Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1918-12-19
DAWSON APPEALS
FOR BIG ROLL CALL
Head Of Red Cross War coun-
Gil Sends Stirring Message
TO the Public.
VAST PROBLEMS ARE AHEAD
Sees No Necessity for Further Cam.
psIons for Funds N People Re
spond Properly TO Christ.
mas Drive

orllluelous ~ ~ Zee. t-hclfA
+. Dawson, chairman Of the war coun-
Gil OF the Red Cross. today issued 10
the 1854 chapters and the 100000
members The following statement out
lining the future policy OF the Ameri-
can Red Cross
The whole American people will be
invited In the week preceding Christ
mas to enroll as members OF the Red
Cross. II is confidently believed there
need be- no further campaigns for Red
Cross funds, bur instead the annual
roll call will constitute the foundation
Of the Red Gross. The people should
therefore know as definitely as posi-
bic the plans of this, their national
humanitarian society.
"Since the arinistice was signed l
have had AN opportunity 10 confer in
Paris with the heads OF all American
Red Cross commissions in Europe, and
later in Washington with the preSi-
dent of the United States, the war
council Of the Red Cross, the managers
of the fourteen Red Cross divisions OF
the United States, and with the heads
OF our department at national head
quarters. am, therefore. able To
speak now with knowledge and assur-
ance In saving thar the beneficeut work
OF the American Red Cross is To 20
forward on a great >cale--not alone,
as heretofore. for purposes of relief OF
war, but a. an agency Of peace and
permanent human service
Since Americas entry into the war
the purpose Of our Red Cross has been
primarily to aid our army and navy in
the care Of our men under arms. and
secondly 60 extend relief 10 tie sol
diers. sailors and civilians Of those ma
lions which We're lighting our battles
along with their own. With the funds
which have been 81 generously con
tributed by the American people this
war work uf the Red cross will con
tinue and be completed with all posi-
BILE sympathy and energy.
Wherever our soldiers and sailors
may be the Red Cross will stay with
them until they are demObilized. Moth
Ing which We may do will be left un
done. either for the men in the war
zone. for those returning. for those ia
the camps and hospitals or for their
families at home. 10 whom viii con
tinue TO Dee devoted the mir.~tration~
Of the Red Cross home service. Ia
thiS latter effort 10000 trained Red
Cross workers are now engaged at
800 different places throughout the
land.
The problems az reconstruction. in
yolving feeding and caring for the dis
treSsed civilian populations OF Europe
are OF such magnitude That necessa-
rily they must he met very largely BY
The governments of our allies. with
whom our OWN government will coop
crate
The great tasks OF lighting tubercu
lo>is. promoting child welfare and car
ing for refugees, with which the Amer
lean Red Cross has concerned Itself So
effectively IN France. Italy and Rel
gian, will AT an early date be assumed
by the governments, the Red Cross or
ganiIstions> and the relief societies OF
those countries. which. now that they
are released from the terrible burden
81 wagIng war, naturally desire to take
care. as far as they con. of their own
people.
The war problem OF the American
Red Cross will thus steadily and rap
idly merge itself into n peace program.
The wake OF the war will. however.
reveal the prevalence OF disease, and
give rise 10 epidemics and emergen-
cies which In all parts ~ the world
will call for unlimited voluntary ef-
fort. the cutting OF red tape and mani
festatiOn Of those qualities OF human
sympathy which government action
cannot display. Here will be the op-
portunity for the American Red Cross.
But even our Red Cross must not act
and cannot act most effectively alone !;
We must labor in cooperation with the
National Red Cross and relief societies
of other nations. tu the end that not
alone the heart Of America but the