Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-11-11

The Fourth Roll Call 10 not q cam,
paign.
II II merely the yearly opportunity
tor American men and women to pay
their annual dues and renew theii
membership In their Red Cross.
This Roll Call finds the Red Cross
~ much at any time since 1t en-
tered the great war, In the midst OIL
tremendous concerns.
The world Is so full OF uncertain
that which ID called modern civilian
Ion 10 30 utterly upset-that no sooner
,s one duty ended than another looms
" large.
The present program Of the Amer
lean Red Cross 10 vastly important ane
fundamentally essential.
Its primary obligation was to tn;
service men Of the Army and Navy
OF that obligation these things still
remain:
First, To stay with the Army OF Oc'
,upation, comprising about 1000 Of
icers and men, and serve as their Rec
Cross.
Second, To continue in the hospitals
If the Army, the Navy and the Public
Health Service where there are more
han 26, 900 men, many Of whom will b.
retained there for months and some q
them for years. and carry on their rec
reational and social WORK
Third, To keep in touch as AZ ad
ytsory organization with the dis
charged men Of the Army and Navy,
and be ready-pot in the way OF
financial aid, but what is worth far
more-to contribute kind ADVICE and
friendly assistance.
Fourth, To continue the work that
has been going on In connection with
the families of soldiers and sailors,
and as growing out Of this a similar
work for the community at large.
The fact that the men haye returned
does not by any means eliminate do
nestle problems. In many cases 1t
only intensifies them. This is psrtic'
ularly true In the case OF more than
$4,000 families whose men are in the
number Of the dead, where there Is a
wealth OF service that the Red Cross
can still render.
Fifth, While the Government itself
is carrying on vocational training for
manned and crippled men. It has turn,
ed over to the Red Cross the care OF
those who have been blinded in the
crash OF war No more sacred serv'
ice can be imagined than this.
Work In Europe:
SO far as the world at large 10 con-
cerned the American Red Cross must
still stand by to the limit of its pos
sibility and the measure OF its ability.
On the Western Front its work ~ now
over. Belgium. France and Italy are
slowly but surely making progress.
with their feet firmly set upon paths
of reconstruction.
The Eastern Belt of Horror still re-
mains-not only q menace to ciyiitza-
ton. but q challenge to the Red Cross.
The enormity of its want 10 stag
gering.
The entire fabric Of civilization is
tottering into ruin.
Pestilence and famine are stalking
In the midst Of calamity.
The Red Cross cannot carry the bur-
den that only Western Civilization
united can bear, 1t cannot feed Pc.
land, the Baltic States, Czechoslovakia
and the Balkans. 1t cannot ciothe and
shelter hundreds Of millions OF people,
were 1t SO inclined.
No voluntary organization can any
longer face task Of such dimensions.
But to the best OF It's ability the
American Red Cross can do what II
did during the months before Amer
ica's armies came to take their part
in the great conflict.
1t can, by It's very presence, give
promise Of assistance.
II can carry ON at least q hopeful
night against pestilence and epidemic.
II can minister to the extreme of
emergency.
1t cap try to protect and care for the
children who are che one hope for the
future.
More than this. in the present cep4i-
tion of its funds and its personnel, 1t
dare not undertake.
Far more than this 1t is willing to
undertake, II the American people
choose again to make 1t the repository
OF their confidence and to contribute
for the relief Of suffering millions of
fellow men.
What the American Red Cross does
for Europe depends upon what the
American people ask 1t to do.
II knows how. The experience of
the past IN Invaluable. The American
Red Cross ID ready. II is up to the
American people to decide,