The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-06-13
a. B. r. B. GETS $1,000
Women's Overseas Hospitals, Belgian
Tobacco Fund, and the Smileage
Books Helped by Disbursement
Committee Monday Night.

Six thousand dollars was appro-
priated by the disbursement committee
of the Patriots Fund at the meeting
which was held in the Chamber of Com
merce building Monday night. Of this
amount the Salvation Army was given
$4,000; the American, British, French,
Belgium Permanent Blind Relief Fund
was given $1,000; $500 was appropriated
for Smileage Booklets to be distributed
through the local Red Cross units; the
Women s Overseas Hospitals com
mittee was given 800 and 800 was
contributed to the Belgian Tobacco
Fund.
The meeting Monday night was one
Of the most interesting ever held by
the Patriots Fund committee. Before
the regular business of the committee
was taken up the committee listened to
representatives from the A. B. f. b.,
Permanent Blind Relief Fund; the Sal
walton Army; and the South Slavic
League
Mrs. Arthur McGeoch, of Milwaukee,
vice chairman of the Wisconsin organ
ization of the Fund presented the APP
plication Of that organization and out
lined the work it is doing and the
things it wants to do. "FThe main pur-
pose Of the organization, she said,
els to rehabilitate and re-educate sol
diers blinded in the allied armies. The
Americans, blinded for the time be-
ing, are to be taken care of through
the Red Cross Institute for the blind,
which has had a contribution of $780,
coo from this Fund. Wisconsin has
only contributed a very small amount
to this Fund, nearly all of which has
been given by the city of Milwaukee.
A state organization is now being
completed, and the entire state will
have an opportunity to help in a short
time"
The following summary gives one a.
glimpse of the tremendous problems to
be handled by this Fund.
It wants 80 persons each to adopt for
life one blinded soldier with both
arms or hands amputated. Five thous-
and dollars set aside by each donor
will more than provide the pension of
1900 francs year required, which will
double that given by the French gov
eminent.
1t wants $50 persons each to adopt
for life one blinded and mutilated sol
der who can do little or no work and
has a family to support Three thous-
and FIVE hundred dollars put aside by
each donor will provide the pension of
300 francs, a year necessary.
It wants 100 persons to send 5000
each to purchase cottages for 200 blind
ed and mutilated men.
It wants $500 persons each to con-
tribute 5000 for the purpose of sending
$500 blinded re-educated men to their
own homes and give them an oppor,
tlnity to make a new start in life and
earn their own living.
It wants 100000 for its permanent
fund, to provide for an After-Car pro-
y
ditional pensioners.
1t wants 100000 towards a Cen
eral Fund, to carry on the work of re-
education, to run workshops, to keep
up markets for raw materials and ex-
changes, to maintain Industrial Schools
and a Superior School, and to enlarge
and improve the schools for future re-
quirements.
G. F. Wheeler was the next to ap-
pear before the Committee and he told
what the Salvation Army had accom-
plished, and of plans being worked out
for even greater service. The informa-
ton which he gave to the Committee
had been accumulated from men who
had been right at the front and had
observed the workings of the organiza-
ton. He pictured in a very vivid way.
the great need for work of this kind.
He told the committee that there was
nc possibility of duplication of the
work of Relief organizations at the
front He said that with all organiza-
ticns doing their utmost, that only one
tenth of the work was being done The
other tenths was being left undone.
Mr.. Wheeler served with the Amer an
forces in the Spanish-American war and
lay wounded on the field of battle for
four hours before he was finally res
cued. He was only conscious part of
the time during these four hours. Dur
ing his conscious moments he was in
constant fear of being trampled by
horses, or being run over by gun car
riages. With this personal experience,
1t is not to be wondered that Mr..
Wheeler is doing all that he can to