Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1918-09-20
Red Cross


requests that are made by the govern
ment and need immediate attention.
Everyone is asked to preserve the
following carbon supplying materials for
making gas masks for our soldiers:
Peach pits, apricots pits, cherry pits,
plum pits, olive pits, date seeds, Brazil
nut shells, walnut shells, English and
native) hickory nut shells, butternut
shells.
This material should be washed and
dried, The pupils of our public and
convent schools are gathering this
material. If convenient give yours to
some OF those school children or bring
it to the R. G. work rooms. Save every
fruit stone. Help protect American boys
from deadly sight destroying gas, 20C
peach stones will supply enough carbon
for gas mask.
The week Sept 1880, is to be devoted
to a countrywide campaign for gathering
clothing for the destitute Belgian people,
Germany has stripped Belgium of its
cloth and the materials with which
cloth is made The fact is that Ger
many is herself reduced to the use of
paper clothing for many of her people,
so what must conditions be in Belgium
Back of the German wall that has
hemmed in Belgium and part of North
ern France, ten million human being
look to us for clothing as we'll as food
We, who are we'll clothed, can hardly
appreciate in what dire need these peo-
pie are for lack Of necessities. Stocks OF
clothring and raw material are long
since exhausted. There are no imports
other than those the Commission for
Relief in Belgium has been permitted to
make, and these never have been sufi-
cient. The world is now short of both
clothing and raw material, so the Com
mission can no longer purchase what is
needed. But you can give it.
Every household in the land has some
spare clothing, worn or odtgrown, OF
little use here, but desperately needed
by the destitute there. This extrac
from a letter of a Nell-to-do lady OF
Brussels show the conditions exactly.
Perhaps you will laugh when you
hear that | wear a cloak made from my
husband garde civique overcoat, a waist
made from his football shirt, and a
skirt made of a dyed beIsheet. Mother
had suit made of the tablecloth, J and
NJ have cloaks made of woolen blankets,
and S a dress made of burlap. But all
this is only amusing in comparison with
the wretchedness of the population.
After all, we remain calm and content
of victory.
A recent Brussels advertisement says
81 will give up to l25 francs ($25) for
new or worn bedsheets. There is an
immediate need for every sort Of gar
ments, blankets, sheets and shoes.
Every kind of garments, for all ages
and both sexes, is urgently needed. In
addition, piece goods-light, warm canton
flannel and other kinds of cloth from
which to make garments for newborn
babies, ticking, sheeting, and blankets,
wooden goods Of any kind-and shoes OF
every size are asked for. Scrap leather
is needed for repairing footwear.
Since the clothes will be subject to the
hardest kind of wear, only garments
made Of strong and durable materials
should be sent. 1t is useless to offer to
any afflicted population garments Of himsy
material or gaudy coloring. Make the
gifts practical,
Garments need not be in perfect condi-
ton. A hundred thousand destitute
women in the occupied regions are eager
to earn a small livelihood by repairing
gift clothing and making new garments
adapted to needs with which they are
familiar.
The local Red Cross Branch asks every
family in town to contribute to this
clothing fund and see that all contribu-
tons are in the Reds Gross rooms by Fri
day morning, Sept. 27.
Other information concerning these
matters and other things of interest
will be discussed at the regular meetings
of the Branch on Friday afternoons.
Come, and know better what we are
asked to do and the reasons for doing it,