The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-04-17
Helpful Activity of $500
Workers Described in a
Letter from Paris
RUNS HOSPITALS
AND DISPENSARIES
In Addition to Work for Soldiers Gives
Great Aid to Refugees and Cares for
Thousands of Helpless Little Chill

In view of the call WhlcH the hHlelI-
can Red Cross intends TO send out
shortly for further subscription fund ,
of 500 1000, it might be we'll to give
a few facts as to what has already been :
accomplished in France by the organiza-
ton.
Officers and men in Red Cross uni
form are seen driving automobiles and
camions in all sections on the American
front, and its ambulances are attached
to French hospitals as well as Ameri-
can base hospitals which contain from
1000 to 5000 patients.
There has been during the last few
months some criticism in Paris that
Red Cross funds were being spent ex-
| travagantly by wealthy American WON
en- who went around to the big de
partment stores ordering goods valued |
| at thousands of francs, while the ware |
houses belonging to the association
were packed with goods.
Officials of the Red Cross, when
asked about the criticisms, replied that
the organization had been equipped TO
meet the demand of the American army,
and the stores of all kinds held III
warehouses were reserves or used IN
emergency This had already proved TO
be most valuable for the army, and
when shipping had been delayed the
Red Cross supplied the troops with
medical stores, provisions, beds, etc,
when they were badly needed. Camions
! are kept at the depots ready to start
for the front at a few minutes notice.
The following statement was given
out at the headquarters of the Ameri-
can Red Cross in this city concerning
the work of the organization:
''The work of the American Red
Cross in France, which is supported by
more than 100000 Americans who
have contributed voluntary fund ex
feeding TO date 500,000,000 francs is
carried on by a staff OF nearly $500
workers, whose labors extend to prae-
\ tically every department of the French
! Republic
For the distribution of supplies to
give aid and comfort to the soldiers
of the allied nations and their families,
j. to help suffering non-combatants and
4 refugees. and to assist in remaking
home places in the war devastated
A areas. % warehouses are required. They
handle an average of $4,000 tons of
4 supplies per month through service
Of 500 ambulances, automobiles, and
camions.
''The American Red Cross operates
90 hospitals of the first class, assists
in the operations of five others, and
conducts &c dispensaries in behalf of
the civil population of France. For
those stricken with tuberculosis, it co
operates in the conduct of three SAM
tariums and aids in the provision OF
comfort equipment of tuberculosis bar
racks in and about Paris, which has
brought about an increase of 2S5 pei
cent in attendance at these barracks
Il since September, 1917
cts supply service includes two fac
4 tories for the manufacture of hospita
y splints and artificial limbs in accord
ance with the latest designs approved
by surgical science, and two surgica
r dressing establishments. One of thes
alone has a capacity of 1870 dress
ings per week These dressings ar
forwarded to 1885 French and l6 Amer
lean hospitals But the general hos
III
for nearly 1000 hospitals in France
and, in addition, has fitted a hospita
train with the most modern apparatu
II for the use of the French army.
lin order 10 insure the immediat
distribution of goods in the devastate
regions of France six warehouses ar
used, and already about 10000 article
have been shipped to these zones t
ita 40 oh y
"a air raids.
II In FIVE villages selected for inter
sive reconstruction, work is we'll unde
r. way upon houses damaged by shell-fr
or bombs, and barns and other on
81 buildings have been made disable
grant of 10000 francs has been mad
to set out 10000 fruit-bearing trees i
. the destroyed orchards OF the mort
Also model farm of 500 acres hs
been established to teach moder
American methods of agriculture
manned French soldiers.
"Refugees are receiving grants {
goods either directly from the Amer
can Red Gross or through IS organic;
tions and 2S local French officials, an
in all l4,312 separate articles of clotl
\ ing, SOL meters of cloths. and ..
ii nay SltCo AVI HctuN bdbieS Win Efei
number of sewing machines and qua
titles of dressmaking supplies. foo
stuffs, and medicines, have been di
tributed
AT the front the Red Cross mai
tains - canteens, which have serv,
more than 100000 French soldiers
their way up to the trenches or as tn
passed on going back to the rear
leave. In Paris and its environs
canteens provide hot food for gre
bands of permissionaries entering
leaving the city. The American R
Cross has served approximately 800
600 soldiers per month at its vario