The Wilmington morning star., 1945-06-09
RED CROSS WAR
AID IS REDUCED

Cessation Of hostilities in Europe
and the liberation of American
men held captive by the Germans
is resulting In the curtailment and
modification of the entire Red
Cross Prisoner Of War Relief ma.
chinery, Mrs. Blake ApplewhitA
chairman of Prisoner of War Re-
lief Of the Wilmington Chapter Of
the American Red Cross said yes.
terday.
The Red Cross fleet whose ships
in the past two and one half years
made IS voyages carrying 10000
tons of relief supplies now is IN
the process of being disbanded.
The four relief packaging plants,
manned by Red Cross women vol
unteers, relatives of prisoners OF
war, were closed as of June /.
However, 800, 900 food packages in
Philadelphia and 100000 in the St.
Louis plant will be readied for
prisoners of war in the Far East.
The Prisoner of War Bulletin in
it's present form will be discon.
tinued after the June issue. A Far
Eastern issue is contemplated in
August.
Since Japan has never ratified
the Geneva Convention and be-
cause of her highly uncooperative
attitude and refusal to even in
many cases release names OF pris-
oners of war and civilian internees.
Red Cross facilities for prisoner OF
war work will have tc be greatly
modified or even done awey with
now that the European phase OF
the war is over, it was said.
There will be no more tobacco
packages, book packages and 60
day personal packages for which
the Red Cross furnished cartons,
advice and sometimes help in Sc
curing and packing contents.
From June 10 through August,
the Array will prepare 300, 900 food
packages Of new type for Far
Eastern shipment and additional
packages will be prepared by COM
mercial packers. These may pos
sibly be delivered through Russia.
Recent cable reports indicate an
Improvement in conditions in pris-
oner of war camps in the Far East
and a deterioration of conditions
in civilian internee camps there.
Previously the reverse was true.
However, recent reports coming
from Burma are not too hopeful
Ceaseless efforts have been made
by the Red Cross and the State
Department to secure Japanese
permission for relief efforts. So
far only fragmentary concessions
have been made. As a result of
these concessions large, although
still inadequate, amount OF relief
supplies nave been dispatched. Eff
forts will be intensified to make
the relief more regular and to
obtain information about prisoners
held by Japan. However, prospects
for the steady flow Of supplies to
prisoners there are none too prom
Using.
OF the SO men from the Will.
mington area liberated from Euro
pean prisoner of war camps of
which the Red Cross Home Ser
vice Department has knowledge,
only two have been reported in
need Of disqualification. Both of
these men were suffering from
malnutrition. One Of them is now
hospitalized in France for menin-
gifts, which he contracted while
awaiting transportation home.
Most of the men lost weight, but
they came through the ordeal
sound of body, mind and spiXt.
Workers on the local Red Cross
prisoner of war relief program can
take pride in the fact that their
work helped the men to retain
their spirit until the time when
they were finally freed
Under the Geneva Convention an
extensive program was possible.
This included a system Of report
ing, notifies alton and communica-
ton, aid given to relatives and
friends in preparing and sending
personal packages and gifts of to-
bacco and books, packages sent by
the Red Cross including capture
packages, medical and First Aid
packages, release kits, and the
highly important weekly food pack
ages, paid for with government
funds, but packed and delivered
by the Red Cross. Another inpor-
tant service was the monthly P.
o. w. bulletin which was sent to
relatives and Red Cross workers.
Relatives Of prisoners Of war
Pwho have not as yet communicated
with the Red Cross or the local
newspapers can aid greatly in the
work of keeping Red Cross files
up to date by calling information
to the Red Cross Home Service
department in the Trust Building,
Front and Market Sts., telephone
2-O321.
Two Soldiers From Area