Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-03

| diers, the soldiers of their allies, and o.
the destitute civilians of devasted Bel
GUM and northern France. Six million
warm. knitted wooden articles are need
ed to help them get through the win
ter The appeal has come to the Am
erican Red Cross at Washington, and
it specifies 100000 each of sweaters
mufflers, wristlets and socks.
The call is official. Maj. Grayson M
p Murphy, of General Pershing's staff,
the Red Cross commissioner for Eu-
rope. who knows better perhaps than
any other man just how badly these
things are needed. has cabled for them.
Here is part Of his message:
Last winter broke the record for
cold and misery among the people
here. We inexpressibly dread the com
ing winter finding us without supplies
to meet the situation. We urge you'
on behalf of our soldiers and those
of our allies, who will suffer in their
frozen trenches, and also thousands OF
French and Belgian refugees to begin
shipping at once 100000 each of the
warm, knitted wooden articles named.
They must come before cold weather.
The entire people of the land are
called upon to rnder this service to the
men in khaki. and those Struggling
with them. The hearts of the people
will be in the task because their own
are among those who need the SER
vice. Every county, every village,
every voting precinct, is sending of its
best to fight for the country, and the
woman who knits one of these gar
ments feels, with every stitch, that 1t
may be her own son, her own brother,
or one of her dearest friends, who may
be kept more comfortable by her work.
From Director John ]. O'Connor OF
central division of the Red Cross.
with headquarters at Chicago, the
call went forth to 1854 chapters in the
central states, urging the members to
answer the cry. The chapters called
on the Red Cross supply service for
warn, knitting needles. and full instruc-
lions for the knitting. In the mean
time, knitting committees were formed
in the chapters, and volunteers called
for.
The supply service was forced to ask
some chapters to buy their yarn and
needles in the local markets. or from
quickly get them. The supply service
had not on hand enough goods to fill
such an unprecedented demand on
such short notice. Washington could
not even supply, as rapidly as they
were needed. the printed instructions
for the knitting, and the newspapers
We're called on to print the directions
so that every knitter nigh have copy.
But the work must be hurried. They
must come before cold weather" cabled
Major Murphy. That means that the
entire 100000 articles must be COM
pleted in the shortest possible time,
and sent to France. The chapters were
urged to use every possible minute,
to call on every woman and girl who
can knit. whether or not she Is a Red
Cross member. and ask her to help In
the work.
We In America, who can scarcely
realize that our country is at war, have
no conception Of the terrible need OF
the millions Of people in France and
Belgium whose lands are overrun by
the Germans. Utterly penniless. with
no possessions save the ragged clothes
on their backs, they suffered incredibly
by tens of thousands last winter. Now
they face another winter weakened by
the trials they have already undergone,
and it Is "up to the Red Crosse to keep
them from dying of cold. They are
enduring what military experts have
pointed out Americans will be Called
on to endure IL the Germans ever beat
the allied armies and navies and at
tack America on her own shores.
This call for knitted articles is but
one phase of the work OF relief which
the American Red Cross must carry on.
Washington has repeatedly warned
the chapters that the Knitting
must not be permitted to stop or de-
lay he making of surgical supplies
wound dressings, splints, bandages, OPP
Grating garments and the thousands
of other things which surgeons and
nurses must have when they wait on
the wounded. TheAe must be kept
flowing in a never-ending stream In
creasing in volume as our own men
near the front. The knitting is merely
an extra rush order in addition to
everything else the Red Cross has I'M
dertaken to do.
The American soldiers are furnished
with uniforms and overcoats and shoes
and everything that the army regula-
tons call for. The knitted articles are
for their extra comfort-and in the
case of the refugee civilians, are alb
solute necessities.
Every reader Of this article is urged
to get supply of yarn and needles and
knit-or have some one else knit-as
many Of these articles as possible and
as quickly as possible. The knitted
goods should be sent by the knitters
of the central division to the nearest
Red Cross chapter, which will send
them with all speed to the Red Cross
supply service, Wakem & Mclaughlin
Warehouse. 225 East Illinois street,
Chicago. In case the knitter can not
get in touch with Red Cross chapter,
she may send the goods direct to the
warehouse.
Here are the official directions fol
knitting the sweater. muff1ers, socks
and wristlets-and remember, Major
Murphy says they must come before
cold weather"
Equipments.
Knitting machines may be used i
the quality Of their work is up t.
standard.
Yarn may be either gray or khaki
The Red Cross Supply Service will
carry the gray oxford mixture, 4-pl!
los construction.
knitting needles, as prescribed. will
be OF three kinds: No. /, 1S5-10O'
inches in diameter; No. 2, 175-100,
inches, and No 9. 2oA-10oo inches.
|. Yarn and needles can be had thr,