Evening star., 1944-02-27
Red Cross Drive
To Be Launched
On Wednesday
,$2,665, 900 Sought;
Pageant Will Be
Given Today

Washington area volunteers will
go to war this week with the
opening of the local Red Cross War
Fund drive for $2,665, 900.
Termed emotion in action" by
Chairman John Clifford Folger, the
Red Cross will hold its kickoff
rally at noon Wednesday in the De-
partmental Auditorium. Speakers
will be Secretary of the Navy Knox,
1t. Gen. Brehon Somervell, COM
manding Army Service Forces; 1t.
Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift, Ma
rlne Corps commandant, and Lloyd
B. Wilson, general campaign chair
man.
Weeks of preparatory effort find
the District organization keyed for
the task ahead-that of raising the
largest sum the Washington area
ever has been asked to give the Red
Gross. The campaign theme is
greater need for services supplied
by the Red Gross in far-f1ung battle
zones. A year ago the District chap
SOuSIU Ol,CDO,fUO dIlQ 1dlScQ
nearly S2,OOo,OOO.
Gift Sought From All.
Before the months drive ends,
every Washington area resident will
be asked to give something, Cam
paign Chairman Wilson emphasized.
THE Red Cross represents
America at its best. America under
stress he said. The Red Cross
is humanity in action, giving eff
fectlve outlet to our emotions as we
think of the fight being waged for
preservation of our liberties"
While the drive does not begin
officially until Wednesday, the work
of the Red Cross will be the theme
Of sermons today in Washington
area churches, and the occasion of
pageant at o'clock this afternoon
in the Hall of Flags, United States
Chamber of Commerce. The event
will be broadcast over Station
WMAL.
With music by the Fort Wash
ington Band, the pageant entitled
"Cavalcade of the Red Gross" will
be under direction of Gene Ford
managing director of Loew's Capitol
Theater. Robert H. Davidson, Dis
trict chapter public relations chair
man, will preside The opening ad-
dress will be made by Mrs. George
A. Garrett, chairman of Volunteer
Special Services for the District Red
Cross.
Arrangements for the pageant, to
which admission is free. were made
by committee headed by Mrs.
Campbell Osborn. Assisting her are
Mrs. William H McKleroy, script;
Mrs. Stewart Schmalbach, casting;
Mrs. Lawrence Kuter and Mrs.
Peggy Lamson, writer's. and Jack
Edmonds and Mrs Warren Lee Pier
son, radio, all members of Red Cross
corps.
The Washington Welcomes YOU
project, through Miss Laura King,
director, also aided in planning the
presentation.
Unit to Make Second Report.
The second report of the Special
Gifts Unit headed by Wilmer j.
Waller will be made at box lunch
con meeting Tuesday at 1890 pm.
at the United States Chamber of
Commerce. While total funds raised
by this division will not be made
public until the first general report
meeting on March 6, gifts from five
sources alone reflected an increase
of almost $4,000 over comparable
l943 subscriptions, Mr. Waller an
nounced at the first report meeting
Friday.
The Special Gifts Unit has no
quota, but when its task is COM
pleted, the funds received will be
allocated to respective divisions and
included in division reports.
Another high light Tuesday will
be meeting at pm. in Constitu-
ton Hall of some 1000 employees and
volunteer workers of American Red
Cross national headquarters. Sub
scriptions made by that group are
included in the District chapter
campaign totals.
The Wednesday rally is for key
workers in all divisions, with 1900
expected to attend. At that meeting
high Government officials prosecut-
ing the war will lend their support
to the Red Cross plea.
200 Million Goal in Nation.
The national Red Cross drive for
$200,000,000 opens simultaneously
with the District chapter campaign.
In announcing the reappointment of
Thomas w. Lamont of New York as
chairman of the Advisory Commit
tee yesterday, Chairman Norman H.
Davis of the American Red Cross
announced the membership of the
committee that includes eight
Washingtonians, as well as former
President Herbert C. Hoover, Wen
dell L. Willkie, John w. Davis, for
mer Democratic presidential nomi-
nee; James A. Farley, former POST
master General, and other nation
ally known figures.
The Washington committee mem
bers are Mrs. Roosevelt, Philip Muir
ray, William Green. John L. Lewis,
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Albert S.
Goss, Mrs. John L. Whitehurst and
George F. Zook.
Two Virginians named by Chair
man Davis are John Stewart Bryan,
newspaper publisher, and Alexander
w. Weddell of Richmond, former
Ambassador to Spain.