The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-24

indicate in the cold way that figures have the tremendous expansion of American Red Cross work in the six months that he has headed the War Council. In that time $40,272, ,659.2O has been spent out of more than $85,- 100000 actually collected from the $1OO,O00,000 popular subscription. In the United States alone &3.310,216.6O has been spent; in France, where the money has been absorbed enormously by the terrible needs, $20,601,240.47 has gone for mercy and relief! in oth- CT countries $7,2S4,576.39 has been appropriated. Almost $1,5o0,000 ap- pears under the head of designated funds and $7,659,000 has been advan- ced to the chapters of the organiza- tion for the purchase of materials. This will be repaid.
 A Splendid Opportunity
 Our work" said MT. Davison, "has been aimed at certain accomplish ments which have to Go with not merely winning the war for civiliza- tion but for the peace that is to come. Speaking broadly. our first practical efforts are in the way of helping America beat down the Teuton men, ace, but we desire also to present America to the world in a new and nobler light. Hereafter the United States of America must be known the world over not as a nation of snop- keepers and money grabbers but as a people of the truest democracy, a people whose hearts respond to the cries of all unfortunates 8 nation that seeks to live according to the pre- cepts of Christianity. We must prove up by deeds and not by words. We have the most splendid opportunity in all of this horror that was ever given by God to any nation-the opportun- ity to prove by unselfish devotion that we love our neighbor as ourselves. That's really what it comes to. Do unto others as you would be done by. l. sWe plan to take care of our sol diers and sailors on duty wherever and whenever help or care may be needed. We plan to shorten the war by strengthening the morale of our allies and by alleviating their suffer ings in the period that must elapse until the American Army can become fully effective abroad. We believe that the foundations of enduring peace cen be laid by extending to the civil ian population of our allies practical relief and sympathy and an expres- sion of the finest side of American character. Our work falls naturally into two major divisions, the work in America and the work in Europe. Here our aims are to cooperate with the army and the navy to protect the hoo a1aA On1Hinrd camps and cantonments and of civil ians whose welfare is touched by war conditions.
 Devotion Appreciated
 | "We want to stimulate and guide the volunteer work of women in the manufacture of supplies and comforts neded by troops and civilians abroad and by men training in this country. The women of America have done wonderful work in supplying knitted articles and other comforts. Let them keep it up full power! Their devotion is appreciated, They cannot do too much, We seek to cooperate with the government and with all relief or ganizations in taking care of the de- pendent families of soldiers and sail
 
 by any disaster. On the business side we aim to do all Of these things at the lowest cost consistent with efficiency and pefalstency of relief. We will see to 1t that no money is wasted. think I can guarantee to the American peo- pie that not one dollar will be divert ed from it's proper uses,
 T am speaking, mind you, of pol icies, of the general direction for wal
 purposes of the activities of the |, American Red Cross. It must not be forgotten that the actual work is done by the 9,2s7 chapters of the organiza- ton. These are the Red Cross. They :, furnish the money which gives re- lief, In any appreciation of Red Cross
 effort the labors of these chapters must never be suberdinated,"
 Mir. Davisen touched briefly upon |, the reasons that impelled the Presi- dent six months ago to appoint a War .. Council, the principal reason being that concentrated administration
 would bring about the best efficiency
 and energy, The members of the War Council are H, P, Dayisen, chair mani Charles D, Norton. Major Gray, , sen M, P, Murphy. Cornelius N, Bliss
 Jr., and John D, Ryan, with ez-Presi
 dent William H, Taft and Eliet Wads worth serving ex effiaio, But the Wal Council itself has organised system i atieally, with a national war finance committee, of which Cleveland H , Dodge is chairman, This committed plans resulted in the e106, ,o0o,o0t
 contribution by the people.
 Ablest Men Selected
 l The War Council reached out into } the experienced life of the country = and drafted the best men it could fint } as volunteer workers, selecting a med s ical advisory committee, fer example 3 which consisted of Dr. Simon FleKner director of the Rockefeller Institute
 Dr. John W. Kerr of Washington, Dr F Herman M. Biggs or Albany, Dr. Will , liam H. We1eh of Baltimore, Dr ! Frank Billings of Chicago, Dr. M. J
 Resenau of Boston and others equal : ly noted perhaps. Fer the execution , of it's policies it's selected a genera f manager in the person of Harvey D
 Gibson, president of the Liberty Ma , tional Bank. Many other vital post
 were filled with the same care of SC , lections. The entire roster Is a fur I thsr revelation of the enthuiaum ant
 devotion with which American busi f ness and professional men have en r listed in war work at the call of thei ' country.
 7 q should like at this point" sai' T MT. Davison, ito call attention to tn , fact that the Red Cross does no
 waste money in paying big salaries n Of the paid staff of PAS at nationa