Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-09-20
RED CROSS
IN ITALY
Need of Red Cross in Italy-Effect
of the Work Done Upon Italian
people in Their Homes and on Bat
tie Lines.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 8, 1918.
The following is authorized by the
Red Cross War Council:
"The War Council of the American
Red Cross today issued the second
installment of its report to the Amer
lean people concerning the use being
made of the Red Cross War Fund.
This particular installment covers
work being done in Italy since the
beginning Of the war and plans made
for the period up to the end of De-
cember, 1918.
"In carrying out its work in Italy
the American Red Cross has appro-
priated to July 1, 1918, the sum of
ST 1888, ,653.50. The greatly enlarged
field of opportunity and obligation in
Italy has called for an appropriation
for the six months ending December
1918, amounting to $12,657 $3.50.
''Thus by the end of the year 1915
the American Red Cross will have ex-
pended since the war began, and ur
to the end of 1918, at least 20,000,-
600 in work of relief in Italy.
"Need for Red Cross work in Italy
became apparent to the War Council
in Washington early in the summer
of 1917 and temporary commission
headed by George F. Baker Jr., was
sent to Italy to make a thorough ant
exhaustive investigation of the needs
there. AS a result of the commits
sioner's report, permanent commits
sion was in process of formation
when the Teutonic drive on the Aus
trian front filled all Italy with home
less, starving, despairing refugees
and brought a crisis which tool
American Red Cross workers into thu
Italian field. From that moment thei
activities have never ceased.
''Today Italy is firmly convinced
that the American people are natiol
of deeds as well as words. There il
scarcely village or commune whicl
has not been given unmistakable evi
dence of the generosity, kindlines
and ability of America in the worl
of saving Europe from the grasp O
Teutonic autocracy.
''In this connection. Col. John Bu
chanan, one of the directors of tn,
British Ministry on Information
said:
"I hope Americans appreciate tn
work which their Red Cross organi
zation has done in Italy. American
work was wonderful. It was organ
lied and accomplished with deftness
energy and tact. It must have beel
enormously expensive, but it wa
worth many times what it cost in it
remarkable effect on the morale, no
only of the people at home, but a
the front, where it's maximum wa
felt
"a survey made in July shows tina
up to that time relief had been dis
tributed to nearly 100000 needy fam
lilies of soldiers. At last reports tn
Red Cross had in operation in Ital
Al kitchens with capacity of 130
900 rations weekly. These were con
tributing to the comfort of 131 90
families. It is maintaining 43 work
rooms where nearly 5000 women ar
employed in producing an average 0
$4,000 garments. There are 80 nu1
series caring for $4,000 children. Their
are 19 health centers containing s.
046 children. There are IL adul
health centers caring for an averag
of 500 persons weekly.
"All this character of work don
up to July 1, 1918, was accomplishe
at cost of $4,347,383 Work anon
the soldiers at the front up to Jul
/. 1918, has cost $2,844,6O2 A spe
cial emergency fund was expende
during the same period taking car
of thousands of refugees. This wa
done at a cost of $174,700. Anothe
item of expense during the early day
was that of transportation. TIL
amounted to $200,462. Operating e1
CONTINUED on page 81