The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-12-19
RED CROSS drive
Is AT ITS Height
Wonderful Support Everywhere Be-
ing Accorded to Membership
Campaign.


The Christmas Roll Call OF the AM
erican Red Cross, as the annual mem
bershlp campaign has been officially
termed is now at its height, not only
In cur own community but in every
city and town of the New England
Division with which the local Red
Cross interests are Identified, but also
throughout the length and breadth of
the land
This campaign for members for
1919 and because man or woman
JONES' and paid his dollar year ago
does not mean. that he will not be
canyassed this time, dollar members
retaining their membership but
single year is expected to result in
at least a doubling OF last years mem
bership Of twenty two millions. Uni
versal Membership" has been made
the slogan of this campaign by the
national leaders and while it is, OF
course, out Of the question to enroll
everybody it is hoped. and even ex
pected, that when the books close or
next Monday ngat the total will foot
up close to $1,000 Oe1 for the country
at large
Those who have had the active
management OF the plans for this
campaign were at first a bit fearful
that with the war virtually over mag
would lhink that the work of tho Rcd
Cross had ended, that the Red Cross
was primarily and almost exclusively
a nursing organization. Happily the
results TO date in this and other com
munitics show conclusiyely that the
fears Of the leaders were iII-founded
and that the general public is even
more keenly alive to the future needs
for the Red Cross than the most en-
thusiastic had dared TO hope Solici
tors everywhere report that there is
very general desire to become en-
rolled in the Red Cross for 1919 and
that those who. through some error.
have not been personally solicited
feel really insulted II this spirit
which so very generously exists in
New England is to be found in other
sections Of the country then II Is rca-
sonaoly certain that there will be a
very close approximation to the uni
versal Membership" slogan OF those in
charge
Under the system OF organization
that is being followed in most of the
New England chapters and branches,
the first portion of this week was de-
voted TO more or less OF 4 house-to-
house, a store-io- store campaign in
order that none might escape being
asked 30 join, and to pay his dollar
Just as soon rs II had been felt that
the personal canvass was completed
the bars We're thrown down so that
today and for the rest of the cam
paign, which ends on Monday night.
there is promiscuons and very general
solicitation for membership. There Is,
however. one and one very certain
way to prevent a person from being
repeatedly asked. in his tours anon
town. TO Join the Red Cross And
that means is by exposing his or her
button conspicuously upon tho outer
garment The slogan of today. here
and everywhere. is SHOW your Rcd
Cross button" The fellow who has
Il on viii receive a smile. but nothing
moro urgent, from the canvassers.
Those who do not show their button
will be taken as still being without.
the Rcd Cross fold and will. accord
ingly no solicited TO join
This Is the last war campaign Of a
year that has been crowded with
drives Of various sorts. all OF them
important, all OF them essential 20
the winning OF tho war The import
ance Of the present membership cam
paign or the Red Cross is iwolold II
/ the organization is to continue. il IL
is to keep up its grand work among
our boys, and their families, and
among the Allied soldiers and their
] AAiltU IL lNNNt nave AuN 0MlUuAN vi AsAN
American people. The response TO
the call for 1919 membership will he
the answer TO tho question as 10
whether the United States people
want the work TO continue. And
while this is distinctly a membership.
and in no sense money campaign.
the fact remains that the dollar mem
bership fee from each is TO be the
only revenue That will be received in
the future for Red Cross purposes.
Chairman Dawson OF the Red Cross
War Council has asIthoritatively stat
ed that there will be no more money
campaigns conducted by the Rod
Cross. The revenue from member
ship. nominal as is the Individual fec
IS expected to furnish sufficient fund,
in the future to defray all OF the op.
Grating expenses OF the great organl-
nation of mercy
The New England. Division has Of
fered as u stimulus for It's workers
two elegant flags One will be giver
to that city or town under 1000,
population which, in the present cam
paign, most closely reaches the Uni
versal Membership standards. TIL
other flag will be for cities and town
above 10000 population showing tn
highest membership b population ~
ito DO your part TO land a flag 70
this community.