Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-11-22
ENLIST IN THE RED o

1t is not,possible for all of us to enlist in the army
It is possible for every one of us to enlist in a work that
is absolutely necessary to the effectiveness Of the army
that of the Red Gross. That organization is performing
a work: which is just as essential to the effectiveness o.
the army as is the supply Of food or of arms for the sol
diers. 1t aids in keeping the soldier in health, and a
sick soldier is not a fighting soldier. The Red Cross re-
stores to sound condition and puts in fighting trim men
who are temporarily disabled by minor wounds and thus
re-fts for service men who would otherwise die or be
permanently disabled. Considered from the mere stand
point of physical force, therefore, the Red Cross through
small army aided by the Red Cross is equal in power to
a very much larger army without the Red Cross, and
whatever Americans do to aid in the Red Cross work
will lessen the number of American soldiers whom it will
be necessary to send to Europe, and will thus lessen the
drain on the man powet of the country and the conse-
quent cost to the public of transporting and maintain
ing our armies. wig" =.
That may be a brutal way Of looking at it, but war
is brutal business. On the humanitarian side we have
the service that is rendered through the Red Cross in
relieving suffering, in saving life. and in fitting for fu-
ture lives Of usefulness men who, If they survived, would
drag out miserable years in helplessness and suffering.
And, in its larger aspect we have the service performed
by the Red Cross in aiding to bring to an end the reign
of force in governing the affairs of men, and the estab-
lishment of that world democracy which is the aim Of
this nation and its allies in the war.
The work of the Red Gross is conducted through two
main channels. An immense work is performed through
the direct agency OF, the general committee, which looks
after the general work of maintaining and supplying
hospitals and their major equipment, and those activities
which must of necessity be directed from one center.
For the carrying on of that work there has been raised
a fund of 500, 100000 to which people all over the
country have contributed literally. Grand Forks people
subscribed freely to that fund, and the money which they
supplied was sent to Washington, and is now being used
in a multitude of useful and necessary ways.
The other channel of activity is that of volunteer
work performed by members of the society and many
who have not yet become members. work which is di-
rected through a thousand local chapters. This work in
cludes the knitting of sweaters, socks and scarfs. the
mailing of hospital and -convalescent clothing. the pre-
paration of surgical dressings, the packing Of comfort
bags. and other work of similar character, with which
most of our people are more or less familiar. MI the
work of this nature which is performed is done without
compensation of any Find. But in. order that the work
may lie carried on, the materials for it must be provided.
Yarn, cloth, druggists supplies, ETC., must be provided
or the work cannot go on. The general fund which was
subscribed some time ago was not raised for this pur-
pose, nor is it available for such use. The local chapter
must provide the material for its own workers or the
work stops.
The fact must be clearly understood that the local
chapter must provide all the funds for the purchase Of
materials for all of the work s,nt out from Grand Forks.
At the present time the outlay for this material amounts
to about 81 500 a month. The labor expended on this
material in it's preparation adds to its value to such an
extent that goods to the value of several thousand dol
lars are sent out from this chapter every month, and
when there is - full understanding of this, the import
ance of keeping up the supply of material will readily
be appreciated.
The committee in charge of the financing OF this
work is trying to arrange matters in such a manner that
opportunity will be given every person in the city to
contribute regularly each month, and to have the col
lections made in such a manner that there will be no
waste either of money or labor in making the collections.
AS soon as the arrangements have been completed an
nouncement will nc made Of the methods determined on.
and there can l. 10 doubt that the people of Grand
Forks will respond as loyalty to the appeals, made for
this fund as they have to other appeals for necessary
war purposes. We must stand behind our men.