Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-20
NAVY AUXILIARY
QUITS JANUARY |
Mrs. Stotesbury Announces
Organization of 10000
Women Will Disband
FOLLOWS END OF WAR
Aid in. Knitting for Men in
Service Declared No Longer
Necessary

The Navy Auxiliary of the Red Cross
will dlsband January 1.
It's moro than 10000 members many
Of them working girls, will be demo-
bIlzed. No more work will be done after
the close OF the Red Cross rollcall
drive for members Monday.
The organization was formed more
than a year ago to supplement, with
knitted garments, the comforts provided
sailors by the navy.
Mrs L. T. Stotesbury, chairman Of
the auxiliary, addressed the following
statement to the newspapers:
I'm view of the fact that the news has
become prematurely public that the
Navy Auxiliary is going to demobillze
on January !, you are asked to publish
the following authoritative statement:
THE executive committee Of the Navy
Auxiliary and the Chairmen of its var
ious sections, whose members number
10000, have unanimously voted to
demobilize the Navy Auxiliary on jan
uary /.
Renson for Disbanding
Ouf reason 1Or so uOlnR Is lnat the
organization was formed for war work
only, its purpose being to supplement by
knitted garments the comforts provided
for the men of the navy by the Navy
Department.
"A great proportion of our members
are working girls. For instance, in the
Gimbel Lit and Snellenburg stores
alone there are 5000 members who stay
after house to do their knitting for
the navy.
I'VE have furnished $4,000 knitted
garments, and, now that the war Is
over, 1t Is undoubtedly great hardship
to the working girls to ask them to eX-
pend time and energy on work which Is
not absolutely necessary.
THE paymaster general of the navy
approves our rehabilitation and assures
us that no further aid Is necessary. The
Red Cross division headquarters in
Philadelphia tells us that they have
$4,000 sweaters in reserve and they also
approve our ceasing this work
We therefore decided to demobilize
January l rather than let our splendid
organization disintegrate from lack OF
occupation.
please understand that our demobii-
cation does not mean withdrawal from
the Red Cross. as we will retain our
membership and be ready on call any
time to aid the navy.
we are particularly anxious as loyal
Red Cross members that our action
should not adversely affect the Red Cross
drive for membership, and therefore We
decided not to announce our demobiliZa-
ton until after rollcall. We learned
this morning that the news has reached
the newspapers, and being true, cannot
hp dnniad We have tlprafnFa decided
to make this explanation.
MRS. EDWARD t. STOTESBURY,
Chairman Navy Auxiliary. American
Red Cross.",.. S.... ....
Five hundred men of the Baldwin Lo-
comotive Works rendered an ovation to
the workers of the Red Cross Christ
mass rollcall drive at a meeting today
at Eighteenth and Hamilton streets. In
their working clothes and with their
hands and faces smeared with oil, the
workmeu listened attentively to the
speeches OF the women orators and after
ward contributed literally to the sub
scrlptions.
The crowd was addressed by Edith
Fell and Eleanor Schofeld, both from
England. The two women have just
returned from the ba' front and told
the workmen of har Aships, desolation
and starving condition of many people
In the European countries The women
represented the families of the orphan
children OF France.
Another successful meeting was held
at the Liberty Statue, wh'.e the princl-
pay speaker was L. j, Cattell, City
Statistlcian. Following his address Mr.
Cattell contributed Ave subscriE Ions for
children of the Camden Home for
Friendless Children, of which Mr.. Cat
tells father and mother were president
and vice president, respectively
The meeting at the statue was par
ticipated in by twelve children from the
Northern Home. Attired in Red Cross
uniforms, the little ones romped about
the statue and made big hit" with the
large crowd that attended the meeting