Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-10-30
WONDERFUL WORK
OF RED CROSS
War Council Send. Greetings Ia
Local Chapters Reviewing
Total Work Done.

Total Work Done.
To the Chapters of the American Red
Cross: =.
The War Council sends greetings to
the chapters Of the American Red
Cross on the occasion of their annual
meetings for 1918.
With these greetings go congratu-
lations on the great work of the chap
tiers during the past year and, above
all things, on the wonderful spirit OF
sacrifice and patriotism which has
pervaded that work.
The strength of the Red Cross rests
upon its chapters. They are It's bone
and sinew. They supply its funds,
they supply its men and women, they
supply its enthusiasm. Let us, then,
renew together the Red Cross story
of the past year.
Some idea of the size to which your
Red Cross family has grown may be
gathered from the following facts:
On May 1, 1917, just before the ap.
pointment of the War Council, the
American Red Cross had 486,194 men,
bers working through 562 chapters.
On July 81, 1918, the organization
numbered 2O,648, 1O3 annual members,
besides 5000, 900 members of the Jun
ior Red Cross-a total enrolment of
over one-fourth the population Of the
United States.
These members now carry on their
Red Cross work through 1854 chap
ters, which again divide themselves
into some 10000 branches and aux
iliaries.
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 membership
drive, in addition to the campaign on
behalf Of the Junior Red Cross.
The total actual collections to date
from the first war fund have amounted
to more than $115,000,000. The sub
scriptions to the second war fund
amounted to upwards of $176,000,0 900.
From membership dues the collec-
lions have amounted to approximately
$24,500, 900. 1855;
To the foregoing must be added that
very large contributions of materials
and time given by the millions Of
women throughout the country in sur
gical dressings, in knitted articles, In
hospital and refugee garments, in can
teen work, and the other activities
the chapters have been called upon to
perform. 49,.
1t is estimated that approximately
100000 women are engaged in can
teen work and the production of re-
lief supplies through the chapters.
For the period up to July 1, 1918,
American Red Cross chapters, through
their workrooms had produced:
490,1N refugee garments.
7,123,621, hospital supplies.
10,786,489, hospital garments.
10,134,501 knitted articles.
192,74S, 1O7 surgical dressings.
A total Of 221, 282, 1893 articles-ot an
estimated aggregate value OF at least
$44 100000. -. n:fe
These articles were largely the pro.
duct of women's hands, and, by the
same token, infinitely more precious
than could have been the output of
factories or machines. These articles
going to the operating rooms Of the
hospitals, to homeless or needy refu-
gees, and carrying comfort to our
own boys in the field, convey a mes
sage of love from the women of this
country entirely disticnt 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 Is
per cent Of the amount collected, in
order to defray local expenses, to car
ry on their home service work, to pur-
chase materials to be utilized in
chapter production and otherwise to
meet the numerous calls made upon
them. The chapters were thus EMIT
led to retain nearly 500 100000. As a
matter of fact, their actual retentions
amounted to only about $22, 900, 900. -.
Out of collections from annual mem.
berships, the chapters have retained
about $11, 100000.
From this total sum, therefore, of
$33,OOO,O00 retained by the chapters,
they have met all the often-times very
heavy local demands upon them, and
in addition have provided for use by
National Headquarters products: val
ued, as stated above, at upwards OF
$4,000, 900. ). " :
The chapters have in effect returned
to the War Council, not alone the
| $33;000,000 retained out of the war
fund and membership dues but, in
values of actual product, an additional
contribution Of at least $11 900, 900.
1t will thus be seen that during the
eighteen months which have elapsed
since the United States entered the
war, the American people, will have
either paid in or pledged to the Am.
erican Red Cross for It's work of re-
lief throughout the world, in money or
in material values, a net total of at
least 325,O00, 000.:
This outpouring of generosity In
material things has been accompanied
by spontaneity in the giving, by an
| enthusiasm and devotion in the
doing, which, after all, are greater and
bigger than could be anything measur:
ed in terms of time or dollars. "a.
It has been because of this spirit
which has pervaded all American Red
Cross effort in this war that the. aged
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