The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-10-25
PROUD RECORD
OF RED CROSS
War Council Tells Chapters of
Wonderful Work Done in
the Past Year.
LARGE SUMS WELL EXPENDED
In the Eighteen Months Since This
Country Entered the War the I'M
mense Amount of 1925, 100000
Has Been Accounted For.

has Been Accounted r Or
Annual meetings of the 1854 chap
tiers of the Red Cross were held Octo-
Der %. The War Council of the or
ganization sent the following message,
covering the work for the past year:
To the Chapters of the American Red
Cross:
The War Council sends greetings to
the chapters of the American Red
Gross on the occasion Of their annual
meetings for 1918.
With these greetings go congratula-
tions on the great work of the chapters
during the past year and, above all
things, on the wonderful spirit of sac
rifice and patriotism which has per-
vaded. that work.
The strength of the Red Cross rests
upon it's chapters. They are it's bone
and sinew.. They supply it's funds,
they supply its men and women, they
supply it's enthusiasm. Let us, then,
review together the Red Cross story
of the past year.
Some idea of the size to which your
Red Cross family has grown may be
gathered from the following facts:
On May 1, 1917, just before the ap-
pointment of the War Council, the
American Red Cross had 1876, 1914 men,
bers working through 562 chapters.
On July 81, 1913, the organization
numbered 2O,64S. 103 annual members,
besides 100000 members of the
of over one-fourth the population of
the United States.
Since the beginning of the war you
of the chapters have cO-operated with
the War Council in conducting two war
fund drives and one membership drive,
in addition to the campaign on behalf
OF the Junior Red Cross.
The total actual collections to date
from the first war fund have amounted
TO more than $115,00000O The sub
scriptions to the second war fund
amounted to upwards of S176,000,0OO.
From membership dues the collec-
lions have amounted to approximately
$24, 100000.
Splendid Work Done by Women.
TO the forging must be added that
very large contribution of materials
and time given by the millions of wom-
en- throughout the country in surgical
dressings, in knitted articles, in hos
pitai and refugee garments, in canteen
work, and the other activities the chap
ters have been called upon to perform.
1t is estimated that approximately
100000 women are engaged in cam
teen work and the production of relief
supplies through the chapters.
For the period up to July 1. 1918,
American Red Cross chapters, through
their workrooms, had produced:
400, refugee garments.
7,123.621 hospital supplies.
10,7S6,4S9 hospital garments.
10,134,501 knitted articles.
192,748,107 surgical dressings.
A total of 221, 2S2, 1888 articles-of an
estimated aggregate value of at least
S44,0O0,000.
These articles were largely the
product of women's hands, and, by the
same token, infinitely more precious
than could have been the output of
factories or machines. These articles
going TO the operating room of the hos
pitfalls, to homeless or needy refugees,
and carrying comfort to our own boys
in the field, convey message of love
from the women of this country entire
ly distinct from the great money value
attaching to their handiwork.
Money Spent in Work.
By the terms under which the first
Red Cross war fund was raised, the
chapters were entitled to retain % per
cent of the amount collected, in order
defray local expenses, to carry on their
terials TO be utilized in chapter produc-
tion and otherwise to meet the numer.l
Gus calls made upon them. The chap
tiers were thus entitled to retain nearly
S29,000,000. AS a matter of fact, their
actual retentions amounted to only |
about S22,000,000.
Out of collections from annual mem |
berships, the chapters have retained |
about S11000,000.
{ From this total sum, therefore, of $685. |
100000 retained by the chapters, they |
have met all the oftentimes very heavy |
local demands upon them, and in addi-
ton have provided for use by national
headquarters products valued, as
stated above. at upwards of $4,000
600.
The chapters have in effect returned
to the War Council, not alone the $780,
100000 retained out of the war fund
membership dues but, in value of !
actual product, an additional contribu-