The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-06-15
HELP RED CROSS,
'AYsR0OSEvELT
Colonel Makes Vigorous Plea
for Humanity.
1l Y OF EVERY AMERICAN
in Forceful AppeaINfo for 100000, 900
Fund fer Wounded Mr.. Roosevelt
Characterizes WORK as Sacred q
Mission as Was Ever Undertaken in
Behalf of Suffering World.

Behalf of Suffering World.
Lincoln. Neb., June 15.-Theodore
Roosevelt appealed to the nation to
give generously and speedily to the
500. 100000 war fund which the war
council of the American Red Cross is
to raise for immediate Red Cross needs
next week Speaking at the semicen-
tennial celebration of Nebraska state
hood here, the colonel declared that
the Red Cross will be second in inn
portance only TO the army as a factor
in winning the war.
Urging the whole country to support
the most splendidly constructive work
that ever confronted a nation, Colonel
Roosevelt said in part
Second only to the army in the work
of winning this war comes our Red
Cross Indeed, the importance of this
work is so great that the president of
the United States has set apart next
week. from June Is to %. as a period
for sacrifice and unselfsh generosity,
a week i'm which the whole American
people will be asked TO join in raising
funds to enable our Red Cross to per-
form its vast and indispensable duties
in this war.
THAT these duties may not only have
the support of our hearts, but that the
gifts of our people mag be made effec
tive, may be put to the best possible
Use. the president has also commits
stoned several of the ablest business
men OF the country as war council of
! the Red Cross 10 administer this serv-
ice on behalf CT a stricken world. This
war council has already made far
reaching plans They tell us that a
fund of $1,000 600 must be raised at
once i'm order to meet even the most
urgent needs That fund we are asked
to raise for this work of sacrifice and
conservation.
Summons to Every American.
Here, indeed, is summons to every
American 1t is an enormous sum OF
| money But what comfort can we
take in Withholding that or any other
sum of money if it is needed to relieve
| the suffering of our own sons or the
sons of our allies who are fighting for
all that makes life worth living?
1--WE little realize what is before us
Our own sons and brothers will soon
be going into battle They will be
| 1900 miles from home. in land al
ready wasted by war, a land threaten
ed by famine a land smitten by dis
ease They tell us that in many cases
today the wounds OF soldiers in France
must be tied up with newspaper for
want Of the necessary surgical ban
dages When our own men are wound
ed. as they surely will be in great mum
bers, are we going to allow them tC
suffer yet more because we fail to pro
vide those things which can at leas
mitigate distress? Surely not! But WI
/ must do it in advance If we wait i
may be too late. DO il now! Nine
tenths of wisdom is being wise in time
France Needs Us soreIy.
France. proud. brave, bleeding from
CHASTITY wounds. needs us sorely. Tu
berculosis is raging throughout he
land. Fifteen hundred of her towni
and villages have been razed to th'
ground by the calculated barbarity o
the invaders Millions of her peopl'
are homeless and starving, bereft ever
of the barest coverings for their bodies
OF stoves, of utensils with which Z
cook or eat. of agricultural implement
or animals-indeed OF the simplest ele
/, ments of civilization And to us alon
can these people come for help. w
alone have the abundance with whicl
to supply their direct needs.
ITO Russia. too, we must reach on
our helping hand We little know wha
she has suffered and is suffering He
soldiers went into battle i'll equippe'
J, with arms and ammunition. OF med
cal supplies she had almost none. r.
G care for her wounded on battle lin
I fof 1000 miles she has but 5000 an
+ balances, while France has $4,000 in
s battle line of 400 miles, and even tha
. is not enough. Russia, long obedien
e to autocracy, has not fiinched in thi
: conflict Her people have had to strus
S gle not only to free the world fror
:. autocracy, but to make their own Ian
v ! land of liberty Russia needs all w
t. can do to strengthen her courage an
d to make her feel that we are indeed b'
l. hind her. Our armies can do little 10
her. Our Red Cross alone can TAX
into Russia the message of hope, q
help, of confidence, which she so terr
. bly, needs. The message must be pra'
!. tical Ii must carry deeds and nc
Q merely words. and it should be carrie
+ at once