The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-03
THINGS 1 NEVER KNEW TIL
NOW

tADout Inc hed Cr0SSl
Back in 1923, Japan suffered the
worst disaster in its history (next
TO the one they asked for on Dec.
I'D -. An earthquake devastated
an area of fifty square miles, TAX
ing toll cf more than $4,000
lives. (The city of Yokohama was
totally destroyed BY fire. as was
most OF Tokyo) .. President Cool
1Gge promptly called on the Ameri-
can people to come TO Japan's aid
with five million dollars. The citi-
zens of this country tramp,ed over
each other rushing to help the Japs
and the sum was subscribed in a
mere ten days. But America didn't
stop there-the dollars kept pouring
IN until the Red Cross had almost
twelve million dollars for Japan,
when that nation needed a friend
-. This, however, Is the bitter
irony: The Japs were SO "apprecia-
tive" that they set aside three mil
lion dollars of the American Red
Cross relief FUNDS to build me
mortal Fraternity Hospital" in the
earthquake area-as a permanent
testimonial Of Japan's gratitude to
the United States!
When the Jap stab-in- the-back
occurred in tie Pacific, the Red
Cross wasn't among those who were
caught mapping. 1t went into action
in Honolulu and the philippines ten
minutes after the bombing started
. .. Units of the American Red
Cross are already in North Ireland
with Americas 1912 A. E. F. 3.
The American Red Cross wasn't
among the Rip Van Wrinkles who
couldn't see Inc war coming to the
u. S. It started to get ready for
this war eighteen mon his ago.!
when many of us were being called
"warmongers!")
Rel Cross nurses attached to the
U. s. Army are officers with the
rank of second-lieutenant. (Ani
privstes are strictly prohibited by
Army regulations from trying to
date them or make passes at them)
:. In the Navy, the nurses are en-
signs :. The Army requires Nts
Red Cross nurses to carry helmets
and gas masks just like the soldiers
and no wonder. In the last war,
296 American nurses lost their lives
in the service of their country +. .
Contributors to the Red Cross have
the best guarantee in the world that
there won't be any hookus-pokus
with the funds, because its books
are audited annually by the War
Department and reported to Con-
gress -. The Red Cross operat-
ing expenses are the lowest of any
organization in the country-less
than four per cent of the money
money collected. (You can check it
in any public library in the Con-
gressional Reord.)
The women who are members of
the Red Cross motor corps must
furnish their own automobiles and
gasoline, as well as foot their own
parking bills. During the current
emergency, they're required to serve
one shift Of eight hours each week
and be on call twenty-four hours
a DEFY The girls take a six
week training course, and one thing
they're taught Is how to repair a
car themselves I. Airedale terriers
play an important part in the work
of the Red Cross in wartime. The
dogs are sent out on the battle
fields to locate wounded men. They
carry containers of water, and af-
ter letting the soldier quench his
thirst, they race back to the
stretcher- bearers and lead them to
the injured man =. In England
the Red Cross dogs are furnished
with gas masks.
The first war in which the Ameri-
can Red Cross took part was the