The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-08

it's various bureaus in Washington.
and turning it over to the District
of Columbia chapter work rooms.
The editor Of one of the leading
laundry journals has offered to ap-
peal through his periodical to the
thousands Of power laundries of the
country to render a patriotic service
by collecting, laundering, and steril-
izing similar waste linen, and deliv
ering it to Red Cross work rooms
throughout the United States.
AS practically every community OF
any size has a power laundry, large
amounts of raw material thus be-
come available to Red Cross chap
tiers free of cost. Division managers
Of the Red Cross have been asked to
notify the chapters Of this source OF
supply.
The following cablegram has just
been received from the Paris head
quarters of the American Red Cross:
"'Send us pumps is an appeal to-
day from Red Cross delegate in the
devastated area. The retreating Ger
mans left little untouched there las.
spring. Spokes were cut from wheels
OF farm carts, orchards were feiled,
farmhouses wrecked. In many cases
pumps were destroyed. wells filled
with rubbish and polluted.
"Of the few men and women who
have managed to filter back to live
in the one good corner of their wreck
ed buildings to clear the fields of
barbed wire and try to till them,
none dares to drink from the old
wells which they had depended on
all their lives, unless they bear a
sign reading Good Water show
that they have been purified.
ITO these safe wells people come
from far and near with their jugs
and pals. To make their already
difficult life a little easier and to
make it possible for more of them to
come back to their devastated fields,
all they have-as soon as pumps
can be bought, ten will be sent to
fill the need for them in this district.
1t is real, though slight, contribu-
ton to the giant task of reconstruc-
ton"
The following cabiegram, received
from the Paris headquarters of the
American Red Cross, today makes
plain why, through one of it's many &C
tivities, Americans are gaining the
gratitude of the French people:
Every day French mutiles-wound-
ed soldiers who have either lost arms
or legs-gather at American Red Cross
headquarters seeking assistance in
securing either artificial arms or arti-
fetal legs. The ones given by the
Red Cross are the best and most prac-
teal that can be obtained.
These crippled men typify the true
spirit of Frances sacrifice. They never
complain about their misfortune, but
are profuse in their thanks for assist
ance A French soldier who hobbled
in on two wooden legs the other day
received artificial legs which enabled
him to stand upright without the aid
CT cane After he had arrived home
his mother wrote the Red Cross:
THANK you with all my heart for
what you have done for my poor mutt
lated soldier. Your generous and
charitable help has brought back to
active life an unfortunate who, with
out your help, would have remained in
the darkest Of misery. From my soul
of mother and French woman l
beg you to tell the American mothers
whose sons will soon be fighting along
side of our sons, that if it is their fate
to be sent some day to our hospitals.
we shall receive them with devoted
and tender care"