Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1917-06-01
The American Red Cross

The American Red Gross was ma
tionally incorporated by act of con-
gress in 1905, since which time it has
had a definite status, with the presi-
dent of the U. S. as its chief executive
officer. The membership dues are 81
per year and you are a member SO
long as you pay your dues. No field
service, or service of any kind, is COM
pulsory. The money is used by the
society for relief work in times Of
earthquakes, fires, foods, famines,
mine explosions and war. A full re-
port of monies collected and how it
was expended is made to every regular
session of congress and the war de-
partment audits all the accounts Of
the society. 1t is the greatest organ
lied society for the relief of human
suffering in the world, and it is graft
flying to know that there has never
been charge of fraud or graft SO long
as it has existed.
Some idea of the magnitude of its
work may be CLEANED from the amount
of money that was used in relief work
at different times. For instance in
the San Francisco earthquake and fire
the society spent $3,OS7, 469; for re-
lief of victims of the Titanic wreck,
$125, 993.75; in the Ohio and interior
storm and food relief, 2,472,287;
Eastland steamship disaster, $4,000,
and during 1915 over 100000 was
used in Europeon war relief. Up to
January LIST, 1917, total Of over
fifteen million dollars was expended
right in our own land for alternating
the suffering of victims Of disasters,
plaques and epidemics. Surely no
society on earth has done more for
humanity and with such expedition as
the American Red Cross. No matter
when or where, the society has always
been the first TO minister to the sick,
wounded and destitute. Take, for in
stance, the tornado that wrecked over
400 homes in Nation, ILL.,, few days
ago, the same dispatch telling of the
catastrophe stated that the red cross
was sending nurses, doctors, bandages
and tents and taking charge of the re-
lief work. Just at this time it is i'm.
possible to find out how many people
are members of the red cross, because
the society is growing by leaps and
bounds on account of the war. But
until this, time the membership was sc
small that it did not rebound to oul
claim of patriotic nation, but wheT
the next figures are announced nj
doubt we will be able to point will
pride to our large membership. WheI
the present campaign for membership
began in January, 1916, the U. S
with a population of approximate.
100,000,00O had only $4,000 mem
bers of the red cross. Little Japal
with a population of only little NOR
than 100000 had a membership Q
100000, Germany with a popula
ton of 67, 100000 had membershi
of l, 100000. 1t is safe to say, how
ever, that at this time memberships t
our American Red Cross have increas
ed to about a half million, But eve
that is nowhere near what it shoul
be, and with the nations above cite
as criterion, we are sorely lacking i
showing proper appreciation for thi
the greatest benevolent society in tn
world. No matter what your versio
of the war may be there Is one way i
which you can be of inestimable Sci
vice to your country and provide SUI
cor for suffering humanity, perhaE
your own brother or son, who ma
soon be called upon to defend on
country upon the battlefield.
II Miss Cressie Lamb spent last wee