The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-08
R. C. NEEDS MONEY
Activities of American Red
Cross Not Confined to War.
Peace Time Service at Home a
Big Feature.
ROLL CALL BEGINS NOV. II
Local Chapter Spent $4,000 in
Shawnee County.
Nursing Service Here Gave AS
sistance to 1924 People.
ROLL CALL BEGINS NOV. II

The reason for the drop in member
ship of the Shawnee county chapter OF
the Red Cross, from $4,000 to 11'OOO'
the 1920 roll, is found in the belief en-
tertained by many people that the
work of the Red Cross is confined
solely to service during war time.
The program of peace time service
which is carried out by the organlZa-
ton, with special emphasis on the
home service features ana the lOcal
work done, is not fully understood or
annrecfated by the general publc, II is
heiieved nv the officials who are in
charge of the fourth annual roll call
which will start November II.
Money Spent at Home.
'Most people have hazy idea that
when they give money 70 the I@ee
Cross, it is taken to Washlngtoh anu
spent there for some unknown pur-
nose" said Charles Mitchell one or the
Committee in charge of the roll call
this morning. -. 4L+
Mitchell pointed out the fact tnat
snent $4,000 within the limits OF
Shawnee County, where the money was
raised, last year.
THO most extensive item of the pro-
gram carried out in the past year was
the payment of the salaries and ex-
nenses of four public health nurses IN
tbe County, This item. which called
for the expenditure of $4,000 OF the
$4,000, supplied a nursing service
which gave assistance to 2,Oz4 pauehts
and made 1925 calls during the year
Cared for Shawnee County Men.
Dur,np the wear the home service
department cared for the families OF
, 2433 Shawnee county soldiers, ana
extended financial aid amounting TO
S2.S79.79 to them. A course OF tram
ing in home hygiene and the care VI
the sick mas been given to 26o women
in the county during the year ny
nurses employed by the Red cross.
$4,000 fund for use in emergen-
cies and disasters, which will be per-
manent and ready for imneulate USE
has been established by the chapter.
A permanent office is maintained III
To6elza. ready to answer calls for as
sistance at any time ,.,
have been financed by the money col
lected in Shawnee county, and admin
istered bv the officials of the local
chapter, include the assistance OF ols,
a5led soldiers in securing Vocatlonai
training and hospital treatment, and
the establishment of first aid stations
which have proven themselves o., OF
great value, at fairs and other puDAc
gatherings within the county.
people don't realize that their
money is staying in the county Tor
work which can be done best ana
sonetimes only be done thru the
medium of the Red Cross Mr.. Mitch
ell said.
One-HaIf Spent at Home.
1.-THE national membership, which
required a membership fee of one dol
lar, means that fifty cents of that dol
lar STAYS right in Shawnee county. A
contributing membership costs 50, and
81 of that money is spent in the county
in which it is collected. A sustaining
membership costs $40, and only 81 is
sent away to be used in the national
program of assistance which is too
large to be handled by any local chap
ter which may be at the scene of the
need. People who take out member
ships in the Shawnee county Red
Cross, are helping Shawnee county,
not altogether some persons far away,
and unknown"
The small percentage of the money
collected which is sent away for ma
tional activities, amounts to a consld-
cradle sum when taken in the aggre-
gate of all the contributions from all
the chapters, and is put to uses which
the funds and other resources of local
chapters are not adequate to meet.
Cared for $4,000 People.
The national Red Cross during the
past year aided 1900 unfortunates in
$50 floods, fires, windstorms and other
disasters. There are 300 nurses in
the service of the national Red Cross,
and during the last flu epidemic there
were / 5. 600 nurses on duty. During
the year. 10000 women completed the
course in nursing and home hygiene.
The national organization aided. dur
ing the past year, more than 100000
families of soldiers, in various ways.
The national Red Cross is still fur
nishing camp, hospital and home serv-
ice for the United States army and
navy. at the request of the govern
ment.
Aid to Blind Soldiers.
All the soldiers blinded during the
war have. at the request of the govern
ment, been turned over to the Red
Cross reconstruction institution at
Evergreen. Md Under the obliga-
tions of its charter, the Red Cross is
still fighting in foreign lands-fighting
typhus. cholera, tuberculosis and other
plaques.
The Junior Red Cross is making
the America of tomorrow" Under its
direction 100000 children of school
age are being trained in service and
Americanism.
The next roll call. which will open
on Armistice day. will continue until
Thanksgiving day. and 900 workers
will be on duty during that time in
Shawnee county.