Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-14
MILLION COMFORT
KITS ARE NEEDED
Red Gross Circulars Tell in
Detail How They Can
Be Made

Washington, Sept. 15.-Half mill
lion practical circulars on the MAX
ing of comfort kits and bags were
issued to-day by the American Red
Cross. The circulars can be obtained
on application at any Red Cross
chapter. A million comfort kits are
to be made at once for the men of
our army and navy. A million more
will be made for the Russian revo-
lutionary army as a pledge of cheer
to the allied armies on the eastern
front. The Red Cross is to be under
no expense for these KIts. all being
provided as gifts from the women
who wish to make them.
Miss Florence Marshall, director of
the women's bureau, announced that
the circular embodied the sugges-
ton of the War Department, of Gen
eral Pershing and of Major Grayson
M. P. Murphy as t. wnat the men
wanted. Three types of kits are sug-
gested, a simple bag with draw
string and two with pockets, one for
the trenches and one suitable for
hospital use. Anything similar will
be gladly welcomed. The kits are to
be made of plain khaki. Colored Gre
tonne has not been advised because
1t is dangerously visible when carried
by troops at the front.
The circular is illustrated with
uieN VI CeiSh ~ PC VI DdBs IL llolS
the personal equipment given to each
man by the War Department in or
der that women may not duplicate
| these articles in filling the comfort
| kits. But it also notes that the
regular outfit of any soldier is liable
to be lost or destroyed and that ad-
diitonal supplies even of his necessi-
! ties may be welcome to him at the
| front.
The Red Cross commissioner in
France has advised about comfort
kits as follows:
"They should contain pipe and to-
| bacco pouch, heavy socks, handker-
chiefs, wash cloths and soap, mouth
organ or game, pencil, writing paper
or pad and envelopes, and, if not too
| expensive, single -bladed knife and
spoon.
They should be made of stout
material so that they can be used
in all sorts of practical ways.
They should have, if possible. an
American Ilag sewed on the outside" ."
Materials for making the kits can
be procured by the chapters from
/ the Red Cross division supply serv-
ice. individuals may purchase their
materials from the chapters or from
retail stores. Certain articles, like
the combination knives and spoons,
may be had from the division supply
service.
The suggestion for hospital kits
descibes the making of a souvenir
pocket, where the invalided soldier
may store his little collection of
treasures which more often than not
includes a scrap of shell or the bull
let that brought him to the hospital.
No playing cards are to be included
in the kits that go to Russia and no
mouth organs or knives and scissors
for the hospital kits.
A list of additional articles is sug-
gested that may be added If the indi-
viduals desire to have their bags
particularly full of plums for the
man "out there:
Blotting paper, chewing gum,
chocolate (if wrapped in tinfoiD
corn plasters, collapsible cups, COM
pressed tea tablets, compressed
matted milk tablets, scrapbook con-
tanning good story or jokes, gaiter
laces (khak color), garters, knife
(two-bladed, such as boy scouts use),
marbles. nail brush, nail file, pin
ball with pins, puzzles, scissors fold-
ing in sheath), water-tight match
box postcards, shoe laces (black for
the navy, khaki-colored for the
army, slippers especially for hos
pital kit), talcum powder, tape
(white, black or khaki-colored), toi-
let paper.
Completed articles should be sent,
if possible, to the nearest Red Cross
chapter. When this cannot be done,
they should be sent directly to the
Red Cross division supply service in
the nearest of the following cities:
Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Washington, Atlanta, New Orleans,
st. Louis, Clev Gland, Chicago, Min
neapolis, Denver, San Francisco and
Seattle.