The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-11-26
RED CROSS WORK
DONE IN FRANCE

lure Oh $lD, ,U0U TO the END O
last June, and $13,829,418 has beel
appropriated to nelp make our NOR
than 100000 men lover there
comfortable during the last 81,
months Of the year. Providing com
forts for our fighting men. supple
menting the efforts of the Army ant
Navy authorities in their behalf, i
considered the most important mis-
sion of the relief organization. Thi
service and the cost of MAINTAINING
form the basis of the most recen
report from the War Council rela
tive to the disposition of the Ret
Cross war fund. is
Tho necessity of keeping the Ret
Gross relief program in France q,
elastic rs possible in order to NEE
the rapidly changing conditions II
that country, where millions of fight
ing men and millions of civilians
spread over vast stretches of terri
tory, are in need of service, is made
clear in the report. At the very be
ginning of its work in France the
Red Cross had to solve the problem
of meeting the needs of Allied fight.
ing men already there, and of as
sisting in relieving the distress OF
the civilian populations in the war
zonees while making preparation for
the millions of American fighting
men that were to come.
Long before General Pershing's
first 10000 troops reached France
the American Red Cross had estab-
lished canteens and rest stations at
various strategical points between
front line trenches where the Allied
had chance to battle and sleep
soldiers received wholesome food and
in homelike surroundings on their
way to and from the firing line.
!. There were six Of these canteens
and in March last. when American
.rOops began arriving overseas in
heavy contingents, they were feeding
10000 soldiers day. The work
at these canteens was done by one
hundred patriotic American women.
At the present time the number Of
cared for every day and the number
canteens, the number of soldiers
by the end of the year, the report
of workers has been doubled, and
American Red Cross canteens will
states, 1t is expected that fifty-three
be in operation. This service to our
soldiers has been perfected to the
point where rolling canteens pro-
vide refreshments for soldiers on
troop trains not scheduled to stop
at regular stations. These portable
kitchens draw up alongside the
trains and the soldiers lean from
the windows and help themselves to
chocolate, sandwiches and sweets.
Portable canteens have also made 1t
possible to carry refreshment SER
vice right into the trenches. From
March to the end of June this year
$1,671,789 was spent for canteen
service. For the six months ending
December 81, 1918, $2,059,808 has
been appropriated for the work,
$905,808 of this amount being for
the maintenance of front line can
teens.
Z, One Of the most vital features of
American Red Cross work in France
is the emergency aid given to the
Army Medical Corps. In addition to
recruiting nurses for the army, the
Red Cross maintains hospitals and
which are at the dispo-
sal of the army for any emergency
that ariteo. There are two kinds of
American Red Cross Hospitals in
France-those that are part Of the
United Sattes Army evacuating sys-
tenn, and those which are not. In
the first class falls hospitals in COM
mand of army officers and manned
by army personnel, but administered
by the Red Cross. There are ten
Of these hospitals in France. Hos
pitfalls operated independently by the
Red Cross comprise the second class.
There are fourteen of these institu-
tions and they are known as Ameri-
can Red Cross hospitals to distin-
guish them from American Red Cross
hospitals, the designation of
the former class In addition to its
1900 military beds, the Red Cross
has 600 convalescent beds in its |
houses. Several beauti- |
lul chateaux have been turned over |
10 the Red Cross for this latter pur-
pose. The Red Cross has made an
appropriation VI posfoo,VI0 W CONCI
The cost Of maintaining this service |
'or wounded American soldiers dur
ing the last six months of this year.
Providing special food for our sick
and wounded fighting men, estab-
ishing convalescent huts where they
nay regain their strength and hos
)ita1 farms to enable them to keep
n the open, installing laundry plants
Ind sterilizing plants that insure
hem clean clothing, supplying emer-
,ency tents and hundreds of thous-
lnds of comfort bags-all these &C
ivities are part of the additional
service which the Red
Cross in rendering to the American
soldiers in France
Reconstruction of men disabled in
he service is another activity carried
IN by the Red Cross overseas. On
IN average Of about 100 artificial
limbs are distributed by the organ
cation every month, with every effort
,eing made to extend this service.
these artificial limbs, supplemented
With a period Of careful training,
will enable the men to take an active