The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-06-03
WAR CHARITIES IN
PAST FIVE YEARS
LOOSEN ALL PURSES

New York, June 2.-Indication of the
worldwide generosity awakened by the
war Is given by preliminary reports
of the British and American Red cross
Young Mems Christian Association, the
order of st. John of Jerusalem ana
SIMILAR organizations. which during the
past four years, have done service III
alleviating distress and which are now
taking part in the work of reoonS'iuc
ton.
a recent issue of London Truth, IN
commenting on the record OF S'o'uuu'
600 war contributions to the Red cross
by the British people during the period
from 1915 to 1918. inclusive, says, 'thls
must easily be- Il record collection loI
charitable purposes" Admitting that
the amount does not equal that raised
for the American Red Gross. the Truth
observes that 1.-THE general total of vol
unteer giving for war purposes in Eng
land must have been something with
out precedent in that countiyS MS
tory"
The British people. it is pointed out
were lavish in ther private benelac'
tons. no record of which was Kept
The first two years of the war, lor
instance. it Is said. individual Brltons
fed and clothed more than 10000 bcI
gian refugees and Belgian relief was
only one of a wide diversity Of objects
which included the rehabilitation OF
crippled soldiers, the Blue Cross Tor
war horses and numerous other chaf-
tiles An interesting feature OF the
work of the British Red Cross, shown
in the preliminary figures, is the low
cost of administration. In 1913, TINS
cost was less than three percent ana
it fell progressively untl, in 1913, 1t
was about one and one quarter per
cent
Contributions to the Americana Red
from the date OF the entry Of the United
States into the war. on April q, 1871
to the present are roughly estimated
at about $3.50. 600. This amount
was raised mainly in two donation
"drves" which brought in lO6,OOO,OOO
and $lS0.000 900 respectively and two
membership drives in which 42,OOU'-
600 membership signatures with min
imum of one dollar each many were
for much larger sums. were obtained.
The cost of administration. it was
stated by an official of the Atlantic
Division, was entirely betrayed by the
Red Cross membership subscriptions
and for every dollar contributed SlO2
was made available for actual relief
by reason of bank interest l.. j.
Hunter, comptroller of the American
Red Cross in Washington. is now at
work on receipts and expenditures, it
is said. and is expected to make an
Official report in June.
Many millions of dollars already had
been raised for the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, Knights of Columbus,
Jewish Welfare Board. War Camp
Service, American Library
Association, Young Women's Christian
and the Salvation Army
when the United War Drive was un-
dertaken last winter. The subscrip
tons aggregated more than $500 000,-
O00
Vast sums were raised in France,
Italy, Japan. Russia and other coun
tries. including neutral powers, for
the amelioration of human want and
woe" When all the figures are com
piled, a charities statistician estimates,
it will be shown that the most devas-
tating war of history unloosed man
kinds pursestrings in the most remark
able and prodigal manner.