New Britain herald., 1918-10-23
325 MILLION FOR AMERICAN RED GROSS
Annual Report Shows Member.
 ship of 2O,648, tO3 in Nation

l 1 total of at least $325, 100000, The American Red Cross has a to- 1 tai membership of 2O,648, 1O3 and, in l addition, 8,000,000 members in the Junior Red Cross; a total enrollm ent l Of more than one-fourth the popula- 1 tion of the United States
 American Red Cross workers pro- duced up to July 1 last a total of 1 221,282,838 articles of an estimated value of S44,OO0,O00
 l About 8,000,OOO women are en- l gagged in canteen work and the pro- duction of relief supplies
 The American Red Cross is distrib- l uting aid in ten countries-the United 1 States, England, France, Italy, Belgi-
 um, Switzerland Palestine. Greece, 1 Russia and Siberia. Besides 1t has sent representatives to Serbia, Den mark and Madeira.
 More than 5000 Americans will be
 working under the Red Cross in l France by Jan. l, next.
 These facts were laid before the 1 3,854 chapters of the Red Cross in 1 the annual message of the War Coun- l cil of the Red Cross when the chap 1 ters throughout the country today held their annual meetings to elect officers.
 Announcement was made in the message that every man, woman and child in the United States would be l asked at Christmas time to enroll in the American Red Cross.
 H. P. Davison's Message.
 The message. signed by Henry P. Davison, chairman of the war coun- ell, said in part:
 "Since the beginning of the war, you of the chapters have co-operated with the War Council in conducting two war fund drives and one mem bership drive, in addition to the cam paign on behalf of the Junior Red Cross. The total actual collections to date from the first war fund have amounted to more than $115, ,000,0 The subscriptions to the second war fund amounted to upwards of $176,- 000000. From membership dues the collections have amounted to ap- proximately $24,5O0,OO0.
 ITO the foregoing must be added that very large contributions of ma teria1s and time given by the millions of women throughout the country. For the period up to July 1, 1918, American Red Cross chapters through their workrooms had produced 490,- 120 refugees garments; 7,123,621 hos pital supplies; 10,786, 489 hospital garments; 4,501 knitted articles, 192,748,107 surgical dressings; 8 to- tai of 221,282,S3S articles-of an es- timated aggregate value of at least $44.000,000.
 ''These articles were largely the product of women's hands, and, by the same token, infinitely more prec- ious than could have been the output of factories or machines. These ar- ticles going to the operating rooms of the hospitals, to homeless or needy refugees, and carrying comfort to our own boys in the field, convey a mes sage of love from the women of this country entirely distinct from the great money value attaching to their handiworz.
 To Pay Local Expenses.
 "By the terms untTer which the first Red Cross war fund was raised. the chapters were entitled to retain 25 per cent of the amount collected, in order to defray local expenses, to car ry on their home service work, to purchase materials to be utilized in chapter production and otherwise to meet the numerous calls made upon them. The chapters were thus en- titled to retain nearly $29,000,000. As 8 matter of fact, their actual reten- tions amounted to only about $22,- 0OO,000. Out of collections from an nual memberships, the chapters have retoined about S11,000,000.
 Prom this total sum, therefore, of 33,O0O,000 retained by the chapters they have met all the often times very heavy local demands upon them, and in addition have provided for use by L. ued at upwards of 44,000,000.
 "The chapters have in effect re- turned to the War Council, not alone the 33,00O,000 retained out of the war fund and membership dues but, in value of actual product an addi- tionaI contribution of at least $11,- OOO,O00.
 Tt will thus be seen that during the eighteen months which have elapsed since the United States en- tered the war the American people will have either paid in or pledged to the American Red Cross for its work of relief throughout the world in money or in material values net total of at least $325, 100000.
 This outpouring of generosity in material things has been accompanied by a spontaneity in the giving, by an enuthusiasm and a devotion in the do- l ing, which, after all, are greater and bigger than could be anything meas ured in terms of time or dollars.
 Reveals Americans Hearts.
 Tt is because of this spirit which 1 has pervadcd all American Red Gross efforts in this war that the aged gov- ernor of one of the stricken and bat l tered provinces of France stated, not 1 long since, that, though France had 1 ong known of Americas greatness, ! strength and enterprise, it remained 1 for the American Red Cross in this 1 war to reveal Americas heart.
 "In this country, at this moment, |