Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-10-24
Great Stores For the Army.

81
"Then the American Army came
Time will not permit me to describe
even in merest outline the many
sided activities which the Red Cross
Immediately assumed. During all the
carly months, while actively engaged
IN civilian work in France, the Red
| Cross had been busily preparing for
the coming Of our own troops Vast
reserve stores for the care of the
wounded and sick had been gathered
] together, and every preparation had
been made for that service which is
perhaps more than any other the
recognized field of Red Cross activ-
ity.
"Whle the work overseas was per-
haps more dramatis it was no more
important and Fundamental than the
work at home Neve in the history of
the world has there been such 4,
spontaneous outpouring of unsclfish
service as was shown by the women
of the United States who day after
day and month afte month gave their
hands and their hearts to the service
of those who were fighting the coun-
try's battles abroad. Whatever emer-
gency was presented by war con-
ditions, the Red Cross was found
ready to do its best to meet it.
AS was inevitable, there were
thousands of soldiers families who |
found themselves in conditions of |
difficulty andoften of distress. I'm
mcdiately the great Home Service of /
the Red Cross WAS created to meet !
the situation. That work is known in !
every community of the country. To |
the soldiers in camp and cantonment. |
the Red Cross offered and gave its |
aid. With the troops in transit. the
Cantecn Service has made a record
which can never die.
Much Remains TO BE Done.
"And, now, one great important
fact must be made clear to every one,
and that is this: The war task of the
Red Cross is not yet ended. With the
rehabilitation of the last regiments.
we can see the close of certain chant
ers OF Red Coss work, but until
every soldier so discharged has found
ms place in his home community,
wherever that may be, there still re-
mains Red Cross responsibility:
until every family adversely affected
by war conditions has been placed as
firmly as may be on its feet, the
Red Cross work has not been ter
AT no time has the activity
of the Home Service Sections been as
great as it is today, ana we must
look forward to ac'i'a servi,e in that
field for many months to come.
And still another task born of the
war cannot be turned aside. The
Red Cross work in France and Italy
ana Belgium can now safely be turn
cd over to those countries themselves
to complete; but in Eastern Europe,
raVaged by battle for nearly five
years, there comes call which Amer
lea must heed. In the Balkans, in
Poland, in the new countries that
nave set up, the distress and suffer
ing are still beyond all hope of
adequate relief from native sources.
The most fundamental problem is
not That of food and clothes, but it
ist build up the vitality of peoples
by years of war and pri-
walton. From the Baltic to the Medi-
terranean comes great call to the
Red Cross for help in fighting di-
sease, and to aid in building up
throughout Europe standard of
health protection which shall insure
the future of those poole. Without
such bulwark the war will have
been fought in vain.
Supplies Are Available.
And to that task the Red Cross
proposes to put its hand during this
coming year. BY act of Congress, mil
lions of dollars worth of surplus med
zeal and surgical supplies have been
placed at the disposal of the Red
Cross for relief in those countries.
through your generosity the Red
Cross still has considerable amount
OF valuable material which will go
lar to relieve the situation. We do not
propose to assume the responsibility
OF completely caring for those vast
populations, but we do propose to
stand with them, and with such ,oun-
sci, service and aid as we can legit-
imately give, to contribute to firm
foundation upon which the future
welfare of these countries may be |
built. For this purpose the Red Cross
is asking the American people, not
1of huge sums to be poured into
Europe, but simply for sufficient
money effectively to distribute the
~ terial now placed in our hands !