The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-14

pital .ents. some covering an acre of space. In ali the stock Of tents numbers a59.
 After a considerable amount of ad- vertising and display in auction rooms, the American commission got one bid. It vas from a paper manufacturer He wanted to chew up the tents and mIx them with pulp for the manufacture of paper. The amount of money he offered was rag-andjunk figure. These tents are of most durable canvas and brand new.4
 The Red Cross then sent salesman around the bathing resorts. It was dur ing the summer He pitched his sample tent OF the beaches, hung sign on it, "or Sale'' and in a bathing suit await ed customers. He visited all the prin- cipai seaside resorts-and didn't get one order.
 The various Red Cross commissions in Europe nave been appealed to to help in the disposition of the tents and the French headquarters has just put in a reeuisitien for 150 of the tortoise" for tke use of French peasants returning to their land in the devastated districts. Two requests for prices have come from a south American government and from Czechc- -Siovakia.
 TROUBLE WITH A SQUATTER
 Theil there is the item of the $i i,00o,e ,ec0 hospital which the Red Cross built for the American expeditionary force at Sarisbury Court, near Southampton. It is one of the finest. hospitals put up during the war, and the 200 acres of ground surrounding the building was the only outright purchase op froperty by the Red Cross in Great Britain.
 It was not difficult to dispose of the equipment, the buildings and the land. There was an immediate buyer for the buildings and land the British ministry of labor, which wishes to establish an ex@ perimental farm on the site for ex-sol- diers. The sale price was s20o,c00, but a squatter has taken possession and he refuses to get off. A pistol has been flourished: two Red Cross agents have been assaulted and choked. and the squatter's wife has frightened others away with her tongue alone.
 When the Red Cross first occupied the 200 acres, it had to culticate it and SOW crops at once to meet the British war time regulations This was done. In 1919 the hospital began to close down, and was too short-handed to operate the farm. The crops were sold to the squat ter for 5000 with the verbal understand ing that he would leave after the har- vest.
 Instead he sowed new crops. More than that, lse has run up bills totalling sons- where between s20,000 and $2o,0Oo in the ri. >pe of the American Red Cross com nifs ton, using a rubber stamp and his signature as director. The deal was first made with him by an American who is fine stock breeder on the Isle o. Guernsey, and who undertook to man. age the Sarisbury Court farm as hls war contribution
 About s400 of the bills have already been paid by the Red Cross and it is probable that all of them will have to be met They are for seed groceries and clothing But the squatter overstepped himself when he sold fertilizer and a few farm implements that had already been transferred to the ministry of labor. A detective is on the job. It is believed the squatter will quit his claim without leeal proceedings.
 GIVE AWAY HOSPITAL Down at Romsey, near the great A. Z.
 F. rest camp at Winchester, the Red Cross built a beautiful, compact little hospital at the order of the American army at a cost of $S5, GOO. As token oN