Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 284, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1917 — Enlist In The Red Cross This Week [ARTICLE]

Enlist In The Red Cross This Week

The great membership drive to erilist ■ every' adult in the United States in the Red Cross, started this Monday morning in, every state in the union. All the preliminary planning has been done and it now rests with/the people of the United States to show their confidence in the greatest relief organization in the world, the American Red Cross, and give it the sanction of -their membership. It is well to remember the Red Cross is essentially a war body at the present time. In a piping time of peace a paltry 300,000 members was considered large and in many ways it was sufficient. But under stress of war -in which we ourselves are now engaged, its task is so great that it can only be accomplished by the United effort of the whole body of the people. It is for this reason that a special effort is being made to enlist practically the entire manhood and womanhood of the nation on the side of the Red Cross. It will do and is doing in Europe what we could gladly do if only we were on the spot, ministering to the women and children of stricken belgium and France, binding the wounds of brave soldiers on every battle front, rushing with medical supplies and food wherever it is need.lt is the long arm of American sympathy and helpfulness reaching out to evry quarter of the globe, but more especially at this time to our allies in Europe. Let us extend the spirit of the holiday season to this great relief work. *,