Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-03

ItSu SEOSS, appointed by president
/ Wilson May 10, Henry Z. Dawson.
chairman, today makes public the
report to the American people on the
present state of the War Fund and
the work which is being done by the
American Red Cross in this country
and different parts of the world. The
report, in part is as follows:
To the American People:
The Red Cross War Council here
with reports on the work of the Red
Cross during the almost six months
which have elapsed since its appoint
ment by the President.
Included herein are details as to
collections on account of the War
Fund and appropriations made from
the Fund, up to November /.
The growth of Red Cross activi-
ties among the suffering civilian
popula TORS in the different allied
countries is, up to this time, the out
standing feature of Red Cross work
in this war The magnitude of the
work in France is particularly i'm
pressive.
Aims of the Red Cross
Broadly speaking, the Red Cross
War Council has proceeded upon the
theory that the present work of the
American Red Cross should contrib
ute to these great aims:
I. To be ready to care for our
soldiers and sailors on duty where
ever and whenever that care may be
needed.
.. To shorten the War-by
etr"ncth""i"a the u'0IaI" Of tho Al
lied peoples and their armies. by. al
lcviating their Suffcrings in the per-
lOd which must clapSc until the
American Army can become fully
effective abroad.
3. To lay foundations for an en-
| .l,.r r..
sage of practical relief and sympa-
Thy to the civilian population among
our Allies. carrying to them the eN-
preston of the finest side of the
American character.
The American people have gener-
ously supported the work of the Red
| Cross, and this report of activity is
given with great fullness in the hope
| that through it the public may real
ize both the obligation and the op-
portunity which the future presents.
Responding to the Cry For Relief
The American Red Cross is at
| tempting to respond to the most be-
seeching and far-reaching appeal
ever made for mercy and relief.
The American people are today
the richest people in the world, the
richest in resources, richest in obli-
cations and in opportunities. The
Red Cross aims to mobilize the
hearts and souls of America toward
binding up the wounds of a bleeding
world.
Up to date approximately $751;
100000 in cash has been collected
for the War Fund. The demands,
however, in Europe, are increasing
with great rapidity and on the pres
ent basis of expenditure the $780,
100000 War Fund cannot last much
beyond snring.
Moneys Appropriated
| Following the preliminary report
recently made on the work in
Europe of the American Red Cross,
he War Council presents herewith
a summary of the work of the Red
Cross, both in the United States and
in Europe, from May 10, 1917, to
November l, 1917.
During this period the War Coun-
Gil appropriated from the War Fund
(including $7,659,000 advanced to
chapters for purchase of material
and to be returned to the War
FUND.-, $10,969, 9,216.60 for work in
the United States, as contrasted with
the appropriation of $27,SS5, ,S16.6S
for work abroad, of which S20,601,- =
240.47 was for use in France.
There have been appropriated
from funds restricted to specific pur-
poses S1,417,625.74. AS $7,659, 900
advanced by the War Council is to
be returned to the War Fund, the
net appropriations amount TO $780,
613, 3,659.20.
The total expenses of raising and
collecting the War Fund are prov
ing to be less than one per cent. The
War Fund is deposited locally by the
chapters and campaign committees.
About $500 banks now hold these
deposits, in the name of William G..
McAdoo, Treasurer.
Base Hospital Units Equipped
Forty-niRe Army base hospital
units and five for the Navy have
been recruited, organized and
equipped by the Red Cross. More
| than twelve of the Army units and
two of the Navy units have now
been mustered into their respective
Medical Corps and are seeing SER
vice. These units can care for a
50O-bed hospital each, and some of
them have been reinforced to enable
them to take over larger hospitals.
The Red Cross has also organized
| As ambulance companies, with n to-
tai personnel of $3.50, all of which
have been taken into the Army Med
ical Corps, some for service abroad,
! others for the camps and canton
ments. A General Hospital, for the
use of the Navy, has been established
1
homes have been built at Fort Ogle-
| thorpe and Fort Mcpherson, Geor-
| gia, and mobile laboratory cars are
| to be provided for use in case of
| emergencies at the camps.
The Red Gross Sanitary Service
: Through it's Sanitary Service, the
Red Cross is cooperating with local
health authorities in maintaining
the best possible sanitary conditions
in the zone just outside military iur-
isdiction at the training camps and
cantonments. Twenty sanitary units
have been organized for this pur-
pose.
The Red Cross has placed field di-
rectors of Camp Service at thirty
eight camps, cantonments and naval
stations. The purpose of the Camp
Service is to cooperate with all the
| agencies that are advancing the well
| fare of the enlisted men.
The Red Cross has continued it's
work of disaster relief during the
war and has rendered aid in ga
calamities. Recently a call for help
! for flood victims in Tien-tsn was
! answered by the dispatch of a relief
| expert to the city, and the sending
of $685. 900.
Fourteen thousand Red Cross
nurses have been erro'1nd fnr dutv.
and approximately 5000 have al
ready been called into active service.
! of whom 1000 are working abroad.
A program for increasing the re-
| serve of fully trained nurses for war
service has been adopted, in concert
with the Committee on Nursing of
| the Council Of National Defense and