Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-14
RED CROSS DRIVE
STARTS ON MONDAY
National Body Honors Miss
Bissell. Originator of Christ
mas Seal.

First place has been held by Delaware
in so many oatriotic and charitable move
ments that the workers in the Red Cross
war campaign. which opens next Monday,
look confidently TO again going 'over the
top with a record SURPRISING that OF
anv other State Those who are giving
their time to the Red Cross work day IN
and day out, entirely aside from these
war fund campaigns, Will benefit BY the
coming drive because 25 per cent Of the
collections go to the local chapters. The
Delaware Chapter has been making
large contributions of Red Cross supplies
and its treasury needs the replenishlng
which this war drive will accomplish.
The annual report Of the American
Red Cross. which has just been printed,
paws q striking tribute to the activities
Of one Of the most enthusiastic workers
In the State. Miss Emily p Blssell,
secretary Of the Delaware Chapter, is
gwen official recognition as the originator
Of the Red Cross Christmas seals, the
sale of which has brought many millions
OF dollars to the relief Of sufferers from
tuberculosis The story OF these seals Is
told officially in this language
At the eighth international Red Cross
conference held in London in 1907, the
subject of the participation of Red Cross
socleties IN antl-tuberculosIs work was
considered at length and an agreement
reached that the societies would under
take TO Join IN the fight against the great
white plague
Il navarro OF this agreement, Miss
Emily T. Bissell, secretary Of the Del
aware Red Cross Chapter, appeared before
the central committee Of the American
Red Cross at its annual meeting held in
Washington, December, 1907, with a
little Christmas stamp OF seal, which
had been designed for sale in the Christ
mas holidays for the purpose Of raising
funds sufficient to enable the Delaware
Chapter TO take part IN the antl-tuber
culosis work of that State. The idea
was approved by the central committee
and the Delaware Chapter proceeded
with the experiment OF selling Red Cross
Christmas seals. In the extremely short
time left in which 10 conduct the sale,
S4 500 were realized.
'In 1905 the American Red Cross
adopted the Christmas seal as q national
means of raising funds for anti-tuber-
culosis work and Sl3o, pa worth Of seals
were sold that year.
after the f. t year of the sale Of Red
Cross Christmas seals on national
scale. the American Red Cross concluded
an agreement with the National Associa-
tion for the Study and prevention Of
tuberculosis by which that association
would act as the national sales agent of
the American Red Cross and as such
select and appoint on behalf Of both
organizations State and local Christmas
seal agents Under this plan the number
Of Christmas seals sold each year since
1908 has shown d large increase over the
previous year
The sales for last year had not been
tabulated when the report was made up,
but for the year before the total was 81
0I6, 900 Miss BisseIl is one Of the
active team workers who will take par
IN next week campaign
For Americans at the front there was
completed a shower bath establishment,
with equipment for removing vermin,
which was put into operation IN SIX
days. 1t has a capacity of 5000 men
weekly. Two laundries were installed at
aviation camps, Of sufficient size to wash
the clothes Of 900 men weekly Six
field kitchens furnished food TO soldiers
going to and returning from the battle
field. Each has capacity Of 5000 men
daily.
The Red Cross in the month distrib-
uted G9l 600 bags Of tobacco and pack
ages oil cigarettes IT operated IA farms
at American hospital centres.
In the field service section IA travelling
canteens supplied 425, 900 hot drinks
Six cantcens in the advanced zone Of
the French army furnished food. drinks
and supplies of all kinds free for 45O,-
900 American, French and British sol
diers At one Of these cantcens, situated
q short distance behind the lines, Amer
lean soldiers assemble nightly to smoke.
play games, write letters and read books,
magazines and American and English
newspapers.
The hospital huts contain club rooms
for the nurses, the enlisted personnel
and convalescents They were built by
the Red Cross, but have been operated
by the Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion Under an arrangement just con
ciuded the y NJ c. A withdraws from
hospitals, the Red Cross assuming re-
sponsibility for activities of whatever
nature there