The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-12-12
RED CROSS HAS 4
NOBLE TASK AHEAD
MAJ. Gen. Edwards dust Back From
the Frept Cites Cases in a Signed
Article.
BY MAJ. GEN. CLARENCE n.
EDWARDS:
Commander Department. Of Northeast
u. S. A..

The Red Cross has a great work
ahead OF it. very great work, . no.
BILE work. We dent. yet realize how
great. this work is to be. right here in
New England. But we shall Know
better in a few weeks, when our
wounded boys are here. and better
still in year from now. when We
have seen them With our own eyea
end have heard their stories.
The work that the Red Cross has
done in France has been great and
useful. When we arrived there we
were in terrible need Of tepts and
blankets. When we had done our
best there was still need. Then the
Red Cross stepped in, without any
useless red tape. and found US the
tents and the blankets, and saw to 1t
that our New Eng1and boys were kept
comfortable. That means a great
deal to a boy when he is three thou :.
sand miles, away from hone, and cold
and wet, The Red Cross will. be busy
in France and Belgium for a long time
yet, with the peppla in tRa devastated
regions and with our own boys. But
the work that | cant help thinking Of
most, the work dearest to me. Is that
which will be absolutely necessary for
our boys here and for their FAMILIES.
hight In our midst.
Every dag ! get scores OF letters
from the relatives OF our boys. Some
of. them are most pathetlc-they take
a hold On my heart. d They come from
the psothers Of oar boys. mothers who
do not know where their boys are,
and who are sick with worry, moth
ers who knew that their boys have
been wounded but wish to learn more
about them. to ease their terrible
anxiety, mothers who wish to know
when their dead boys viii be sent
home.
| Letters come from widows. whose
! only sons are in the army in France
and Who are. dependent on these sons.
| These mothers are sometimes, in
/ great need OF financial aid. and they
! are afraid that their government al
| lotments will not arrive in time. They
need money for food. and for rent.
| Here is letter from a widow whose
son has been wounded and is now in
the hospital in another state. He
cannot yet be discharged, but he is
her only support, and she. writes 10
| tell nae her needs because unless heir
comes she is going to suffer
Last year these mothers were. send
ing. boxes at Thanksgiving time to
| their boys. This year many OF them
are waiting. while they weep. for The
terrible box that will bring the bod j
of the dear son homo 10 them. These
mothers are the. rignttut care Of fhr
Red Cross, and what work 1t can
do for them. r@.'
| On our boat comipg, home were Isl
crippled men. coming back 70 make
i their way again. Another boat start
ed tbs, same day with as many more
some, of, those boys haze only one
| arm, some have only one leg. sons
viii not see their mothers face be,
cause they are hind, What. is SONG
to become of these boys who .havs
given all tina: they eosId? May al
them cannot hold their Did phases d
work. Where will they ind nas
ents? No nehiers work can be tions
than for the Red Cross to see to Il
nat they are made comfortable, tas'
they are looked after. Until fhey Ar.
settled again And they must MOI
come back to homes that have hees
uprooted while they were away. TIL.
Red Cross can make thera mast hap
ny by having their homes safe fol
them, and their mothsers and sister,
well.
One of. the best things abcut tn,
Red Cross is that it has no. red tape
| II gees straight 10 the heart Of thins,
at once and wastes no time. IL
help is sare> and quick, and tina
means everything. l hope. that tn
Red Cross can see to it that. no maa
shall he found, year from now, wit
an empty sleeve. or on. eru#ehss, vh
is wandering the streets Looking 10
work We don't yet knew what
all means. bat we are ing 10 fai
ont pretty soon when the boys ar
here again.
The Red Cross has > great and.
verJ noble task ahead.
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