New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-02

many good workers per dollar to spend for
material
ELIMINATION OF WASTE.
The first great lesson we are learning is
the elimination Of waste. In Red Cross work
this is become a science. Whenever possible.
selvedge5 are torn from the cloth before a
garment is cut out.
These narrow strips are wound in balls and
given to the knitting committee. They knit
it up on coarse needles into cloths eighteen
inches square. These are splendid for hos
pital cleaning. Odds and ends of wool are
knit into eight-inch squares. These are used
for ambulance robes when they are sewed
together into afghans. All the odd pieces Of
cloth go into the snippngs already spoken
of as the chief JOB for the children.
THE CANNING COMMITTEE.
One of the most important branches of our
local Red Cross-the branch that makes rural
Red Cross work of especial importance-is
the canning committee.
This work must be done with care. Poisons
have been found before now in such supplies.
Our local canning committee is composed only
of women who have sons or brothers at the
front. 1t is prize committee-work offered
to women who have made the sacrifice for
their country.
One of our enthusiastic Gamers is a New
York woman who has left the stage for her
home. But a few years ago she was the idol
of London and American theatregoers. Now
she is picking berries with her sleeves rolled
up and her arms sunburned to the shoulders.
Behind her house, close to the garden, is
little whitewashed shack built by her actor
husband and some farmer neighbors up here
1t is used exclusively TO can Red Cross prod
ucts. Here she spends half her time this hot
weather. She has son in the Ambulance
Corps.
HE has to work when the weather is hot"
she says with smile that has tear in IL.
The canning campaign was opened by this
lady, who offered five dollars in gold to the
child who would bring her the most fruit be-
tween spring and fall. Two dollars and
half in gold was the second prize and one
dollar the third prize.
THE CHILDREN WHO WORK FOR LOVE.
One warm day two small girls walked three
miles to bring her two quarts of wild straw.
berries.
ITO can for the sick soldiers they ex-
planned.
If you ever picked wild strawberries you
know how those children had worked.
One of the beautiful human finds" this
work has brought to US is a young boy who
came to work this lady's garden. His family
is not ideal; far from it. He has had little
TO show him the way to truth or beauty. But
souls are not to be accounted for by birth, or
even by environment. Anyhow, this boy, who
works hard ten or twelve hours, six days in
the week. picks berries for the Red Cross until
dark, and is at it again at crack Of dawn
He picks berries Sundays also.
If God sees the hearts Of men, am sure
He likes those Sunday berries.
The boy is thinking that somewhere in
France wounded soldier will get taste Of
the berries and they will cool his parched
lips, and all the rest of the day he will dream
of the hills where the wild strawberries grow.
Or when the moon comes up-the same moon
that the boy sees as he walks home with his
baskets heaped hight may tell this soldier
of the boy and the raspberry patch
Last Sunday, when he went home with two
pals OF Ueff!es, d rope broke anu let one u
them fall in the mud Tears were in his
eyes when he presented his mashed fruit TO
the lady, but she told him they would be
fine for Jam, and he was comforted.
This boy is not working for the prize. He
would not look at the money. He is working
for love.
Many children, however, have not thought
or felt that far. The dollars look mighty
fine to them, and even the tiny ones 20 a-ber
rylng with keen sense for the profit in the
enterprise
The fruit is packed in quart jars and is to
bear Red Cross label furnished by the
National Red Cross, on which is the name Of
the Gamer, the name OF the chapter and the
guarantee CT the chairman OF that chapter.
When you realize how difficult it is TO get
fresh fruit in the city you see the inn
portance of this work for rural communities.
The canning committee is also making vepe
table soup and drying vegetables. At the end
Of the season these dried vegetables will be
combined into a soup combination, and packed
in one pound packages. One pound Of this
dried product will make sixty plates Of soup.
Peach jams and preserves. jellies and grape
Juice times are coming along. Each chapter
that is sure Of good working committee
would better get busy