The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-26
Receiving Branch for Holiday
Parcels in Topeka Friday.
Special Paper Cartons VIII Be
Furnished Free.
ARMY LABELS A NECESSITY
Used in Forwarding Present to
Soldiers in France.
Local Chapter To Aid IN Pack
ing and Suggestions.

The receiving station for the Christ
mas parcels for the soldiers and ma
rines overseas will be opened by the
Topeka chapter for the Red Cross at
507 Kansas avenue next Friday morn
ing. The station will remain open
every day until November 20, the last
date on which shipments of the Christ
mas parcels to the soldiers can be
made.
The Christmas parcel labels should
be arriving in Kansas within q few
days now. Every soldier in France
was given a label which he is to send
to his parents or his best friend at
home and which must be used in for
wardinE the parcel. If the label is
lost no duplicates can be issued.
Special Paper Carton.
The Red Cross has had made a spe-
cial paper carton, of the correct size
and shape and these cartons will be
furnished free to those receiving the
labels. No other carton can be used
than the one furnished by the Red
Cross. No carton can be shipped
overseas unless it is in the Red Ceoss
box, has the army label and has been
inspected by the Red Cross inspectors.
These rules have been laid down by
the war department and cannot be va
ried. No parcels for boys in the navy
postoffice only and are not handled
by the Red Cross. No parcels for boys
in the American training camps, in ST.
IBERIA or any other place than in
France or England are to be sent thru
the Red Cross. All parcels for soldiers
or marines in France or England must
go thru the receiving station in To-
peka and be inspected there.
1t Is Inspected.
At the receiving station the pack
age will be carefully inspected. If it
contains no prohibited articles and is
properly packed it is handed to
United States postoffice employe who
weighs it. If the package does not
weigh over two pounds and fifteen
ounces, it vs. passed and goes to the
wrappers who will wrap the package
in standard form, place on it the in
then take from the owner the ad-
dress label furnished by the govern
ment and this is pasted to the pack
age. 1t is then delivered to the post
office employees, in the same room,
who will sell the required stamps to
carry it to Hoboken. and the package
is then put into a mail sack. All of
the inspection. weighing and wrap
ping must be done under the eyes of
the person shipping the package.
Outside of Topeka the chairmen of
the local auxiliaries have been motif
fled to ascertain the number OF SOL
tiers in their communities and they
will receive the proper number of
o@rtons to provide for each man. With
each package will be the instructions
and lists of prohibited articles and
when packed the packages may be de-
livered to the auxiliary chairman for
transportation to the Topeka station
or the mother or other relative may
deliver the package at Topeka. Every
package going overseas from Shawnee
county must be inspected, weighed
and wrapped in Topeka.
The packages may be filled with
any combination of articles which will
fit except the few specifically pro-
hibited by the postal and war regula-
tions Care should be taken that only
unperishable and unbreakable articles
which will stand a long journey and
rough handling can be permitted.
Suggestions for Boys.
Here are some suggestions on what
to send to the boys:
Dried fruits or other food products,
wrapped or packed in tin or wooden
boxes.
Hard candy, including chocolates,
wrapped in tin-foil or cardboard.
Any dainties or food that mother
makes which will not crush, and are
packed in containers.
Articles of clothing. 1t is especially
desired that the khaki-colored hand
kerchiefs, so greatly needed by SOL
diers, be used in wrapping each sep
arate gift in the carton.
Photographs.
Here is a list OF prohibited articles,
which will be removed by the inspec-
tors:
Notes or messages of any kind.
Glasses of jelly or preserves.
Liquid or semi-liquid or soft, per-
ishable articles.
Liquors.
Friction matches.
Canned heat.
Cigar or cigaret lighters.
Celluloid or other inflammable ma
terials.
Any article of food which may spoil
or may be crushed which might in any
wise hurt, harm or injure another. or
damage or deface or otherwise injure
the mails or other property.