Gilpin observer., 1918-10-24
PROUD RECORD
OF RED CROSS
War Council Tells Chapters Of
Wonderful Work Done in
the Past Year.
LARGE SUMS WELL EXPENDED
In the Eighteen Months Since This
Country Entered the War the I'm
mense Amount OF $325, 100000
Has Been Accourt~j ] For.

Has Been Account j For.
Annual meetings Of the 1854 chap
ters Of the Red Cross were held Octo-
Der %. The War Council of the or
ganization sent the following message,
covering the work for the past year:
Cross:
The War Council sends greetings to
the chapters Of the American Red
Cross on the occasion of their annual
meetings for 1918.
With these greetings go congratula-
tions on the great work of the chapters
during the past year and, above all
things. on the wonderful spirit of sac
rifice and patriotism which has per-
vaded that work.
The strength of the Red Cross rests
upon Its chapters. They are Its bone
and sinew. They supply its funds,
they supply its men and women, they
supply Its enthusiasm. Let us, then,
review together the Red Cross story
Of the past year.
Some idea of the size to which your
Red Cross family has grown may be
gathered from the following facts:
On May 1. 1917. just before the ap-
pOintment Of the War Council, the
American Red Cross had 4S6, 1874 men,
bers working through 562 chapters.
On July 81, 1918, the organization
numbered 2O,64S.1O3 annual members,
besides S.OOO.OOO members of the
f.l ant
OF over one-fOurth the population Of
the United States.
Since the beginning Of the war you
Of the chapters have co-operated with
the War Council in conducting two war
fund drives and one membership drive,
In addition to the campaign on behalf
of the Junior Red Cross.
The total actual collections to date
from the first war fund have amounted
TO more than $115,OOO,OOO. The SUBJ
scriptiOns to the second war fund
amounted to upwards of $178,OOO. 900.
From membership dues the collec-
tons have amounted to approximately
$24.5OO.OOO.
Splendid Work Done by Women.
TO the forging must be added that
very large contribution of materials
and time given by the millions of wom-
en- throughout the country in surgical
dressings. in knitted articles. in hos
pital and refugee garments, in canteen
work, and the other activities the chap
ters have been called upon to perform.
1t Is estimated that approximately
100000 women are engaged In can
teen work and the production Of relief
supplies through the chapters.
For the period up to July 1. 1918,
American Red Cross chapters, through
their workrooms, had produced:
49O,1 ,12O refugee garments.
7.123.621 hospital supplies.
1O.7S6. .4S9 hospital garments.
10,134,5 ,501 knitted articles.
102, ,748. .1O7 surgical dressings.
A total Of 221. .282. 1888 articles-of an
estimated aggregate value Of at least
$44.OOO.O0O.
These articles were largely the
product Of wOmen's hands, and, by the
same token. Infinitely more precious
than could have been the output of
factories or machines. These articles
going to the operating room of the hos
pitals, to homeless or needy refugees.
and carrying comfort to our own boys
In the field. convey a message Of love
from the women of this country entire
ly distinct from the great money value
attaching to their handiwork.
Money Spent In Work.
By the terms under which the first
Red Cross war fund was raised, the
chapters were entitled to retain 25 per
cent Of the amount collected, in order
defray local expenses, to carry on their
home service work, to purchase ma
terials to be utilized In chapter produc-
tiOn and otherwise to meet the numer-
GUS calls made upon them. The chap
ters were thus entitled to retain nearly
$29,OO0.O00. AS a matter of fact, their
actual retentions amounted to only
about 500 100000.
berships, the chapters have retained
about $11 100000.
From this total sum. therefore, of $685.
100000 retained by the chapters, they
have met NIL the oftentimes very heavy
local demands upon them, and In addi.
tion have provided for use by national
headquarters products valued, rs
stated above, at upwards Of $4,000
900.
The chapters have in effect returned
to the War Council. not alone the $33..
100000 retained out of the war fund
membership dues but, in value Of
actual product. an additional contrbu-