The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-23

stated that his condition was good
 No personal word from Donald Tanning who was a civilian prisoner of war of the Japanese has been received by his family since shortly after Pearl Harbor.
 A graduate of Taft School and of Notre Dame University, he left in August 1898 for the Philippines where he had accepted a position with the North Negros Milling Con- pany. After the war reached the Philippine Islands, MT. Hannings family were left in doubt as to his fate and 1t was not until July, 1943 that telegram from the Provost Marshal Generals office in Wash ington notified the family, that he was reported prisoner of the Jap aneSe. Since that time many mess ages have been sent to him by his family but it was not until Thurs days telegram, that they knew whe- ther or not he was safe.
 The many friends of the Planning family rejoiced with them when the news of Donald Hannings safe re- lease from Santis Tomas came through.
 Red Cross War Fund Drive Opens
 The 1945 Red Cross War Fund Drive opened officially in Water town Thursday evening when mem bers of the local Red Cross executive committee, drive captains and can- vaSSers met for dinner at the Con- gregational church house at 6:3O o'clock.
 Arthur Hickox. chairman of Wa tertoWn chapter served as toastmas- ter and introduced the various speakers. Mrs. Harry Atwood, Pri- Soner-of- War chairman spoke of the release from Santo Tomas Japanese internment camp, Manila, of Donald flaming, son of James Tanning, ST., of Highland avenue. She next went on to talk of the work of the Red Cross among prisoners Of war and stated that IS million packages have been sent from three centers. The Red Cross sponsors a fleet of g ships which sail unarmed and with lights. The ships carry the pack ages for prisoners of war; to foreign countries and the Red Cross has sent 50 trucks overseas to be used to transport the packages from their port of entry to the destinations. 400 to 500 tons of material a day are transported.
 Excerpts from letters written by former Taft students in the service, expressing the:r pleasure in and appreciation for the work O. the Red Cross overseas were read by MT. Hickcox.
 Lester w. Atwood, chairman of the 1945 War Fund drive spoke to those present, mentioning the sales ability for which the Watertown canvassers are noted. He also stressed the splendid work of wom- en in Red Cross work, here in Wa tertown as well as in the military camps and the overseas areas.
 In speaking of the War fund drive MT. Atwood said it would last from March 1 until March IS, but told the convassers to start their work now. The local quota which in- cludes the towns of Watertown, Oakville and Bethlehem is $19OOO and MT. Atwood stated that the war fund is not a membership drive only, but is a drive for funds to carry on the war work of the Red Cross. He urged the workers to make Q thorough canvass of their respective districts and told them to report voluntarily to their cap tains on March l, 2, F and 18th.
 Ralph Clinton of Oakville, chair man of the drive in that town, was i'll and unable to be present and William McGowan of Oakville was called on and gave an excellent extemporaneous talk. He stated that $2, 800 was raised for the war fund drive in Oakville last year and that the town should do as well or bet ter this year. He reminded the workers that people are making good pay and should be able to con- tribute a little extra to the drive and urged the canVasserS to go back to a home, if on their first call the residents are away. As a personal note MT. McGowan men, toned the fine report of the ReC Cross, that he has received from his serViceman son, wounded in New Guinea.
 Sherman Perry, introduced by MT. HickcOX as "an excellent cam- paigner" stressed going after" people for contributions and told the canvaSsers to try to get larger contribution than had been given before. He mentioned the fat that some personal story of Red Cross work told by the canvasser to a contributor made good method of approach.
 Lieut.. Lyle Woodward of Nauga- tuck introduced by MT. HickcoX, read 8 photoStat copy of letter from prisoiier of war t0 his parents, in which the serviceman spoke of the cigarettes and food from the Red Cross, which he had received in his prisoner of war parcels. Lieut.. Woodward also passed out copies containing facts of overseas and home service activities of the Red Cross.
 MT. Hickcox then called on Mrs. Daniel Fenton executive secretary of the Watertown Red Cross chapter who spoke of the New Haven Con- ference at which Basil O'Connor, National Red Gross chairman spoke. During her talk Mrs. Fenton stated that the Watertown chapter had ex- pended 939OO for the relief of the families of servicemen during the year.
 At the conclusion of the speaking MT. Hickcox extended thanks to Mrs. Raymond Black, chairman of the Red Gross canteen committee and to the Canteen Workers for tha splendid dinner which they had served and expressed his apprecia-