Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-10-23
CHRISTMAS PARCELS.
ONLY ONE MAY BE SENT TO
EACH SOLDIER OVERSEAS.
THE BOY WILL SEND YOU LABEL
IT'S PRECIOUS; IF YOU LOSE 1T
HE GETS NO PARCEL.

| states government, even with vastly in
creased shipping facilities, to transport
to the more than 100000 American
soldiers who will spend Christmas Oh the
battlefislds of France, Italy and Russia,
and in camps, rest billets and hospitals,
thousands of miles away from home, the
unlimited number of holiday gifts that
fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers,
tiancees and friends are eager to send.
! But the United States war and postoffice
| departments and the American Red Cross
have joined forces and completed arrange
ments whereby every man may receive
one parcel, but not more than one, from
his family or friends.
| The Hancock county chapter of the
| American Red Cross, and its branches and
auxiliaries, will act as intermediary be-
tween the relatives and friends of these
men and the postoffice authorities in pro-
viding them with their Christmas. An
outline Of the plan agreed upon is as fol-
lows:
Christmas parcel labels are being dis
tributed to the men in the American ex-
peditionary forces. Each man will receive
but one label. These they are instructed
to mail to a relative or friend. These
labels will probably not begin to arrive
in the United States before November l.
The relative or friend receiving this
label must guard it carefully. No dupli-
cate can be obtained. If it is lost, no
parcel can be sent.
| The relative or friend receiving the
label should present it at the nearest Red
Cross headquarters. Following is a list of
the Red Cross branches and auxiliaries in
Hancock county:
Bernard, Bucksport, East Bluehill,
Franklin, Islesford, Sedgwick, Sorrento,
Somesville, Southwest Harbor, Sunset,
surry, Winter Haroor, Orland, Cranberry
Isles, Waltham, Bar Harbor, Northeast
Harbor, Bluehill Brooksville, Castine,
Deer Isle, Brooklin, Stonington, Swans
Island, Ellsworth.
When the label is presented at Red
Cross headquarters, the bearer will receive
one carton or container for gifts, 3x4x9
| inches in size. Cartons will be presented
only to persons presenting labels received
from overseas.
The carton may be filled with any COM
bination OF articles which will fit in it,
except those barred by the postoffice de-
partment. Barred articles include all
liquors, all poisons and articles and COM
positions containing poison, explosives,
infiamma Bile materials, including friction
matches, Internal machines, or anything
that may ignite or explode, including
cigarette lighters, liquids or liquifiable
articles and fragile articles not properly
packed, and all articles which may kill or
| in anywise injure another or damage mails
or other property. No written messages
may be included.
| When completely packed, ready to be
exceed two pounds fifteen ounces in
weight. The carton is not to be wrapped
and tied by the sender.
| When the carton is packed it must be
presented at the Red Cross headquarters
from which it was received. There Red
Cross representatives will carefully ex-
anime the contents to exclude forbidden
articles, and will wrap and tie the parcel,
weigh it, and affix the label from over
| seas bearing the address OF the man for
whom it is intended. The parcel must
also bear the sender's name and address.
| The sender shall then, in the presence
of the Red Cross representative, affix
stamps sufficient to carry the parcel to
| Hoboken, n. J. As the weight limit on
a parcel wrapped and tied may not exceed
three pounds, the maximum postage from
Hancock county will be 10 cents. The
sender pays the postage. A Red Cross
inspection label certifying to complete
| inspection will be placed on the parcel.
Parcels ready for mailing shall remain
| in the possession of the Red Cross until
delivered to the postoffice authorities.
The Red Cross will provide nc carton
and will receive no parcel without the
| label from the man overseas. Each soldier
| abroad may receive one parcel, and only
one. Cartons for Hancock county have
already been received in Ellsworth and
will be ready for distribution probably
by November l. In Ellsworth the cartons
will be given out by Mrs. c. r Burrill at
the office OF the Hancock county chapter
of the Red Cross in the postotfice build
ing, from to D. m. Mondays, Wednes-
days and Fridays. No Christmas parcel
can be mailed to soldiers overs cas-
later than November 20. They should
be received at Red Cross headquarters in
Hancock county by November 10.
1t is suggested that those living remote
from the nearest Red Cross headquarters,
in order to save second trip, should come