Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-20
RICHMOND GIVES
S250,00O TO MERCY
THROUGH RED CROSS
Big ass-Meeting Launches
Campaign for S1O0,O0O,-
600 Fund in Nation.
RESPONSE is PROMPT
AND MOST LIBERAL
John Kerr Branch Leads List,
With Contribution of S2s,ooo.
Others Follow Quickly.
GREAT THRONG IN PARADE
Whole City Takes Part in Demon
stration for "Counterstroke
OF Mercy"
RESPONSE Is PROMPT
AND MOST LIBERAL
GREAT THRoNG III PARADE
Whole City Takes Part in Demon
stration for "Counterstroke
OF Mercy"

Beginning the gecond "countcrstrokc C
OF mercy" OF the great war, Richmond
yesterday afternoon subscribed nearly
s250co0 at the City Auditorium TO the
second war fund Of the American Red
Cross. following great parade and
demonstration through the streets of
tho city. The response OF Richm onders
10 the appeal OF the Red Cross, which
this week will raise at least s1oo. .00o. :
900 in the United States, was unan!-
nous and came in volume when the
appeal went forth from the stage at
the Auditorium. It was II d.monstra-
ton that r!valed the action OF a re-
cent audience in the same building
which subscribed .2.o5ooo0 to the
second Liberty loan bond issue.
The pageant. the resul, Of several
weeks work. moved from the Capitol
Square at 3:3o o'clock and arrived at
the Auditorium some hour and onc-half
later. The building was we'll filed
before the parade. in which there were
approximately 10000 people. reached f..
and every vacant seat was quickly
taken. The chorus from the schools
OF tho city. att!red in red and white
dresses. gave a short concert under the
direction OF Walter c. Mercer.
MAYOR CALLS on PUBLIC
TO MAKE RESPONSE
Coleman N-ortham. president OF the
Richmond Chapter of the Red Cross,
presided at the meeting. and after
prayer by Rev. Russell Cecil. D. D..
introduced Mayor George Ainslic. who
called upon citizens to respond to the
Red Cross appeal as they had re-
sponGei GO other appeals. Tho Mayor
described the work OF the organiza-
;lon az the greatest humanitarian
undertaking ever seen
Dr. Douglas <. Freeman spoke for
about thirty minutes. He described the
Red Cross work as the "counterstrokc
Of mercy" and likened the various
undertakings in this country the three
Liberty loan drives and the TWO Red
Cross campaigns-to the outstanding
battles alread? fought on the fields
Of France. After telling OF the changes
the war had wrought In Richmond
and would continue to make, Re de-
clarcd that people must now make sac
r!fccs; they must consecratc thom-
selves TO the winning OF the war for
the protection OF the peoples of the
earth.
of an officer who had laid on the battle
fields OF France with life slowly ebb-
ing from him. having been passed by
the first relief workers. John Kerr
Branch told of how much this officer
would have given TO be picked up and
taken 10 hospital. Finally. a Red
Cross patrol found him. and he was
carried to a hospital. where he recov-
cred.
must GIVE UNTIL
IT HURTS" SAYS BRANCH
That man would have given every
thing he possessed to have been pick 3.
cd up" declared the speaker. "He
would have given his all TO be allow :
ed TO die in a hospital. If nothing else.
What would you give? am going
10 measure how much you would give
to be picked up from the fields of
France by the size of your subscr;p-
tions here.
I'VE must all give-give until 1t
hurts. There are many mothers among
the audience who feel that our God. in
all His goodness. will not let harm
befall their sons. You feel that way.
don't you? know how you feel But.
we must remember that God had Son.
Whom he sent among us, and that
Son was sacrificed There will he
sacrifices on the other side-there must
be. But every dollar we give here
this afternoon reduces that number
brings back to us just so many more
men. What are you going to give?
How many boys are you going to he!p?"
Then he called for subscriptions
t,,a
then the people responded nobly. Fig
ures compiled last night showed the
total more than s24o.OOO, and this fig
ure is expected to be exceeded by a
slight amount. Mr.. Branch himself
led the list Of subscribers with a
subscription of s25.000. Then follow :
cd Major James II. Dooley, $4,000:
Miss Effic X. Branch. $4,000; the
bryan brothers, $4,000 Thomas L.
Moore, $4,000; w. S. Forbes. $4,000, and
many for $4,000
RoTARIANS STAGE STRIKING
FEATURE OF TIE PARADE
One OF the most striking features OF
the parade and meeting was the work
Of the Richmond Rotary Club In the
parade this organization carried n ban
ner thirty by thirty feet, and people
threw their contributions on 1t as the
parade moved along the street. 1t was
noted that many colored people dug
into their pockets and made substan-
tial contributions. When the money
was counted at the Auditorium, it was
found that 5000 had been raised by the
Rotary Club.
Company b OF the Richmond Blues,
which marched in the parade along
with many other military organIza-
tions, including the Richmond College
battalion. subscribed $3.50 to the war
1, - 1Continiel > on Fifth pare ,--T-----