Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-01
RELIEF WORK in ITALY
BY RED CROSS DESCRIBED
In Single Month, $4,000 Needy
Families of Soldiers in 1000
Villages Visited

What the American Red Cross Society is
doing in Italy is interestingly told in a state
ment issued today at Red Cross Headquarters
here.
For six months before the great Italian
victory on the Piave," says the statement,
american Red Cross workers in every
commune and practically every village in
Italy had been carrying out special relief
measures designed to help maintain Italian
morale. In Sicily and Sardinia. as we'll as on
the main land. the Red Cross workers at
many points far removed from the front. were
busy helping the families of soldiers who
were in need of aid of any kind The object
was to relieve the individual Italian soldier
of worry about his family, while canteen
workers near the front supplied food and
comforts that would make his own life in
the trenches as comfortable as possible
In n single month 31S200 needy families
of soldiers in 1000 villages were visited and
aided, and their improved condition made
known promptly to father or brother at the
front to help maintain his victory spirit
Forty-one Red Cross kitchens are supplying
12O,l63 rations weekly and more are being
constructed. Forty-three workrooms give
employment to 5000 women, who produced
60,S02 garments in thirty days This cloth
ing is supplied to needy refugees or sold at
nohlnai prices TO members of soldiers
families.
Fourteen lace. shoe and carpentry shons
offer refugees, uprooted from their home viii
lagos, an opportunity to continue their former
trades. Three food shops, with others to
come, sell dry food at nominal prices to the
deserving in the big cities. Ten rest stations
and canteens for soldiers feed thousands of
passing troops daily, while rolling canteens
at the front supply hot coffee and Jam and
tobacco from America to many thousands of
wearied men every time there is a relief in
the front trenches.
For the children of Italian fighters and
refugees, the Red Cross has thirty-eight
homes or schools caring for 2258 children a
number of nurseries and creches, and ten hos
pitals and dispensaries. This summer il 10
operating also many childrens health csmns
at seashore and the mountains. In co-opera-
tion with the Italian authorities the American
Red Cross has assisted thousands of families
driven from their homes to re-establish them
selves elsewhere. American homes are
maintained for their temporary care In three
cities A Red Cross village for 1000 people
shortly will be completed near Pisa For
such refugees community gardens have been
established and soon opportunity to farm, win
be provided for many.
"In the war zone, the American Red Cross
has had four ambulance sections and seven Of
its ambulatory kitchens rolling canteens
which even under shell fire help TO get warm
food to the Italian troops fighting in tba
plains or high in the mountains. The Amer
leans in charge of these services have estab-
lished unusual comradeship with the men
and their officers, with resultant confidence I'm
Americas position in the war
Another department supplies drugs,
bsndages, instruments and other equipment
to more than 500 hospitals. To handle sup
plies for hospitals or civilian relief a system
of great Red Cross warehouses has been
established at ports and important railroad
points. In addition the Red Cross is CO.
operatlnR with and assisting financially N, q nv
Italian agencies for relief and education"