Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-22
RED CROSS NAMED
SOLE NAVAL RELIEF
In Making Announcement
Daniels Appoints Women's.
Auxiliary Committee
MRS. STOTESBURY AT HEAD
wASUINGTON Dct ,

WASHINGTON, oct 20.
In an official announcement made today.
In which Secretary Of Navy Daniels named
the Red Cross as the only organization
which can furnish comforts to naval men.
word was also given out of the appointment
Of the women's auxiliary committee with
Mrs T.. r. Stotesbury as chairman.
After the letter had been made public
the officials Of the Red Cross completed ar
rangements by which the 5000 chapters all
over the country shall organize the naval
auxiiiarles, which will gather the comforts
for sailors.
Secretary Daniels announced that pay
masters Will be assigned to take charge
of the reception of these gifts and the
distribution Of them to the enlisted men.
lie then sent a radiogram to every ship
and naval station instructing the officers
that the Red Cross is the only authorized
agency through which such gifts can be
received. Personal gifts, of course are not
included In this prohibition. 1t effectively
c,oses out the Navy League work which
has now the choice of either stopping all
such work or furnishing supplies II coll
lccts to the men through the Red Cross
Mrs. George Dewey, widow of Admiral
| Dewey, heads the list of fifteen prominent
| women chosen by Secretary Daniels to as
| sist Mrs. Stotnsbury in the work Of organ.
izng the auXliares, stimulating the pro
| duCtion Of comforts and arranging for their
| distribution.
Most of the women appointed by the Sec.
| retary were formerly allied with the Navy
| League and left it following the attacks
| made by officers of the league on Secretary
| Daniels
Mr.. Daniels's letter is as follows:
II submit to you herewith the names Of
| sixteen women whom | have nominated
| as members Of the women's advisory COM
! mittee on navy auxiliaries to the Red Cross
war council: Mrs Il. r. Stotesbury chair
philndalphiD
Washington. D. c.; Mrs. George Barnett,
Washington. d. c.; Mrs. w. II. Brooks, Jr.,
| Baltimore ; Mrs. Frederick d. Countiss. Chi
cago; Mrs. George j. Denis Los Angeles
| Mrs. Charles Dana Gibson, New York Mrs.
| Cary I. GrRyson, washington; Mrs Bryan
| Lathrop Chicago; Mrs. f. T. Meredith, Des
| Moines, Ia. Mrs. Henry Morgenthau New
| York; Mrs. Henry r. Rea, Pittsburgh: Mrs.
| Matthew T. Scott Bloomington, ILL., ; Mrs
James NJ. Thomson, New Orleans; Mrs.
| French Vanderbilt, Newport, r. J. Mrs.
| Charles S. Hamlin. Boston,
THE personnel Of this committee is rep
| resentative of all sections of the country
| and of the highest type of intelligent and
| patriotic wOmanhood. You viii find these
| women willing and eager to devote them
| selves under your direction to promoting
| the happiness and welfare of the enlisted
| men.
/ at is. of course, both my duty and privi-
facilitate, by every means within my power,
the patriotic work for the navy which has
| been so generously performed by the women
| ofNthe country. and II Ii because this work,
| when undertaken without the active CO.
| operation and assistance of tine Navy De-
partment, entails inevitable waste and dupi-
! cation that | have offered to supplement the
| efforts OF the Red Cross organization with
! every facility which the Bureau of Sup
plies and Accounts can afford
| 81 heartily indorse your intention of
| forming navy auxiliaries in all local Red
| Cross chapters throughout the country
wherein articles may he made and assem-
| hIed. and l have directed that certain pay
masters shall he especially assigned the
| duty Of receiving and distributing these
| gifts.
| Il earnestly hope that all the patriotic
| women's organizations throughout the coun-
| try whose members are interested In this
| branch of the service will be willing to CO.
| operate in this comprehensive plan.
while the Navy Department is now pre-
pared to supply all requisite heavy cloth
| ing for the men when on exposed sea duty,
| these articles in no way take the place
| Of the personal tokens of gratitude and
| agection from the women of the country,
| which particularly when prepared by their
own hands, contribute in the highest de-
| gree to the contentment and happiness Of
| the men.
"It Is my earnest hope, therefore that
this good work will continue and will be
| augmented by the naval auxlliaries of the
! Red Cross In order that these fine youths
| who have willingly offered their lives in
| the defense Of their country may be con-
| stanty assured that the women of Amer
lea are steadfastly behind them, appreci-
| ating their sacrifice and ever mindful OF
their moral and physical well-being."
The naval auxiliares which will have
| Of making the -
stockings and other comforts and gathering
Christmas gifts for the enlisted men are
lelng organized under plan, announced
ia August. whan Mrs. Stotesbury was asked
by Secretary Daniels to head the women's
ct mmittee
They are to supplant the Navy League
comforts committee, which are excluded
from supplying these articles to the men
Mrs Dewey has headed the Womeni
League for Naval Service, which was or
Earized when the Navy League was banned
This organization was formed as a Gle lr
ing house through which the supplies mad,
by women throughout the country could b,
sent to the navy without going from tn,
Navy League.
The order Of Secretary Daniels, sent ou
by wireless tonight. effectively excludes tn,
Navy League from further supplying an!
comforts. only supplies received through
the Red Cross are to be accepted by Tn,
navy and marine corps. The order of Sec
reIsry Daniels is as follows:
In order to avoid duplication of effort
and maintain strict secrecy as TO location o
. individuals and vessels, gifts to enliste
meal Of the navy and marine corps will b
accepted only when forwarded thTOug
American Red Cross, the sole organization
officially authorized to render this service
| This shall not be construed to prohibit de
livery Of personal and individual gifts O
tokens sent by mail by members OF familie
or friends OF individuals"