Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-01-25
MAY FIT OUT MEN
BEFORE LEAVING
Red Cross Branch Gets New
Orders from Relief Bureau
Not To Send Direct to Men in the
Camps-Emotiona and Hysterical
Period Of Giving Repidly Passing.

Congratulations and Hysterical
Period Of Giving Repidly Passing.
Brattleboro chapter of the Red Cross
has received some new orders from the
bureau of military relief of the New
England division, which are printed
herewith. Special stress is placed upon
the fact that henceforth chapters and
branches may fit out all selected or en-
| listed men before they leave for camps,
under certain conditions.
ANY such man going from this local
| ity who is not already supplied with
the necessary knitted outfit may OBJ
tain one from the proper source if the
supply committee If the local branch,
! Mrs J. c. Dewitt chairman, is notified.
| This applies to men going from the ter
ritorv of this branch, which includes
the localities where the auxiliaries are
situated which are Townshend, Wards
boro, West Wardsboro, Jamaica, New
fame and Williamsville.
The branch is asked repeatedly TO
send knitted articles to different men
at camps. This it is requested now not
to do, but the supply committee will
take the maHer up. with the proper
authorities tb'bc sure every man has
what he needs. Any man may procure
these before he leaves by applying to
Red Cross headquarters in the federal
building. where list of all men out
fitted will be kept. The new orders are
as follows:
To all Organizations:
For the benefit of all organizations
we have tabulated the work that has
been done by this bureau from August
Goth to January 4th. Owing to con.
fusion in instructions which have been
sent out from time to time we have
endeavored to formulate q schedule of
rules which are appended and which
are to be followed in the future.
The distribution of knitted goods has
been as follows: Sweaters, LOG, l52;
helmets, 27,943; wristers, 5,295; muf-
flers, 81, $50; socks, 1920.
The largest consignments have been
made to Camp Devens, Aver, Mass,
where the following articles have either
been distributed or are waiting distribu-
ton in the quartermaster s stores:
Sweaters, 3S,20S; mufflers, 25, 033; wrist
ers, 2osF74, helmets, ISIS; SCORE, $500.
1t was very early evident that in or
der to prevent waste and misuse of
material. this distribution must be made
in a systematic manner. The system
adopted is to fit military units as a
whole; the commanding officer canvass
ing each company, allowing only one
outfit to n man. Articles so issued
must be checked on inspection day in
the same manner as material issued
by the War Department. This system
works perfectly, except where intor-
fcred with by indiscriminate and unre-
corded giving. This giving on the part
of chapters and individuals, though un-
doubtedy done with the best of mo-
tives has caused serious loss and con
sequent abuse. The evidence on this
point is overwhelming
The emotional and hysterical period
of giving is rapidly passing. The whole
country is coming to realize that we
have long war ahead of us and that
business methods must prevail to the
smallest detail.
There has been considerable confu.
sion in the past as to whether chapters
should fit out their local contingcnts
before leaving for camps and this con-
fusion may doubtless be laid at tho
door of the divisional office for its lack
of absolutely definite instructions
From January 5th on chapters and
branches will be permitted to fit out
local contingents before they leave for
camps, on condition that they appoint
an individual or group of individuals,
who will see that no man receives moro
than one knitted article Of each kind.
After the men have reached camp we
cannot sanction the sending of knitted
material to them by chapters. This
is the function of this bureau and we
have done and are doing it us fast as
tho supplies received permit.
a complete list of knitted articles
, furnished to men before leaving for
camp must be forwarded to this Office
so that record of them can be kept
1t is a satisfaction to know that SO
far as our records show every soldier
in the New England division and every
sailor in the New England division has
a sweater. The same is practically
true in regard to wristers and muftlerS
The demand for helmets exceeds the
supply We believe, however that this
demand is overestimated. For instance,