New-York tribune., 1919-10-22
L. S. Red Cross
Abroad Aided
l5,3376,324 4
Maintained "A Hospitals in
France, Huts and Canteens
in France and Italy and
at the Fighting Front
l thousands Saved by Aid
American Prisoners in Ger.
man Camps Fed and
Graves Are Photographed

Graves Are Photographed
WASHINGTON, Oct. 21.-rhe work
OF the American Red Cross with the
American army in France, Italy and
the British Isles and for the Amer
ican soldiers in German prison campg
Is described in the report of it's war
Gouncll. made public to-day by Henry
r. Dawson, the chairman.
during the war the Red Cross op-
Grated t"enty-four hospitals in France.
supplying the management and the
equipment with the army providing
the scientific personnel Most of these
hospltals were conducted for sick and
WOUNDED American soldiers, but
frencn and other Allied troops were
also admitted So we'll prepared for
emergencies vas the organization that
on one occasion q complete I 600 bed
hospital was made ready in forty
eight hours. In addition to these hos
pltals the Red Cross maintained twelve
convalescent homes for American
troops with g capacity of 1874 beds.
Inc MONIES took care Of 2,692 patients.
Rush Demands Met
To assist the army in handling less
serious cases Of sickness and injuries,
the Red Cross operated eight mfr
marles and thirteen dispensaries. Some
OF these were connected with Red Cross
hospitals and canteens and three of
them were limited to dental work. A
total Of $500 cases we're treated in
the intl11marles and 128, 1876 by the dis
pensarles. Emergency depots of hos
pl1al supplies were always held at the
cali OF the army, helping to save thou
sands OF lives. \ request for $4,000
articles OF yarious kinds, including
medical supplies, food and comforts,
required for immediate use on the
American front, was received in Paris
at 4 o'clock one afternoon. The ma
terials were assembled from three
warehouses and delivered at the front
by midnight of the same day. Splints
and nitrous oxide gas and oxygen were
produced and supplied by the Red
Cross for the use of the American SOL
diers.
The Red Cross co-operated with the
American and French governments in
the problem Of re-educating crippled
and disabled soldiers and sailors
maintained many canteens at the front
and on railroad lines connecting French
cities with the front and many hospital
recreational huts where wounded sol
dlers could rest quietly in pleasant
surroundings, with books, periodicals,
home papers and writing materials at
hand. During the twenty months ended
February %, 1919, the Red Cross.
according to the report, operated 130
canteens and served 1875 324 men
with 6,l53,59 meals and 12,70l,85O
drinks.
Aided Mems Families
Besides providing everything pos
sible for the comfort and recreation
OF the troops and for the American
sailors at naval stations, the Red Cross
adjusted financial difficulties, aided
the families OF soldiers, wrote thou
write and performed numerous other
personal services. Relatives at home
were informed as to the welfare and
whereabouts Of soldiers all over
France, but particularly those in hos
pltals. Through trained searchers news
of the sick and wounded was gathered,
details of deaths were ascertain and
men reported as missing were traced
The graves OF all American soldiers
who died IN France have been photo
graphed and the family of every boy
whose grave is distinguishable has re
ceived or will receive q picture from
81
the taking Of more than 10000 photo
graphs under all kinds of difficulties.
American Red Cross activities in
the British Isles consisted chiefly Of
caring for American soldiers and
sailors passing to and from the front,
providing for those shipwrecked
near by and III caring for the Ameri-
can wounded. In italy the work in
cluded hospital service, canteen ser
vice and home communication service
Prison Camp Work
Tie two most urgent reasons for
Red Cross work in Switzer and were
the necessity for working from that
country in aiding American soldiers III
German prison camps and in the need
for extending to the Swiss government
and people aid in caring TOR the thou
sands Of refugees from many lands
who were located in Switzerland.
American prisoners Of war and many
food and clothing, had their mail and
money forwarded and received assist
ance IN communicating with their
families and friends Supplies were
shipped weekly by the Red Cross IN
twenty-pound packages TO all American
prisoners on record wherever located.
At the start of tnis service the Red
Cross provided all such supplies free.
Later the United States army and
navy gave certain essential supplies
to the Red Cross, which supplemented
these supplies with many extra items,
such as special food for invallded
prisoners, chocolate, candy, pipes, to-
bacco and shaving outfits. On request
complete clothing outfits we're pro-
vided