Gilpin observer., 1918-05-30
RED CROSS NOTES

The vastness and variety of Red
Cross activities are so great that,
in one sense, this fact is almost a
disadvantage. If we read statistics
and figures we are not apt to be
bored or confused.
To most people the idea of the
Red Cross is chiefly that of women
knitting socks, of ether women max
ing bandages; of ambulances pur-
chased, fitted and sent to the front;
of hosIftal units formed and handed
over to the Army Medical Corps,
each with scores of trained workers;
of the two million women who last
month made over 100000 million
surgical dressings and garments at
cost of S1l 100000 for raw mater
ial; OF money spent here, there, and
everywhere for the relief of civilians
who have suffered from the war.
PerhaIs one may get more in
innate idea of the human side of the
Red Cross activities by thinking of
some odds and ends of happenings
noted here literally at random. Thus
you see in your daily paper that the
SUPERINTENDENT of the United States
has directed the Red Cross (not
asked but directed, If you please) to
train $4,000 nurses in the current
year. You note that in April the
Red Cross in France provided SO0,-
OcO meals for American soldiers in
Red Cross canteens and rest sta
tions. You learn that the Red Cross
Purchasing Department in Paris
bought 100000 million yards of
gauze and 5000 900 rolls of absorbent
Gotten at one time. You find that
the Red Cross supply service in Par
is carries on the most gigantic de-
partment store in the world; that
| it's stored goods fill five immense
war rehCuses with articles ranging
from safety-lins to motor trucks.
/ You find also that one enormous
warehouse. known as the ware
house of donations and gifts" is
filled with things sent by >individ-
ufls out of their kindness of heart
not the regular relief supplies at all,
but such things as homemade jelly,
patchwork quilts, and from one giver
and entsrs carload of rosy checked
apples.
You may have read yesterday that
the Red Cross has already made
plans and arrangements to send a
tenn ound food parcel to every Am
erican soldier who is OF may be in
the future prisoner in a German
prison camp. Or you might happen
on an item that in Belgium $780,
600 was devoted solely to removing
children from zones under fire.
We do not need to ask where the
money has gone and is going If we
recall the fact that Ito take two
items only $4.5OO,0OO has been
srent in actual relief work in Italy
since the Italian military reverse of
last October, while over $4,000, 900
has been spent in actual relief. work
in France; not official expenses, or
anything of that kind, but in help
ing and saving men, women, childnem
and babies. There may sometimes
seem to be too much red tape and
excessively complicated organization !;
but corporation spending 500, ,000,s
900 a year and having 10000 900 ad-
ult members (one-fifth the total pop
ulation of the country could hardly
be run like a sewing-bee.
| Wherever the Red Cross flies it
means help and succcr for the
wounded, relief ard support for the
homeless comfort for the soldier
and sailor
An emergency call has just been
received from Washington asking the
Mountain Division to furnish 5000
Comfort Kits and all chapters of
the Division are expected to furnish
their quota. Cur allotment Is IS, so
for the time being we will have to
lay aside our knitting and garment
work and devote ourselves to the
Comfort Kits.
| THEODORA r. LAKE, Chairman.