The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-10-24
WHAT RED CROSS
DID LAST YEAR
Report Of War Council Surely
Will Thrill the Hearts Of
All Americans.
0 N GIVEN HIGH TRIBUTE

Contributions Of Materials and Time
Have Been Practically Unending
Figures Tell Of Work Done
by the Various Chapters.
October o the 1854 chapters Of the
Red Cross held their annual meetings
to elect officers and make reports. To
be read at all these meetings through
out the United States, the Red Cross
War Council sent the following an
nual message covering the work of
the Red Cross for the past year:
To the Chapters Of the American Red
Cross:
The War Council sends greetings to
the chapters Of the American Red
Cross on the occasion Of their annual
meetings for 1918.
With these greetings go congratula-
tons on the great work Of the chapters
during the asst year and, above all
things, on lie wonderful spirit of "a c
riice and patriotism which has per-
vaded that work.
The strength of the Red Cross rests
upon its chapters. They are its bone
and sinew. They supply its funds,
they supply its men and women. they
supply its enthusiasm. Let us, then,
review together the Red Cross story
Of the past year.
Some idea Of the size to which your
Red Cross family has grown may be
gathered from the following facts:
On May l. 1917. just before the ap-
pointment Of the War Council, the
American Red Cross had 486,194 men,
bers working through 562 chapters.
On July 81, 1913, the organization
numbered 2~0,648,l03 annual members,
besides 100000 members Of the
Junior Red Cross-a total enrolment
of ver one-fourth the population of
The United States.
Since the beginning Of the war you
of the chapters have c~o-operated with
the War Council in conducting two war
fund drives and n membership drive,
in addition to the campaign on behalf
Of the Junior Red Cross.
The total actual collections to date
from the first war fund have amounted
to more than $115, 100000. The sub.
scriptions to the second war fund
amounted to upwards of $176,OOO,OOO
From membership dues the collec.
tons have amounted to approximately
$24,5OO.OOO.
Splendid Work Done by Women
To the FORGING must be added that
very large contribution Of materials
and time given by the millions Of WON
en- throughout the country in surgical
dressings, in knitted articles. in hos.
pital and refugee garments, in canteen
work. and the other activities the chap
ters have been called upon to perform
1t is estimated that approximately
100000 women are engaged in can
teen work and the production of relief
supplies through the chapters.
For the period up to July 1, 1918
American Red Cross chapters, through
their workrooms, had produced:
49O,120 refugee garments.
7.123,621 hospital supplies.
10.7s6,4s9 hospital garments.
10,134.501 knitted articles.
192.748,1O7 surgical dressings.
A total Of 221,282, 1873 articles-of an
estimated aggregate value of at least
$44,OOO,OOO.
These articles were largely the
product Of women's hands, and, by the
same token. infinitely more preciou.
than could have been the output Of
factories or machines. These articles
going to the operating room of the hos
pitfalls, to homeless or needy refugees
and carrying comfort to our own boys
in the field, convey a message Of love
from the women Of this country entire
~ distinct from the great money value
attaching to their handiwork.
Money Spent In Work.
By the terms under which the first
Red Gross war fund was raised, the
chapters were entitled to retain rs pei
cent of the amount collected, in order
defray local expenses. to carry on thei,
home service work, to purchase ma.
terials to be utilized in chapter produc.
ton and otherwise to meet the numer.
Gus calls made upon them. The chap.
tiers were thus entitled to retain nearly
S29,O0O,OOO. AS u matter Of fact, thei1
actual retentions amounted to only
about $22,OOO,OOO.
Out Of collections from annual mem.
berships, the chapters have retained
about $11.O00,O00.
From this total sum, therefore, O f.$33,.
100000 retained by the chapters, they
have met all the oftentimes very heavy
local demands upon them, and In add.
ton have provided for use by national
headquarters products valued, as
stated above, at upwards Of $4,000.
600.
The chapters have in effect returned
to the War Council, not alone the S33,.
100000 retained out Of the war fund
membership dues but, in value of
actual product, an additional contribu.
ton of at least $11,0O0,OOO.
1t will thus been seen that during