Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-07-31
INTERESTING ITEMS
ABOUT RED CROSS WORK
Messanes Sent Thru Lines,

AbOUl NED INOoS WONh
Message. Sent Thru Lines.
To prevent the possibility of valu-
able information getting into Germany,
the American Red Cross, in sending
letters behind the enemy lines, at the
request OF persons in this country, is
following carefully a plan worked out
by the State Department to do away
with code.
Americans, Germans or others in the
United States wishing to communi-
ate with relatives in Germany must
now write their messages in Red Cross
chapters throughout the country.
These are sent through the division
Offices of the organization to National
Headquarters. Here they are rewrit-
ten and the wording absolutely chang
ed t. prevent the sending Of any dia-
gram or secret code. The messages
are then given to the Censorship Board
and are passed or refused as the
case may be. When they reach a
neutral country, they are translated
on other paper in most cases delivered
| by the Red Cross of the place to which
they go. The plan is considered as
spy-proof as it is possible to devise.
During the last Is years the
| practise has grown up that welfare
| messages and inquiries shall be per-
mitted between civilians in countries
which are at war with each other
| The promiscuous sending of letters
| through organizations in neutral coun-
| tries could not be permitted because
| of the large number of enemies in the
country. To prohibit entirely the
sending of messages, would, for ex-
ample, prevent loyal American from
finding out whether his sister, unfOr-
| tunately married to a German, was
alive or dead. Prohibition was in
force for time and pitiful appeals
were received by the Red Cross from
French, Belgians and Italians begging
the society to get word for them as to
whether their people in the occupied
districts were still alive.
| The American Red Cross, through
it's representative at Berne, Switzer-
land, Carl P. Bennett, is forwarding
| supplies to all American prisoners of
war confined in German prison camps.
| When this work was started the sup
plies consisted mainly of bread, made
in and shipped from Berne, and sup
Elementary packages of food shipped
from time to time from London,
through the British Red Cross.
| Care Of Prisoners.
| The business of caring for our pris-
oners is now organized on a more
practical basis. The American Red
Cross has leased large warehouse at
Berne and it is in the hands of an
efficient organization. The War De-
partment has shipped to- this ware
house food and clothing for military
prisoners. The naval prisoners are
furnished with food and clothing by
the American Red Cross, and an &C
counting of the cost of these supplies
is given to the Navy Department,
which in turn reimburses the Red
Cross for the expenditure made. In
the case of civilian prisoners, many
of whom were taken from torpedoed
ships in the early days of the war,
food and clothing is supplied entirely
by the Red Cross.
AS soon as man is reported official
ly as prisoner of war, 20 pound par
eel CT nourishing food is sent him each
week, as well as proper clothing, GER
tain luxuries, toilet articles and to-
bacco.
The surgeon generals department
of the United States Government has,
in connection with the American Red
Cross, worked out an invalid ration
which is issued by the government
and the Red Cross for shipment to
prisoners of war who are reported
! as being i'll.
At the present time there is suf-
fcient food at the warehouse in
Berne, or in transit, to supply 10000
prisoners for period of six months.
1t is earnestly hoped that they are not
going to need this amount, but it is
we'll to be prepared. In order to meet
every emergency, a similar warehouse
has now been leased at Copenhagen,
Denmark, under the direction of Mes
Sis. YOslin & Stein. 1t will contain
5000 rations and will be prepared, in
an emergency, to take up the work CT
prisoners relief at a moments notice.
AS further safeguard, supply of
food and clothing is stored in France.
It may be seen from the above &C.
count that an organization has been
established which, through the gener-
osity of the United States Government,
and by the American people as re-
presented by the American Red Cross,
is in a position to take proper care of
all American prisoners.
The Bureau of American Prisoners
Relief in this country, as well as the
Division of Allied Prisoners Relief,
is located at the American Red Cross
Headquarters at Washington, D. C.
What Home Service Means.
Home Service sections of the Ameri-
can Red Cross are organized with
just one purpose-to see that all fami-
lies Of soldiers and sailors are main
ta1ned in comfort and peace of mind
while the men are in service.
! Any soldier or sailor who knows
or fears that his family u.s. in trouble
should appeal at once to Home Serv-
ice He should 60 at once to the
Home Service man attached to his
division here or abroad, or write to
his family to take their troubles to
the Red Cross Home Service section
in their home town.
| Men in service know they will be
taken care of If they are wounded or
| sick; they should know also that the
! Home Service workers of the Red
Cross are willing to relieve them of