NUM-
tons and a uniform; he must know
that the spirit of the country is be-
hind him. that its humanity is reach
ing ont to him and reaching out to his,
that the AL Seeing, All-Powerful One.
the Big Director of Humanity. is 60
ing to take care OF him and take care
of his family while he is fighting.
Morale and munitions win wars.
The Red Cross is morale with a big
NJ, and without the Red Cross there
could be no such thing as morale.
A few facts covering a few of the
activities Of the Red Cross since the
United States went into the big war
is sufficient proof of all these state
ments. No a with red blood in his
veins can read these facts and then
refuse to become a member Of the Red
Cross. unless he already is a member.
Because of the enormity Of the task
and because of the fact the United
States was unprepared for war. ~
War DeDe rt"onr ho- n,t
J ,yid $50 iieht .as Deen BIZ" IA ee''
| ting supplies to environments nj IN
many instances soldiers would have
suffered had it moi been for tie quick
ness of the Red Cross in coming to
their relief. Some red tape, Of course,
attaches to the Red Cross. At a South
ern cantonment 1000 of the men were
without shirts; the War Department
was not able to furnish the mimmedi-
ately . The Red Cross stepped In and
within "a hours every man was prop
erly outfitted.
Blankets Are Supplied.
At another cantonment the men had
IN insufficient supply Of blankets and
the government could not put through
a requisition in time to alleviate the
suffering which followed. Again the
Red Cross went to the rescue of the
government, again it proved 1t was
the governments Highland ally.
At still another cantonment sweat
ers we're furnished for more than 1900
soldiers who were without evercoats
One of the biggest things the Rec
Cross is doing in America ant
throughout the countries Of the Allie:
is civilian relief. Here are some cases
In point which alone are sufficient Il
make membership in the Red Cross
synonymous with citizenship in thu
United States:
CASE ONE.-Mother with daushte
: twenty-five, son twenty-five and daugh
ter thirteen. Son Is drafted. Mothe
taken dangerously III. without hope o
recovery. Oldest daughter must resig
her position, paying ssS per m9ntn, t
$ nurse mother. The soldiers aliotmeh
Of $50 only ncoms.
H~ome-Service Section investigated
found an excellent family never i
want before, now in dire straits an
needing great assistance. Chapte
:. made a grant of $40 a week to provid
finances for living expenses. med
n cines, doctor bills. ETC., and are mai
ing encouraging calls to the faInll
and assisting the daughter In nursin
her mother. Financial relief alon
Il would not have been enough in thl
case.
Splendid Home Service.
CASE Two.-Man enlisted In army an
Ie married in June. 1917, asked for discharl
in October on the grounds Of a depend
] ent wife who was an expectant moths
Army officials refused discharge becaul
! marriage took place after declaration
war. Woman has no relatives ana 80
Of the United states. are unable to assia
~ Home Service Section found fac
IS Is stated correct. made arrangement
X for the wife's confinement, assigned
big hearted. motherly woman as cou
, sellor for her and assisted her wit
u. additional funds necessary over an
" above the soldiers allotment. Tn
70 was splendid home service, for it cor
forted an expectant mother and by Il
ID same effort relieved the worried min
" OF the soldier father.
"a CASE THREE.-An aged farmer AT
w his wife had two sons, twenty-five ar
twenty-five years old. respectively. n
older boy was drafted. Two weeks lat
NJ the second boy was taken III sudden
- and died. The old folks were dist
not only because Of the loss Of both son
but because they had "a growing Gro
rp their only means of support, without any