The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-04-29
f selling wool to individuals?

belongs to the Chapter, and by the Chapter funds are meant all moneys not especially consigned to the na- tional or general funds. This wool must be accounted for by the Wo- mans bureau of the Chapter, which has all the handling of the wool in charge. and the officers of the Wo- mans bureau are personally respon- sible for the same. Every pound of wool received must tally with some garment sent to the men who need it most And it is the duty of the national organization to see that the men who do need it most are the ones who receive it first. That is the reason why all patriotic women are urged to send their completed knit garments, even when made out of l privately owned and bought wool. thru the Rcd Cross for distribution
 Thr has ben done largely Outside, ! I:nd r0GnT ~onerous people here in ' "un owu Fairbanks have done this elso.
 ] Q. What is to prevent a soldier
 -eccvin1 a duplicate of sweaters, ard oie0osing of the surplus?
 A. Jut one thing; consistent and
 systematic distribution thru the agency of the Red Cross alone It is ] 'he one agency authorized by the War
 Department thru which our soldiers iare supplied with knitted goods. There s an authenticated instance of one man receiving as many as forty sweaters, from private parties. These sweaters were made of war wool, needed in war work. But they were
 sold, pawned, and given to girls as souvenirs. by the very ungrateful, | because satiated, recipient. Realize ] the wastage of wool expended here,
 the loss of many women's time and
 patriotic feeling, while the only ones
 to benefit were civilians, the second hand dealers near some cantonment, and the girl friends of our too popu- ! lar soldier. Thirty-nine men in other cantonments, or his own, were denied | the comforting warmth of those hand
 knit sweaters, instead of letting the [ Red Cross decide where the need was
 greatest.
 | c. How does the Red Cross dis
 tribute it's materials to the men?
 A. Thru accredited regimental and
 company authorities, who issue the
 garments officially, keep careful
 check that there shall be no possibili- ty of duplication, and make the men responsible for the garments just as | they are for their uniform and other equipment For it is the ideal of the
 Red Cross, as of every true American citizen, that ours shall be demo- cratic army. and that the men in it
 shall fare and fare alike, without favoritism or prejudice. By the Red 1 Cross way, there is no wastage or du i plication, and no possibility of injus- tice. It is the business like, demo- cratic, national way of doing things, as opposed to a personal, slipshod, sentimental way of doing things. For altho the affairs of the Red Cross are primarily matter of high ideals, 1 they are no less a matter of business and bookkeeping. The accounts of the Red Cross are audited by the War Department, and every pound of the public's gift of wool is to be given back to the public's trustees, to be ! distributed 10 the mon most in need, and not 10 personal friends. If these personal fri nds are in need, they
 ,i dsubtl ha,t been supplied by
 d:t srd rc 1onsible agents of II ' d C.9r. who are on the ground ..-. afc 'ho con ,sant with the
 .."~ d { ,ie are already
 | e. | then, ID matter how polite | y may ba about it in order to avoid hurting your feelings, doubtless | they will not welcome additional i'm. l.menta, in the restricted quarters of a military camp. Witness also Order No. 1,259, of the Post Office department, relative to mails over seas, recently published in these columns. Also see the cartoon in the last issue of the Saturday Even | ing Post
 Q. Has not some Red Cross wool been sold in Fairbanks?
 A. Before the organization of the Woman's bureau of the Red Cross, and before any word had been receiy- ed from headquarters relative to pro- cedure in this matter, wool for three sweaters was sold. As soon as the organization for handling the wool was completed, however, and the situation understood, the definite rul- ing was put into operation, and has been scrupulously observed ever since There has been only one case when, thru misunderstanding, and permission understood to have been given, but not from the Yarn Com mittee of the Womans Bureau, a sweater was given to an individual. |.