The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-17
RED CROSS TELLS
OF WORK FOR ARMY
BY End OF Year VIII Have
Spent S29,282,468 on
Pershing's Men.
CANTEENS WILL TOTAL SO
Has Twenty-four Hospitals
and Eight COnvalescent
Houses in France.

Up to the end OF last June the Ameri-
can Red Cross spent sI5,l53,o5o In talk
ing care OF Pershing's brisk boys in
France and sts.S29.41s additional has
been appropriated to make them COM
Portable the last ak months of the year.
These figures, with interesting facts of
Red Cross accomplishment. were made
public yesterday in n report by the War
Council, OF which Henry p. Dawson is
chief.
Long before the first 10000 American
troops arrived in France the organisation
had established canteens and rest sta
tons at various strategfcal points be-
tween the ports OF debarkation and the
front line branches, and at these the
allied soldiers had a chance TO battle
and sleep in homelike surroundings on
their way to and from the firing line.
There were six Of these canteena and
at these 10000 American soldiers were
fed daily as far back as last March.
By the end of the year fitty-three can
teens will be In operation. The service
has been so perfected that rolling can
teens" provide refreshment for troops
not scheduled to stop at the regular
Red Cross stations.
These portable kitchens draw up along
side the trains ard the soldiers are able
to lean from the windows OF the trains
and help themselves to chocolate, sand
wiches and sweets. Portable canteens
have made II possible to carry refresh
ment service into the trenches. From
March to the end Of June $l.67l.7s9 was
spent for canteen service and by the
end OF the year another S2,o5e,s4s will
have been spent
One Of the most vital features Of the
American Red Cross work In France Is
the emergency aid given to the Army
Ing nurses for the army. the Red Gross
maintains hospitals and dispensaries
that are at the service OF the army for
any emergency that may arise.
There are two kinds of American Red
Cross hospitals In France-those that
are parts of the United States Army
evacuation system and are under the
command of army officers and manned
by an army personnel. and those that
are operated Independently by the Red
Cross itself. There are ten OF the for
mer and fourteen of the latter class
In addition TO 1900 military beds the
Red Cross has 800 convalescent beds In
its eight convalescent houses. Several
beautiful chateaux have been turned
over to the Red Cross for this purpose.
Providing special food for the sick
and wounded men of the American
forces. establishing convalescent huts
where they may regain their strength
and hospital farms where they may keep
in the open: installing laundry plants
that insure clean clothing; supplying
emergency tents and hundreds Of thou
sands of comfort bags-all these activi-
Al. ,1nAn Nfa. NNA
which the Red Cross Is rendering.
Reconstruction OF men disabled In the
service is still another important ac-
tivity. An average number OF 100 arti-
ficial limbs are distributed by the or
ganization every month, and efforts are
being made to extend this service. These
artificial limbs, supplemented by period
of careful training. will enable the men
to take an active part in the industrial
life OF tho country when they return
from abroad. The report closes with the
following comment by Newton D. Baker.
Secretary of War:
when one Is in the zone OF the
armies, or in the supply areas, words of
appreciation or praise for the American
Red Cross are superfiuous. The fore
sight that has characterized its present
and prospective operations has been
source Of pride 10 the commanding off,
GERS OF the American EXpeditionary
Force and should be a source OF COM
fort to the people OF the United States
who have made II possible and who. !
know, will enable It TO carry on and ex-
pand."
The necessity for keeping the Red
Cross relief programme in France as
elastic as possible in order to meet the
rapidly changing conditions In that
country, where millions OF fighting men
and millions OF civilians. spread over
vast stretches OF territory. are In need
Of aArvica Is made clear.