Evening star., 1944-12-22
We Need Blood Say Our Men;
Here 1t Comes,' Replies D. c.
Amazing Response
Follows PIeo of
Army for Donations

Army TOR Donations
Hundreds were waiting In line, pa
tiently, even gayly, though some of
them might have to wait a long
time.
And nobody was offering cigarettes
for sale by the cartons. Nor were
they lined up to get belated Christ
mas packages in the mail.
Each was waiting to give blood
to be rushed to France for the men
wounded in the great battle now
raging. Many had paused in the
midst Of their Christmas shopping
to 60 to the Blood Donor Center of
the District Red Cross, at 81 Louis
ana avenue NV. and waited holding
their packages. Others had dropped
their work and hurried from decks
to give the blood needed to save
lives.
Officials Delighted.
Red Cross officials were amazed
and delighted today at the quick
response that followed appeals to
the newspapers and radio stations.
The call for help came from the
Surgeon Generals Once at the War
Department. which got word from
SHEAF in Paris to keep the blood
coming steadily.
But the Red Cross people en-
phasized that. gratifying as this re-
sponse was, the American Army in
France needs more than a sudden
squirt Of donors. What 1t must have
is steady flow of blood, day after
day, for the battle between the re-
juvenated Nazis and the Americans
in their path may last long time.
So every one willing to give was
urged to phone District $500 and
make an appointment--n not for
today or tomorrow for some other
day.
The Surgeon Generals appeal was
broadcast over all local stations at
11:40 am. yesterday. Within three
hours a thin trickle Of donors at the
center had thickened to a crowd and
by late afternoon the corridors were
janmed.
Need Particular Type.
The medical units in France par
ticularly needed the %" type Of
whole" blood. About 40 per cent of
the donors have 20" blood, and this
is placed, just as it is syphoned
from the giver, into a container
This is flown to New York and
thence whipped by plane to Paris
each night.
Within "a hours after a donor
gives his blood it reaches Paris,
ready to be sent to whatever battle
sector needs it most. Where a
wounded man has suffered severe
loss of blood whole blood may be
the only thing that will save his
life.
Not that plasma, too, is not
needed. Those who lack 20" type
are just as welcome. Their blood
Is reduced to plasma and also hur-
ried to the battlefronts.
Washington present quota is
5000 pints of blood a week-4,0OO
mono" for plasma and 1880 "O'
type. E
This means 1so pints of %" blood
a day.
Donations Slowed Down.
The city hasn't been giving it.
Christmas shopping and other dis
fractions of the seasons slowed
down the donation the first three
days this week. But yesterdays ap-
peal brought a big jump in the
amount and hope that the quota
will be maintained from now on.
Secretary Morgenthau, after ap-
pealing over loudspeaker at the
Treasury Department for all
healthy employees to give, went to
the Blood Donor Center at S pm.
and gave his own blood.
Many servicemen were among
those lined up. A group OF naval
officers appeared among the first
after the radio appeal. Thirty
sailors from the Naval Optical
School, all with 20" blood, made an
appointment for noon today.
Women and men, young and old
the lines stretched through the cor
ridors all afternoon and seats in the
reception hall were filled constantly.
Five Cities Designated.
What makes it so Important for
Washington to keep up its quota,
especially of whole blood, is the
fact that it's one of only five cities
designated to ship the 20" type by
plane to the western front. The
others are New York, Brooklyn,
Boston and Baltimore. No cities
more distant from the plane routes
to Europe were named, because
whole blood must be used within
three weeks and the Army can't
risk the delay of shipping it from
interior spots.
While most of those who rushed
to the center yesterday and this
morning were walks in,'' who
dropped whatever they were doing
and hurried there, the Red Cross
would prefer for donors to phone
and make appointments. That
means less waiting and greater en-
cheney.
And, to repeat, what Is needed is
a steady quota-not merely a squirt
of giving.
Appointments Listed