The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-25
s325,oOO,OOO
GIVEN BY U. S.
TO RED CROSS
Annual Report of Chairman
Shows Membership of TO-
648, lO3 in u. S.
(By Associated Pres,)

Sby Associated PreSS)
NEW YORK, Oct. 25.-The American
people have either paid in or pledged
20 the American Red Cross for its
work OF relief throughout the world.
IN money or material values. a net
total of at least $325,000.OOO.
The American Red Cross has to-
tal membership of 20,64S,1O3 and, In
addition. 100000 members in the
Junior Red Cross; total enrolment
OF more than one-fourth the popula-
ton OF the United States.
American Red Cross workers pro-
duced up to July last total Of 221.-
2S2,S3S articles OF an estimated value
Of $44.000.0OO.
About 5000, 900 women are engaged
In canteen work and the production
relief supplies.
The American Red Cross is distri-
buting aid in ten countries-the Unit
ed States, England. France. Italy. Bel
GUM, Switzerland, Palestine, Greece,
Russia and Siberia. Besides 1t has
sent representatives to Serbia, Dem
mark and MADEIRA.
More than 5000 Americans will be
working under the Red Cross in
France by Jan. 1, next.
These facts were laid before the g.
1854 chapters Of the Red Cross in the
annual message Of the War Council
OF the Red Cross when the chapters
throughout the country today held
their annual meetings to elect offic-
erS.
Announcement was made In the
message that every man, woman and
child In the United States would be
asked at Christmas time to enroll in
the American Red Cross.
Women Did Great Work.
The message. signed by Henry p.
Dawson, chairman Of the war council
said in part:
Since the beginning of the war,
you Of the chapters have co-operated
with the War Council in conducting
two war fund drives and one member
ship drive, In addition to the cam
paign on behalf of the Junior Red
Cross. The total actual collections to
date from the first war fund have
amounted to more than S115,00O, 900
The subscriptions to the second war
fund amounted to upwards of $780,
100000. From membership dues the
collections have amounted to approx
mately $24,500.O00.
ITO the foregoing must be added
that very large contributions Of mate
rails and time given by the millions
OF women throughout the country. For
the period up to July l, 1918, Ameri-
can Red Cross chapters, through their
workrooms had produced: 490.120
refugees garments; 7,123,621 hospital
supplies; 10,7S6.4S9 hospital gar
ments; 10,134,501 knitted articles.
192,74S.107 surgical dressings; total
of 21,2S2,S3S articles-of an estimat-
ed aggregate value of at least $44,-
100000.
"These articles were largely the
product of women's hands, and, by
the same token. infinitely more preci-
Gus than could have been the output
of factories or machines. These ar
ticles going to the operating rooms of
the hospitals, to homeless or needy
refugees, and carrying comfor- to our
own boys in the field, convey mess
age OF love from the women of this
country entirely distinct from the
great money value attaching to their
handiwork.
by the terms under which the first
Red Cross war fund was raised, the
chapters were entitled to retain 25
percent of the amount collected, in or
der to defray local expenses, to carry
on their home service work, to pur-
chase materials to be utilized in chap
ter production and otherwise to meet
the numerous calls made upon them.
The chapters were thus entitled to re-
tain nearly S29,000,000. AS matter
of fact, their actual retentiOns
amounted to only about S22,000,000
Out of collections from annual men,
berships, the chapters have retained
about $11, 100000.