The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-08
SCOTT ISSUES STATEMENT

1 The following statement has been i issued by George E. Scott, acting gen
 era1 manager of the American Red which is fully explained
 l Red Crcss women throughout the country are anxious to know exactly what our plans are for future knitting, and in justice to these workers who have rendered such splendid service in the past, we want to make the present situa ton clear.
 Sometime ago the war industries board advised the Red Cross that in view of the great shortage in raw wool, the future production of knit ting yarns would be very much re- duced. We immediately commenced to purchase all yarns suitable for our knitting, and as a result we have to- day in stock or order l,400.000 pounds of yarn for distribution to our chapters. This. of course, is an amount considerably less thar we used last year, which was approximately 10,- 000 00o pounds. It is hoped, however that in the near future we may obtain some further supply of yarn made from wool which is not suitable for govern ment purposes.
 While the total amount of yarn which will be available is being deter mined, we are studying the problem of utilizing this supply to produce only those garments which are most essen tiaL As soon as these facts are as- certained. we will announce our fall programme of knitting.
 FIGURES ON RED CROSS
 Tt will gratify our women to know that the effort which they have made during thee past year to produce large quantities of knitted articles, has re- suited in satisfaction and additional comfort to our soldiers and sailors. It will interest them still further to know that their productive abilities were so great that we now have a reserve stock of knitted goods in cur warehouses which will largely offset the present wool shortage as it affects the Red Cross Our workers will be interested to know that we have distributed to the army and navy in the United States from September 1, 1917. to June 30, 1918. the following knitted garments: 2,0o0, 900 sweaters tabout 100000 pur- chased). 700 900 mufflers 300, 900 wrist let's. 575,C00 helmets. 100000 pairs socks (about 500, 900 pairs purchased)
 For the same period of time the Red Cross shipped to our French and Ital- ian commissioners for distribution to soldiers sailors and civilians: 100000 sweaters, 75,000 mufflerG 245.000 wristlets, C0,OoO helmets, 90,0o0 pairs stocks.
 The Red Gross now has in its va rious warehouses, ready for distrihu- tion: 160o,nO0 sweaters, 134000 muf- flers. 3S4.0G0 wristlets, 22S, 900 helmets, 1,32S, 900 pairs socks
 We are therefore. hopeful that our stock of finished garments and yarn on hand, together with whatever further wool we can obtain, will enable us to meet the more urgent requirements of our men in service during the coming winter.
 ', NEED OF CHAPTER AID
 Red Cross national headquarters has worked in the closest co cooperation with the war industries board. At their request we have urged our chap. ters and individual workers not to buy wool or any other raw materials used in making Red Cross supplies in the open market, but to secure all their materials through our department of purchases and supplies. The response to this request has been most gratify- ing, and we appreciate greatly this hearty support by our vast organiza- ton.
 "Fhc value of this careful observa- tion of national needs hy all Red Cross workers is further-si1own in letter of August from Mir. Bernard M Ra- ruHh, chairman of the war industries board. to Mir. Henry F. Davison. chair