Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-10-30

| Red Cross chapters throughout the
| country held their annual meetings
| October %, at which the following
message from the War Council was
! read:
To the Chapters of the American Red
| Cross:
| The War Council sends greetings to
| the chapters of the American Red
| Cross on the occasion of their annual
meetings for 1918.
With these greetings go congratula-
| tons on the great work of the chapters
| during the past year and, above all
| things, on the wonderful spirit of sac
| ritice and patriotism which has per-
| vaded that W =.
| The strength of the Red Cross rests
upon its chapters. They are it's bone
and sinew. They supply it's funds,
| they supply it's 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 4S6, 194 mem
bers working through 562 chapters.
| On July 81, 1918, the organization
numbered 20,648, 103 annual members,
besides 100000 members of the
Junior Red Cross-a total enrolment
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, 100000. The sub
scriptions TO the second war fund
amounted to upwards of $176,000,0O0.
From membership dues the collec-
| tons have amounted to approximately
| $24,50O,0O0.
Splendid Work Done by Women.
To the FORGING must be added that
| very large contribution of materials
| Bnd time given by the millions OF wom-
en- throughout the country in surgical
! dressings, in knitted articles, in hos
! pital 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:
| 490,120 refugee garments,
7.123,621 hospital supplies.
107S6,4S9 hospital garments.
1919, sol knitted articles.
92,74S,1 07 surgical dressings.
A total of %, 2S2, S38 articles-of an
estimated aggregate value Of at least
| $44,OO0,0O0.
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 a message of love
from the women of this country entire
! ~ 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
home service work, to purchase ma
| terialS to be utilized in chapter prOduc-
ton and otherwise to meet the numer-
Gus calls made upon them. The chap
tiers were thus entitled to retain nearly
SOS, 100000 AS a matter of fact, their
actual retentions amounted to only
about 100000.
Out of collections from annual men,
berships, the chapters have retained
about S11.000,O00.
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
coo.
The chapters have in effect returned
to fae War Council, not alone the $685.
\
membership dues but, in value of
| actual product, an additional contribu-
WHY RED CROSS is LOVED.