Evening star., 1943-03-08
Special Gifts Group
Collects $276,030
In Red Cross Drive
Division Raises 55.2 Pct.
Of Its Quote; 700 Firms
Still to Be Contacted

SAIIi ~ OS SOuIlUItSO
A total of $276,O3O has been
collected in Washington's effort
to raise $1.555 400 in the Ameri-
can Red Cross War Fund drive
it was reported at a luncheon
meeting of the Special Gifts Di-
vision today at the United States
Chamber of Commerce Building
1915 H street NV.
This total brought the special
gift divisions collections TO $50 pei
cent Of its quota and 1774 per cent
of the area total
The latest figures are an increase
of $35, 5,030 over the divisions report
of collections through Friday A,
that time it was reported that It's
per cent of the area total had been
reached, whereas only IS per cent
of the total was then subscribed.
War Hero to Speak.
The first of series OF general re-
,ort meetings will begin tomorrow
in, the Chamber Building, when
residential, city, general business
and four nearby counties will sub
NIT their pledges Maj Donald
Dixon, Marine Corps, will talk
briefly on Guadalcansl. Other war
heroes will address the daily
meetings.
Reports today covered only 1884
individuals and firms John J
Hasley, special gifts division chair
man, emphasized that every effort
must be made at once to get in
touch with the more than TOO in
dividuals and firms yet to be seen
by the divisions workers. Still tc
be heard from are special gifts from
District banks, hotels, theaters
building and loan and insurance
companies.
Final Meeting Monday.
Keynote of the meeting, which
was attended by 81 volunteer work
e,~s and served by Fed Cross can
~ workers, was the fact that the
| public must be made aware that this
is not a normal membership drive
and contributions should treble, al
least, those of previous years.
Speakers included Miss Mabe
Boardman, Clifford Folger and A
G. Neal.
Mr. Hasley announced that ths
division will hold q final repor1
meeting next Monday, together with
the residential and city division
Mrs. Dwight Davis, civic leader, will
be the speaker.
Wednesdays general report meet
ing will be devoted to the Fedora
and District government units. Or
Thursday the residential. city anc
counties will report again, and or
Friday the progress achieved by the
two government groups and genera
business division is to be outlined
In urging trebled contributions
the 5000 solicitors are stressing the
d. keen interest shown by servicemer
| in the outcome of the campaign
Particularly gratifying. District
Chapter Chairman John Clifford
Folger said, are the voluntary gifts
made by wounded veterans recuper-
ating in Walter Reed Hospital anc
by the residents and employees Of
Soldiers Home, all former service
men.
Link With Armed Services.
The keynote of the District area
appeal is the role of the Red Gross
as the direct link between civilian.
and those in the armed services
Men who have risked their live.
already-men who know the service.
rendered by the Red Cross-have Sc
an example for these on the hom,
front, campaign leaders emphasized
At the luncheon meetings cam.
paign workers will pay small fe,
for the meals, no expense being in
CURED by the Red Cross. All lunch
cons will begin at 1890 pm.
How to prevent repetition o
last years failure in a city which
has the greatest employment ant
purchasing power in it's history il
problem over which the campaign
leaders are wrestling. Many privat,
business firms will advance fund
to the Red Cross in payment of EN-
ploye pledges and permit employee
to make part-time repayment
spread over a period of several week
or months. The largest employer
the Federal Government, does no
permit payroll deductions for thi
purpose. The Federal group ha
been assigned a quota of $685., ,256
1See PED CROSS Page A-1nl