The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1918-12-11
Campaign Next Week for
Members
EVERY AMERICAN
URGED TO JOIN

"Imme.liatc Need for Every Heartening
Work." Says the President in Call
ing on Every American to Join the
Red Cross "nnd Send Forth to the
World the Christmas Greeting for
Which it Waits.
Washington, Dec. S-president Will
son, in a proclamation made public to-
day, called on every American to join
the American Red Cross Christmas
Roll Call Week." December 16 to 23,
and thus send forth to the whole hu-
man family the Christmas greeting for
which it awaits and for which it stands
in greatest need" The proclamation,
prepared before the president departed
for Europe, follows:
The White House Washington, d. c.,
November 2G, 1918.
''ro the American People:
One year ago 22000,o00 Americans,
! by enrolling as members Of the Red
Cross at Christmas times. sent 10 the
men who were fighting our battles
overseas a stimulating message of
cheer and good will. They made it
clear that our people were OF their
own free choice united with their gov
, ernmcnt IN the determination not only
to wage var with the Instruments of
destruction. but also by every means in
their power to repair the ravagcs of
| I l,N i,Nr a. Il
spirit of the army and of the homes
which they represented. The friends
Of the American Red Cross in Italy,
Belgium and France have told, and will
tell again, the story of how the Red)
Cross workers restored morale in the
hospitals, in the camps and at the can
t0HmCnts, and we ought TO be very
proud that we have been permitted to
be Of service to these whose suifcrigs
and whose glory are thc heritage of
f humanity.
: Now. by Gods g&cc, the Red Cross
Christmas message o. 1918 is TO be a
, message Of peace as well as a message
, Of good Will. Bnt peace docs not mean
!. that We can fold our hands. II means
!, further sacrifice. Our membership
must hold together and be increased
Q FOR the great tasks TO come We must
G prove concluSivcly to an attentive
II world that America is permanently
h aroused to the needs of the new ola,
is our old indifference gone forever.
! The exact nature of the future
Il service OF the Red Cross will depend
on the program of the associated GOV,
V crnmcnts, but there is immediate ncct
~ today for every heartcning work ant
~ every helpful service. We must no
81 forget that our soldiers and our sail
orsarc still under orders and still hav
:" duties to perform Of the highest con
:" sequence and that the Red CrOs
~ Christmas membership means a grea
deal to them.
The people of the saddcned land.
moreover, returning home today, wher
by there are no homes, must have the as
surance that the hearts OF our peopl
he are with them in the dark and doub
ed full days ahead Let us, so far as W
ch can, help them back to faith in mere
ch and in future happiness.
he "As president OF the Red Cross, col
lod scious in this great hour, of the valr
les of such message from the America
ore people should be glad If every Anne
in lean would join the Red Cross for 10
MI and thus send forth to the whole h
be man family the Christmas greeting II
oss which it waits and for which it stan
'oil in greatest need
OF (Signed) Woodrow Wilson"