The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-05-21
ENTIRE COUNTRY ENLISTED IN
RED CROSS CAMPAIGN FOR The
COLLECTION OF 500, 900, 900

Washington. May 21.-The American
Red Cross, the nations official mercy
organization, launches today its sec
ond drive for a 500. 100000 war fund.
With its appeal for subscriptions
sanctioned and endorsed by President
Wilson, the Cabinet, General Per-
shing, Vice Admiral Sims, Cardinal
Gibbons, and other prominent Amer
leans, the Red Cross has set in motion
it's vast machinery of 10000, 900 mem
berS in an intensive campaign of one
week to obtain funds necessary for
the mainttnance and expansion of a.
great system of relief work overseas
and at home.
Emphasizing that the War Council
has faithfully and economically adj
ministered the peoples trust" Presi-
dent Wilson, in his recent proclama-
ton announced the drive, pointed out
that the war fund raised in 1917 need7
ed replenishment in order to care for
the welfare Of the men in our mill
tary and naval forces and for those
dependent upon them, and for the yet
more urgent necessities of our allies,
military and civilian, who have long
borne the brunt of the war;
Contributions to the war fund are
described by the President as 1.-The
discovery of new opportunities of
helpfulness under conditions which
translate opportunity into duty
Last years fund easily was raised
and the campaign to treble the mem
bership went over the top with a
rush, so national officials of the or
ganization now maintain a justidable
confidence in the willingness of the
American people to respond again to
the plea for subscriptions.
Since the band of American work
ers sailed last June, the Red Cross
has built up a system of relief that
extends from the home stations of the
destroyer fleets on the Irish coast
down to the battle lines in. northern
Italy. Vast sums of money have been
entrusted to the American commits
sions, but the expenditures have eff
fected a full measure of relief.
Moreover, the generosity of the
American people as expressed in the
readiness of the Red Cross represent
atives to devote time and money I'M
| sparingly in an effort to relieve the
distress of both the military and CIV
ilian population, has imbued in the
SCARED people of Europe an en-
during love and respect for this ma
ton.
1t is in France, the land that has
suffered most from Prussian barbar-
ity, that the accomplishments of the
Red Cross are most prominent. Head
ed by James H. Perkins of New York,
a great mercy organization has been
built up, consisting of 1900 American
men and women. A vast number are
unpaid, while the others receive only
| enough to meet simple living ex-
penses-
| With General Pershing's Expedition
J airy Forces the closest touch is kept
! through divisional and regimenta1
medical officers, while representatives
of the Department of Information and
Casualties and the Department OF
Home Service are in constant contact
with the men whether in the hospital
training camp or field. Rest stations
and canteens operated by American
women have been established along
the lines of communication, and emer-
gency needs for hospital supplies
drugs and comforts readily are sup
piled from warehouses maintained al
strategic points along the line.
ITO the civilian and soldier in
France the message of America s
friendship has been carried in count
less ways declares Eliot Wadsworth
| Ho<- 1e-f Va
turned from three months observa-
ton trip in Europe. Supplies for
thousands of hospitals; rest and food
for hundreds of soldiers at railroad
functions; food, clothing and trans
portation for refugees driven from
their homes, and a helping hand in
their housing and the beginning again
of their housekeeping are a few OF
the activities
With a vision that has distinguished
its work since Americas entrance intN
the war, the Red Cross already has
established at Berne, Switzerland
i large warehouses containing supplies
of food and clothing for Americans III
German prison camps. Packages fol
the prisoners are being sent forward
1 under arrangements with the German
government, and through Red Cross
channels there comes, practically the
only official information concerning
( those Americans who have fallen into
+ German hands
Supplementary to it's other activi-
ties is a campaign of the Red Cross
to combat the ravages of tuberculosis
in France. Every protection is giver
the dependents of men at the front
and special efforts are made to efec
a recivery in the cases of those sol
diers who have become subject to tn
disease as a result of long detention II
prison camps.
In England the British Red eros
has corried on a splendid work sine
the beginning of the war. However
the American organization has con
tributed from the War Funds NOR
than two and a quarter million do
lars for British relief. The America
i commission in London looks out &c
the welfare Of American troops VIII
TAKE CASCARETS