Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-11
President Appeals
For Aid 10 Red Cross
As Roll Call Starts
Davis Tells Workers
1910 Job Is More
Important Than Ever

The American Red Cross opened
its annual NATIONWIDE Roll Call
for several million new members
today, following an appeal yeSter-
day by President Roosevelt and Red
Cross Chairman Norman H. Davis.
Citing the function of the Or
ganization as IAN auxiliary of our
armed forces" the Chief Executive
declared in a special statement,
The Red Cross has an essential
place in the great program of ma
tional defense in which we are now
engaged. The rapid expansion
Of defense man power calls. there
fore, for corresponding increase in
Red Cross service to our soldiers,
sailors and their families at home"
Speaking in a radio broadcast
carried over the three networks,
Chairman Davis said:
The Roll Call must and will go
over the top. 1t will be a demon
stration of every Americans deep
regard for his fellow man-proof
anew of the Nations inner strength
and unity.
Job More Important.
To the thousands of volunteers
about to set forth on their mem
bership campaign I say, Your job
in 1910 is more important than ever
before. Give all America a chance
to Join
And I ask you. the public-the
farmers, shopkeepers, teachers, fac
tory workers, doctors. lawyers, every
one-I ask YOU all to join the Amer
lean Red Cross. Here is one way
We can all work together for the
common defense
On the same program. which last
ed for an hour, orchestral numbers
conducted by Leopold Stokowski
were heard as we'll as reading by
Katherine Cornell and addresses by
various well-known radio PERSONAL
ties
ID. c. Campaign Held Early.
Washington's Roll Call was held
early this year in order to avoid
conflict with the Community Chest
campaign.
Text of the Chief Executives mes
sage follows:
The annual membership Roll Call
of the American Red Cross. which
is about to begin. is vitality important
to all of our citizens. AS an auXili-
airy of our armed forces, the Red
Cross has an essential place in the
great program OF national defense
in which we are now engaged.
Our people have learned through
the years to turn TO the Red Cross
for practical aid in any emergency
and that high trust always has been
fulfilled. Behind this great volun-
tary relief organization is a record
Of public service, both in time Of
war and peace, which makes it an
inseparable part of our national
life.
Under its congressional charter
one OF the primary duties of the
Red Cross is to render aid to our
armed forces and to act as a medium
OF communication between them and
the people of the United States. The
rapid expansion of our defense man
power calls, therefore, for a CORE
spending increase in Red Cross
service to our soldiers, sailors and
their families at home. Modern
warfare, IN transferring the tragedy
of the battlefields. with all its suf-
ferlng and destruction, to the heart
OF civilian popula tons, has empha-
sized the Importance to our civil
defense of such Red Cross services
as home nursing. first aid and
emergency relief. All this requires
greater resources, increased equip
ment and more trained workers in
Red Cross chapters.
Service of Peculiar Value.
We must not forget, however.
even in times of special emergency,
that the continuation of the vast
peacetime work of the Red Cross
is equally important. It's health
and educational services have pc
culiar value at this time. Likewise
1t must continue TO be prepared to
give instant help in the event of
such great natural calamities as
famine, fire, flood and epidemics.
The maintenance and expansion
OF these national services, which
should be co-ordinated through the
Red Cross. Americas officially rec
ognized voluntary relief agency. will
have, I am sure, the generous sup
port of every patriotic American.
These services are made possible by
our membership dollars The Red
Cross membership button, which
millions of Americans will wear dur
ing the coming weeks, is a splendid
symbol OF our national unity against
the forces of destruction and mis-
cry. Soon the American Red Cross
will invite each of us to share in
this national preparedness As
Chief Executive of the Nation and
president of the Red Cross, 1
strongly urge all who possibly can do
SO to join the Red Cross during
this period of annual enrolment
Armistice Day to November 80. 1t
is call to which I am sure the
American people will proudly and
cheerfully respond"
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