The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-03-07

pie to be paid for on the installment
plan, and to be used socially-a great |
1 tractor for an entire neighborhood Of
farmers, and seed wheat for a whole
community under dozen different
kinds OF credit. A government has to
have rules.
The Red Cross makes different
rule for every case II common sense
on the spot requires a different rule.
How would the government do II?
How would federal law provide for
the myriad cases of humanitarian
work that must be done for our
friends, the allies, II they are restored
to industry and agriculture for the
| long hard war that stretches before
! us II we defeat Germany?
The American government simply
couldn't do II. II could not hire the
experts who are needed. For these
experts would not work for the sal
aries that this government could
pay. Yet for nothing. for the sheer
love Of service. for the Joy they feel
in helping their fellow men. these
experts are doing this work for the
American Red Cross. These men
and women feel that they are not tied
up by federal red tape. They feel
that no party Is taking credit for
their work. to use that credit in win
ming elections. So, as free. unfettered
| American citizens they are giving
their whole lives and strength to this
Red Cross work, working sometimes
all day and all night in emergencies;
and they know that there are no re-
wards. no promotions, no glory, no
mention In the newspapers-nothing
but joyous service and sacrifices and
the exaltation that comes from see
ing ones work grow under ones
hand and bear fruit.
And then there Is the work with
the children and the tubercular That
work requires technically trained
people. 1t requires wide ATTITUDES in
dealing with new conditions rising
every day. One day last August the
Red Cross started in to complete.
J and now has completed, half
!. finished tuberculosis hospital aban-
> doned by the French during the war
} The American Red Cross spent tens
OF thousands of dollars on this hos
! pital and turned It over to its French
owners without even reserving the
} right to send a single patient there
But. OF course. that hospital relieves
that much tuberculosis from the
! French villages in which our soldiers
are spending their days this winter.
But the American government
couldn't do II. II the government
! went to building hospitals and giving
! them to private citizens OF France.
IA scandal would arise that would burn
: up Washington.
Iact Anguot tho A,,a,ioa, DAD
Cross issued an order for an auto
mobile to be given to a French hos
pital for children at Toul. near
Nancy. A lot of chintzes for the bed
! rooms were sent down to brighten
them up: a lot OF toys for the chill
dren-French children brought in
from the war zone too young to keep
on their gas masks. Today ten Red
Cross automobiles are hauling to Red
, Cross hospitals in France, French
! children whose parents held in slav-
cry In Germany. are now being
dumped every day at Evian, on the
Franco-Swiss border. The Red Cross
autos haul these poor. diseased,
starved children to Red Cross hos
, pitals-American Red Cross hos
, pitfalls, where the kids are kept for a
= time, fed, nursed, dressed and made
+ we'll.
Fancy our government doing that
: for French children, Yet Il must be
done II the French morale behind
the lines is kept up this winter.
These deeds OF the American Red
: Cross are just as much part OF our
military policy in France and Italy
as though they were done under
| articles of war, where we are spend
! iug millions this minute to help the
!. stricken people.
The government could. OF course.
: hire knitters; Ii could. of course,
issue pensions for soldiers families
in America. II could buy ether and
bandages and hire nurses. But these
things are so small part of the Red
: Cross work that with them alone our
E cause would fail. Every man or
woman who out of his own heart
: here at home gives to support the
Red Cross is helping our cause from
an angle of attack that Is new in
modern war. IL Is the angle of
brotherhood. II stiffens the courage
: of the civilians. II pats heart into
} our soldier allies by the comforting
knowledge that their home affairs are
, going we'll And every dollar put
r into the Red Cross makes not only
for victory in this war, but for ever
lasting peace between the great ma