Putnam patriot., 1917-11-02
RED CROSS CARES
 FOR U. 5. TROOPS
Needs of Our Soldiers in France Looked
 After
Everything Done to Make the Boys in
 Khaki Comfortable


 Now that Putnam boys in the U. S.
 army are being sent to France, while
 others are already seeing service there,
 the following Red Cross news dispatch
 will be of interest 10 those who are
 anxious as to the welfare of American Expeditionary Forces.
 The American Red Cross is support
 ing, and will continue to support Gen. eral Pershing and his troops in France to the limit of it's power.
 "No need of our army which we can possibly foresee will be left un- convered," !" cables Major Grayson Mur- phy. head of the Red Gross Commis- sion in France. In order to facilitate his work, Major Murphy, a West Point graduate who saw service in the span ish- A merican War, was appointed to General Pershing's staff, and the
 whole Red Cross campaign is being conducted with view to the fullest cooperation with the wishes ana policy of the American commander.
  to care for each contingent of troops as they land. On the route from the reception camp to the training camps, a journey which sometimes takes 72 hours, owing to the congestion of the
 French railroads, there have been es' tablished infirmaries and rest stations, each in charge of a trained nurse and
 an assistant, to care for soldiers who are Ill on the way.
 When the men reach camp, the Red Cross will continue to act AS friendly
 agency to supplement what the Army itself does to make the men comfort
 able. Cigarettes to the number Of
 million and half, 10000 packages of smoking tobacco and 10000 cuts of chewing tobacco have already been sent to France for their use. Red Cross chapters are now working up mil lion pounds of knitting wool into gar ments for the use of both soldiers and sailors this winter, and will keep the
 men supplied.
 At the railroad stations where sol diers will be waiting for train con-
 nections, as soon as the routine of alternate trench duty, reserve duty and leave begins, the Red Cross has
 arranged to provide canteens where they can rid themselves of the filth of the trenches and eat, sleep or amuse themselves in comfort.
 Before the first contingent sailed some months ago the men were given comfort kits, each containing heavy socks, handkerchiefs, wash cloth and soap, pencil and writing paper, pipe
 and the makings, playing cards,
 mouth organ or game, buttons, pins and other small articles. Further gifts will be sent over in time for the Christmas celebration at the front. Fully organized base hospitals, pre-
 pared for any emergency that the eX- in France These units were recruited by the Red Cross. The surgeons were drawn from the cream of ,the medical profession in the United States; the
 nurses were specially selected for their | fitness for this duty from those who had been enrolled, in accordance with rigid requirements, by the Red Cross. Thirteen thousand thoroughly capable | trained nurses are now enlisted for such service as may become necessary. Hospital supplies, drugs and in- | struments have been sent to France, l anu additional consignments will be shipped as they are called for by | Major Murphy. Some of them will l which the Red Cross will maintain. Through the Red Cross chapters and | the Surgical Dressings committee, now affiliated with the Red Cross, hos. | pital garments and dressings are being
 made continually in this country and
 will be forwarded to france as needed. 1 If Americans are captured, there is a Red Cross Bureau already organized
 at Berne which will maintain com
 manifestation between prisoners in | Germany and their homes in the 1 United States, and will forward the supplies and foodstufis which the men
 in the German ,prison camps will | need.