The Jasper news., 1918-10-31
War Council Tells Chapters Of
Wonderful Work Done N
the Past Year.
LARGE SUMS WELL EXPENDED
In the Eighteen Months Since This
Country Entered the War the I'm
, mense Amount Of $s25, 100000
Has Been Accounted For.


Der 49, The War Council of the or
ganization sent the following message,
covering the work for the past year:
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 congratula
tions on the great work of the chapters
during the past year and, above all
things, on the wonderful spirit of sac
rifice and patriotism which has per-
vaded that work.
The strength Of the Red Cross rests
upon Its chapters. They are its bone
and sinew. They supply Its funds,
they supply its men and women, they
supply Its enthusiasm. Let us, then,
review 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 /, 1917, just before the APP
poihthcht VI Tie war SOuuCll, Tie
American Red Cross had 4S6, 1914 men,
bers working through 562 chapters.
On July 81, 1918, the organization
numbered 20649. 103 annual members,
besides 100000 members of the
Junior Red CrosS-a total enrolment
Of over ope-fourth the population Of
the United States.
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
10 more than $115,000,O00. The sub=
scriptions to the second war fund
amounted to upwards of $176,000,O00.
From membership dues the collec-
tons have amounted to approximately
S24,5O0,O00.
Splendid Work Done by Women.
TO the forging must be added that
very large contribution of materials
and time given by the millions Of wom-
en- throughout the country in surgical
dressings. In knitted articles, In hos
pital and refugee garments in canteen
work, and the other activities the chap.
tiers have been called upon to perform.
1t Is estimated that approximately
100000 women are engaged In can
teen work and the production of relief
supplies through the chapters.
For the period up to July /. 1918,
American Red Cross chapters. through
their workrooms, had produced:
400,120 refugee garments.
7,123.621 hospital supplies.
1O,7S6,4S9 hospital garments.
10,134,501 knitted articles.
192,74S,107 surgical dressings.
A total of 221. 2S2, 1888 articles-of an
estimated aggregate value Of at least
$44,000.OO0.
These articles were largely the
product 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 room Of the hos
pitfalls, to homeless or needy refugees.
and carrying comfort to our own boys
In the field, convey message Of love
from the women of this country entire
ly distinct from the great money value
attaching to their handiwork.
Money Spent In Work.
by the terms under which the first
Red Cress war fund was raised, the
chapters were entitled to retain % per
cent Of the amount collected, In order
defray local expenses, to carry on their
home service work, to purchase ma
terials to be utilized in chapter produc-
ton and otherwise to meet the numer-
GUS calls made upon them. The chap
tiers were thus entitled to retain nearly
$29,000,000. As matter Of fact, their
actual retentions amounted to only
about s22,0O0,OO0.
Out of collections from annual menu
berships, the chapters have retained
about $11. 100000.
Frem this total sum, therefore, Of $780,
100000 retained by the chapters. they
have met all the oftentimes very heavy
local demands upon them, and in addi-
ton have provided for use by national
headquarters products valued, as
stated above, Mt upwards Of $4,000
600.
The chapters have In effect returned
10 the War Council. not alone the $780,
100000 retained out Of the war fund
1lembershlp dues but, In value Of
actunl product, an additional contribu-
:. f u 81