The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-08-25
DoNALDsoNvILLE, La. SATURDAY. AUGUST rs, 1917.
KNIrTERS IN DEMAND.
Desperate Need for Certain Articles
Among Our Forces Abroad.

Among Our Forces Abroad
The American Red Cross has just
Initiated nationwide movement for
100000 knitted articles, in the form
of sets comprising sweater, mufffer,
Wrlstlets and socks, the need for
which is immediate and imperative.
The Red Cross commissioner in Paris,
Major Grayson NJ. P. Murphy, cabled
the national society information of a
startling character respecting the
need of the soldiers who will go to
France and the condition of the pros
trate civilian population of central
Europe.
| Based upon this report, the follow
ing circular has been sent to all Red
Gross chapters and auxiliaries in the
Gulf division by W. j. Leppert, divis-
ional director:
':To simplify the knitting as much
as possible we now have in the print
er's hands new and complete manual
of instructions for making the several
articles required. Within the next
two weeks we expect to have the cir
cular ready for distribution, and large
shipments of yarn and knitting
needles will be coming into the vari-
-eus branch supply houses to meet the
requirements of chapters.
Desperate need will exist for these
articles among the soldiers and the
civil population of France and our
other allies before we can get the ar
ticles made.
''To expedite the completion of the
| .+,,
at once, without waiting for the new
knitting manual, and we suggest the
following:
81. Form in your chapter COM
mittee on knitting.
"2. Mobilize all available knitters
in your chapter, branches and
auxiliaries, so that when the knitting
manual is received, every one who can
knit will be prepared to start work
| Immediately.
SO. Make it clear that we seek the
aid in this big undertaking of all
| knitters, whether they are members
of the Red Cross or not.
"a. A group of persons qualified
to instruct in knitting would be a
great help to the committee.
"Please have all your members un-
derstand that we do not want the least
cessation of effort of workers in the
production of surgical dressings and
hospital garments. 1t will be your
problem to organize so as to get more
| workers interested and the more con-
stant effort of those who are now
giving so much of their time to the
work Of the Red Cross.
"Please also impress upon every
one who is now knitting that we do
| not want them to discontinue any
work which they have inland. Have
them work industdiously on all knit
ting they can turn out pending the
receipt of the new knitting manual" "
In cooperation with the Red Cross
supply service in the Gulf division,
presided over by Fl. R. Labouisse with
headquarters in New Orleans, Dl-
rector Leppert has undertaken to care
for the allotment made to Arkansas,
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and
east Texas by the national headquar-
ters.
To every Red Cross organization
in the field there will be assigned a
fixed number Of sets in multiples Of
100 1t is expected that each organi-
cation will be able to furnish one OF
these sets for each member in the or
ganization By this means, the
American soldiers and their people at
home will be conscious that warm
clothing will be promptly provided
for the soldiers as we'll as for the
necessitous civilian population of
Europe.
Those most conversant with knit
ting will be expected to constitute
themselves into regiment of instruc-
tors who at proper places, or in their
homes, or the homes of the people
wishing to knit, will break ground for
this nationwide movement.
Already the knitting fever has
[ taken firm hold in the south and upon
every occasion women old and young
may be seen plying the long amber
colored needles, which are thrust for
ward and backward with lightning
like speed through the loose stitches
of the woolen yarn.