The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-12-20
The Work of the Red Cross Must
Go On

The American Red Cross is an en-
Urgency organization by nature-it
deals with problems as they arise.
No better illustration of this fact
can be given than to recall its work
since American entered the war If
hospital was needed in an emergen-
cy at any particular poi1t-Quickly-
tie Red Cross supplied it. If train
load of troops crossed the country
and for one reason or another the
provisjns failed the Red Crss has had
the facilities to cope with the situa-
ton and to send these boys on their
way happy and with full stomacbs.
What has been the record Of the
Red Cross-it has never failed to an
, swer to call Of distress, NO matter
what or when or how that call came
1t is already preparing for service
in peace times-but a bigger. broader
service than ever undertaken by any
relief organization.
A message sent by the war council
of the Red Cross to all chapters
shows that long ago definite plans
were made to meet the emergencies
that are bound to arise when peace
is finally here. 1t said in part:
"On February tenth Of last year.
nearly six weeks before the United
States declared war, National Red
Cross Headquarters advised its chap
ters to prepare for war.
THAT which has followed in the
record Of the Red Gross in helping
to win this war and to relieve suffer
ing gorwing ont of it, constitutes
something of which evey American
citizen has right to be proud.
The moment is now come to pre-
pare for peace Actual peace may
come at any momento it may be defer
red for some time. Until peace is real
! ~ here, there can be no relaxation in
any Red Cross effort incident to ac-
tive hostilities
But even with peace, let no one
suppose that the work Of the Red
Cross is finished Millions of Ameri-
can boys are still u1der arms. Thous-
ands Of them are sick and wounded.
Owing to the shortage in shipping, it
may take a year or more to bring
our boys home from France But
whatever the time, our protecting
arms must be about them and their
families over the whole period which
must elapse before the normal life
of peace can be resumed
THE cessation Of war will reveal =
picture of misery such as the world
! has never seen before. especially in
/ the many countries which cannot help
themselves. The American people
/ will expect to continue to repair bro
! ken spirits and broken bodies. Peace
terms and peace conditions will de
termi1e how We may best minister
to TIE vast stricken areas which have
J been narrowed by war, and in this
great act Of mercy the heat and spir-
! its of the American people must con
tinue to be modified
A solemn obligation rests upon ev-
! cry American to see that this great
work will go on. To Garry On
the Red Cross must have the moral
support Of the American people. The
eyes of the world are upon US and
we shall not fail
! The Red Cross solicitors have been
busy in Ocala and Marion county all
the week and are meeting with great
success in their Christmas drive for
members. This will be the only drive
made the coming year for the Red
Cross so it behoOves every citizen
in this county who has not already
done so, to enroll as a member of
thi great society for 1919. This drive
is for the. purpose of securing one
hundred million members and we
know that no one in Marion county
wants his or her name omitted from
| the liaf Of members