Racine County, Wisconsin - Chapter 15: Raciine Chapter. American Red Cross, 1920

Chapter 15: Raciine Chapter. American Red Cross

THE American Red Cross is the greatest relief organization in the world. Maintained in peace time to I'ender prompt service in emergencies due to fire, famine, wrecks, storms, epidemics and other disasters, it also is constantly prepared to meet such demands as may be made upon it in time of war. When the World War began the American Red Cross sent hospital units and supplies for civilian sufferers to all the belligerent countries impartially, but it never lost sight of the fact that America might be drawn into the conflict and the government would need all the co-operation which the Red Cross could give. Plans were made early in 1914 for expanding the membership, raising funds, listing available nurses and physicians and outlining the policies to be followed if a declaration of war should come.

As a result of the foresight of the society's officers, the activities of this splendid organization during our participation in the war can not but afford gi'atification to the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who supported it so generously throughout the period.

When the armistice was signed, the American Red Cross was operating twenty-two military hospitals, had treated 89,5.39 men in these institutions and had extended assistance in one form or another to 2,800 French hospitals as well as maintaining welfare workers in all American army hospitals. Its paid workers manufactured all the splints used by ai'niy surgeons, manufactured the nitrous oxide gas used as an anaesthetic, supei'vised emergency hospitals, diet kitchens, dispensaries and convalescent homes.

More significant than those figures, however, are the records of the labor performed at home by the army of women who saw in the Red Cross a suitable agency through which to do those things for the men in service whi:-h every patriotic woman wanted to do - to provide comforts for the men aboard ship, in camp, on the battlefields, and, above all, in the hospitals. The government authorized the Red Cross to perform many of those acts which made the lot of the soldier and sailor much more bearable, but which the authorities themselves felt they were unable to do properly. The grim nature of a Depf.rtment of War during hostilities did not lend itself readily to such tasks as writing letters for bed-ridden victims of battle, furnishing music and even flowers for homesick wounded men, informing parents of the whereabouts and health of their boys, buying games and books for convalescent patients or supplying wounded men with pajamas. Yet the sternest-visaged army commanders realized that such things had actual value, as aids to recovery and maintaining the good spirits of men whose services might be needed again in the field.

To obtain the material necessary for Red Cross work, the women at home devoted every available moment. Without reward or even hope of official recognition of any sort, American women prepared and delivered more than 22,000,000 surgical dressings in the last nine months of 1918; made thousands of quilts and comforters; provided enough pajamas and socks to furnish all that were needed to all of the wounded in base hospitals, and in addition to these great tasks met every demand for garments for civilian sufferers in France and Belgium, and for numerous smaller I'equii-ements in the way of aprons, mittens, knit helmets and sleeveless sweaters for vai'ious branches of the army and navy.

The Red Cross was also able to supply the army with 77,000 surgical instruments, 3,000 cots and vast quantities of drugs from its reserve stores.

Racine county was one of the banner counties in the country from the standpoint of proportionate production of supplies for the Red Cross. The chapter here was efficiently organized and more than met every requisition made upon it. It had an actual membership of 32,000 men and women who paid $1 a year for the privilege, and as the county had a total papulation of barely 70,000 the membership figures show the almost unanimous cooperation given the Red Cross.

The policy of the Racine chapter was, in brief, to furnish everything asked by the national organization, and as much more as possible. The men of the county, particularly, were asked to provide all funds necessary for buying yarn, cloth and other material, and the women were to transform this into the articles required. The program was carried out with an enthusiasm and success which is a cause for real pride to every citizen of the community.

The Racine Chapter of the Red Cross was organized Sept. 20, 1915, with twelve charter members. The meeting had been called owing to the patriotic foresight of Mrs. William Howard Crosby; working hand in hand with her and ably seconding every effort were Mis. James G. Chandler and Mrs. Otis W. Johnson. At this first meeting, the following officers were chosen:

Work was begun immediately to enlarge the membership, and gratifying results were attained. In January, 1917, at the request of J. J. O'Connor, manager of the central division of the Red Cross at Chicago, the constitution of the chapter was extended so as to include the entire county.

In April, 1917, Herbert F. Johnson was elected chairman of the finance committee and largely as a result of his energetic management, the citizens of the county donated $118,- 000 to the Red Cross in the first War Fund campaign. The quota assigned to Racine county was only $60,000, and the procuring of nearly f-wice this amount shows plainly enough how the people felt toward the society which had been termed "the greatest mother in tbe world." Later, on the resignation of A. J. Horlick, Mr. Johnson was made vice-chairman.

At the first annual meeting of the Racine Chapter Mrs. Frank J. Miller was elected secretary to succeed Mrs. Crosby, who resigned on account of ill health. Special recognition is due to Mrs. Miller for her service. The secretarial work had assumed enormous proportions, but no high salaried executive could have been more faithful or efficient. Assisting Mrs. Miller every day up to the time of her departure from the city was Mrs. Ralph W'ilson.

1917_H. C. Baker, J. S. Blakey, A. F. Erickson, M. J. Gillen, A. T. Titus, George A. Waller, Miss Bertha Kelley and the Mesdames John F. Clancy, Warren J. Davis, John Dickson, P. S. Fuller, A. R. Huguenin, J. S. Keech, J. P. Pearce, J. S. Sidley and Stuart Webster.

Prior to our entry into the war, the Racine women had been doing a considerable amount of knitting and sewing, and sending the finished garments to the Red Cross headquarters at Milwaukee or Chicago. As the demand for more work increased, paralleling the growth of our army and navy, Mrs. Chandler quickly saw the necessity of having more and more volunteer workers and providing means for them to do what was wanted. For this purpose, she adopted the excellent plan of forming Red Cross auxiliaries from the membership of the various women's clubs, churches and societies of all kinds, and also community auxiliaries in rural towns. Owing to its size and importance, Burlington was authorized to form a "branch" of the Red Cross, with the customary subsidiary departments. In other cases, the local "auxiliaries" performed only assignments of specific types of work requested by the Racine County Chapter with headquarters in Racine. Mrs. George A. Harper was chairman of the Burlington branch and they had eight auxiliaries there.

Lieut.-Col. Wm. Mitchell Lewis

Local workers for the Red Cross were not expected to purchase and contribute manufactured goods; what was desired was the mobilization of the nation's womanhood to perform woi'k of manufacture at home in order that increased production would be obtained. The purchase of machine and factory made goods was made by the national Red Cross where needed, but they were not supposed to be accepted from local chapters. The output of the auxiliaries, therefore, was an absolute net gain in estimating the productive power of the nation.

With perhaps 20,000 workers at her service, the local chairman, Mrs. Chandler, realized that it would be impossible for her to continue to give personal supervision to all the details of work and she proceeded to complete an organization which would function as efficiently as any great industrial corporation. With the president as the executive and supervising head of all departments, she divided the central body into sections conforming with the organization of the national society of the Red Cross. Each section had its chairman and executive committee. Each of these chairmen received instructions as to the woi'k to be done, and then worked out her own plan for accomplishing it. At the service of these depai-tments, were placed the total membership of the numerous auxiliaries, which received their instructions through their chairmen from the department heads of the Red Cross with the approval of the president.

Yarn, cloth and other materials were furnished the auxiliaries by the central organization. Rooms were provided where the workers could sew and knit, if desired. As these were occupied every hour of the day by some group, quick action could be obtained on any requisition for completed work.

For the efficiency of the organization as a whole in Racine county, Mrs. Chandler certainly is entitled to unstinted praise. The management of the business problems; the coordinating of the effort of thousands of women; the maintenance of enthusiasm of toiling heads of departments; the smoothing out of occasional differences between women from every class and station of life; the responsibility for the financial policy of the chapter; the constant demand for her services in organizing new auxiliaries, answering questions and soliciting support - certainly these duties required tact and managerial ability of the highest order, and their possession by Mrs. Chandler was amply shown by the remarkable results accomplished here.

The direct responsibility for results naturally fell upon the department heads, and they are every one deserving of the credit and encomiums given them, not only by the chapter chairman but by those whose efforts they supervised. In many instances, these patriotic women devoted their entire time to the work to the utter disregard of their personal and household affairs.

Three of these departments had almost unlimited tasks in view from the very start. They were the ones devoted to the supplying of surgical dressings, hospital garments and knitting. The others had tremendous demands upon them part of the time, and less urgent work at other periods.

Of course, the accomplishment of their labors would have been impossible but for the unselfish and whole heai'ted response to every demand of the nation by the men, women and children of the county - particularly the women. Each was ever ready to perform her share, and more, of the humanitarian work required by the great war. Each one did her part in making the Red Cross the strongest and best organization in the world for the relief of suffering humanity.

aries supplied with work and assembling the output for inspection and shipment to the central division in Chicago. Material was cut out to pattern a hundred or more at a time by an electrical cutting machine and then sent to the various auxiliaries for completion.

Miss Kelley had as her assistants: Mmes. Bernice Sherman, Clara Copeland, W. H. Fancher, Evan Catteral, A. H. Barnes, M. C. Barrington, J. C. NeCollins, Louis Christiansen, Owen McKivitt, and Miss Mary Roberts. These women worked most faithfully in the basement of the Badger building. During the war about 7.5,000 garments were inspected and shipped by this committee. Especial mention should be given Mrs. Bernice Sherman, who with Miss Kelley did this volunteer work for the Red Cross every single day from the time America entered the war until the armistice was signed.

Following is a list of articles shipped by this committee during 1918 and a portion of 1919 for hospital use and the relief of refugees in France and Belgium:

When the demand for more and still more work became evident, the surgical dressings' section became a department of its own. Mrs. John Streeter Sidley, daughter of Wni. Horlick, was made the first Chairman.

Preparations for the establishment of this department were really made in the spring of 1917. Mrs. Sidley, who was a graduate Red Cross instructor, opened her home, "The Oaks" lor the purpose of conducting a class. A second class was formed by Mrs. Arthur Huguenin, chairman of the department of instruction classes for women, and Miss Bessie Greene of Milwaukee was engaged as its instructor. Mrs. Percival Fuller opened her home to classes soon after, and Mrs. Huguenin's class and other volunteers made dressings there and became known as the South Side auxiliary.

A. J. Horlick, H. F. Johnson, John Reid, Jr., E. Von Buddenbrock, Mortimer E. Walker, and Misses Arnold, Gertrude Davis and Edna Williams. From Mrs. Sidley's classes were also graduated the following supervisors: Mesdames Walter H. Reed, Maxwell, A. F. Erickson, Walter Karll, Willard Walker, F. R. Washburn, C. F. Johnson, Witmer, J .V. Rohan, E. F. Freeman, Leo Miller, Joseph Miller and Warren Walker, and the Misses Virginia Gordon, Mabel Judd and Elizabeth Gaboon.

Under Miss Greene, the following instructors were graduated: The Misses Edna Billings, Edith Chandler, Mildred Dickson, Bertha C. Kelley, Helen Kelley, Nellie Mae Olson, and the Mesdames Richard G. Bryant, William Fish, Percival Fuller, Arthur Huguenin, F. W. Pope, Jr., Henry D. Robinson, Stuart Webster and Henry G. Mitchell.

The following supervisors were graduated under Mrs. M. E. Walker: The Misses Louise Clarke, May Nelson, Estelle Keech, Anna Weeks, Fidelas Rawson, Mabel Walker, Rademacher and the Mesdames Lutz, Edith Gardner, William Sawyer, Goldsworthy, Andrew Simonson, Arthur Simonson, and P. L'Heureux. Mrs. Herbert F. Johnson succeeded Mrs. Sidley in January, 1918, and the department was recognized and ably carried on as one of the most important activities of the Chapter. The Wisconsin Telephone company at this time donated its former office building as headquarters for the committee, with heat and light furnished, for the duration of the war. Miss Mary Colville was assistant to Mrs. Johnson, followed by Mrs. Grace Fish, who was also made chairman of inspection and packing. She was assisted in this work by Miss Clarke, Miss Nelson and Miss Mabel Walker. Mrs. J. S. Keech was chairman of the cutting work, assisted by the Mesdames L'Heureux, Simonson, Merrell, Maxwell, Belden, Rohan, Gorton, Botsford and Thorby and Miss Cahoon. Messrs. Tom Jones and Andrew Raymond donated their services as experts to supervise the cutting of the dressings.

The committee more than met all demands for supplies, and upon occasions turned out as many as 6,000 dressings a day. The heaviest quota asked was for 10,000 dressings to be completed in two weeks, and the department delivered double this number within seven days. All kinds of dressings were made, including triangle bandages, pneumonia jackets, rolls, pads, tempons, compresses and abdominal bandages. Llore than 800 women gave their time to the work. Often during the working hours, songs were sung, letters from "over

During Mrs. Sidley's chairmanship of the section, 58,806 surgical dressings were made, and during- Mrs. Johnson's regime there were added to this, 164,788 di'essings. Eight hundred women assisted in the work.

Mrs. Otis W. .Johnson, chairman of the knitting department, had as members of her committee Mmes. Walter H. Stearns, John B. Simmons, Jerome I. Case, Miss Emma Sage, Mrs. Henry G. Mitchell, Mrs. H. M. Wallis, Mrs. F. J. Osius, Mrs. L. P. Monroe, Mrs. W. V. Osborne, Mrs. Ralph N. Soule, Mrs. J. S. Keech, Miss Nellie Gorton, Mrs. Lizzie Merrell, Mrs. Belle Galloway and Mrs. Louisa Smader.

This department assumed the responsibility of providing yarn to the various auxiliaries and individual workers and inspecting and collecting the completed articles.

As much of this work was done in the homes and could not be completed under the personal supervision of the volunteer inspectors, criticism and rejection of garments was often a most embarrassing duty devolving upon the committee. It was made necessary by the strict regulations of the central division. Knitting was the universal war work of all women, including aged women, invalids and little girls. There was no mother or housewife so busy but that sTie was able to devote some hours every day to the task. It became a custom for women to never let their hands be idle. Their knitting was carried on wherever they went, in the street cars, trains, public meetings, and even during church services. Even some men with idle time at their disposal acquired the habit. Many women who wei'e expert at this art volunteered their services as instructors. For example, Mrs. F. J. Osius offered to devote her whole time to this work and hundreds of women came to her home at all hours of the day and evening to receive instruction in purling, and the intricate rules for making the Kitchener toe and the heel: "Slip 1, Knit 9, Slip 1, Knit 1, pass slipped stitch over knitted stitch; Knit 1, Turn."

The Comforts Department of the Red Cross had the duty of supplying as many comforts as possible for the fighting men - both at home and overseas.

Each man who left Racine was presented with a perfectly equipped comfort kit, and hundreds of letters received from the boys testify to their appreciation of this gift.

This Department also supplied aviators' jackets, mess bags, Christmas boxes, and took entire charge of inspecting, wTapping and shipping all Christmas parcels which were sent to soldiers overseas in 1918.

The Committee in charge of this department was: Mrs. Warren J. Davis, Chairman; Mrs. Frank K. Bull, Vice-Chairman; Mrs. Andrew Simonson, Mrs. A. F. Erickson, Mrs. W. W. Ramsey, Mrs. Fannie Botsford, Mrs. J. S. Keech, Mrs. A. J. Eaton, Mrs. Geoi-ge Gallagher, Mrs. Donald McClure, Miss Estelle Keech, Miss Margaret Eaton, Miss Nellie Goi-- ton. Miss Anna Gorton, Miss Helen Clancy.

The Junior League gave very valuable assistance in the making of comfort kits, as well as in other branches of the work, and a gi-eat many women gave freely of their time to assist the Committee in sewing garments, packing and shipping of supplies, etc.

"We are retui-ning today about one hundred comfort kits for which we expect to have no use because of the cancellation of calls for the men for whom they were intended.

"Will you permit us to take this opportunity to express our appreciation of the very practical service your society has rendered the selected men in furnishing these 'kits,' and to assure

There were listed for entrainment the following: - Charles E. O'Connor, Charles M. Creuziger, Soren Christ Clausen, Floyd R. Bassindale. Elmer Ross Hermes, Wm. LeRoy Petersen, John Curico.

"Not a single man has declined to accept one, and sometimes when it appeai'ed that he might be overlooked, the soldier has inquired about the 'Red Cross Kit.' It is worth remarking also that not a single man has gone out for whom a comfort kit has not been ready. Very respectfully,

E. W. Leach

The comfort kits were in the shape of leatherette folders, about 10 inches by 8 inches, with pockets and holders containing useful articles such as soap, shaving material, needles and thread, extra buttons, tooth brush, mirror, etc.

Mrs. John Barr was in charge of the collection, sorting and marking of old clothes which were shipped overseas for the use of civilian refugees of the Allied countries. She devoted a great deal of time to this arduous work. During 1918, this committee sent 8,6.57 pounds of garments, in addition to 486 garments and 14 large boxes of clothing which wei-e not weighed.

The Salvage Bureau of the ways and means committee also collected old rubber tires and books, which were sold for $796, the money being turned into the treasury of the chapter. Mrs. Sarah Edmonds was in charge of this work. Mrs. R. E. Rugh was chairman of a committee to collect peach pits and nut shells for use in making gas masks. More than a ton of these were gathered and shipped.

The Racine Chapter of the American Red Cross Motor Corps came into existence Oct. 1, 1918, to meet the demand for training women for overseas service in the Motor Ambulance Corps and to supply efficient transportation wherever needed by the local Red Cross Chapter.

Mrs. Walter H. Reed was selected as Captain. Volunteer service was offered to hospitals, charitable institutions, home service bureau and local health department. The other officers were: 1st Lieuts., Clara Driver and Mrs. H. C. Severance; Adjt., Carrie K. Rapps.

The influenza epidemic swept over the city about this time and the motor corps gave invaluable service to the city nurses, responding to 277 calls and giving 790 hours of service during the month of October.

Each day the need for workers brought new recruits and shortly the records showed an active membership of 44 and 17 reserves, with 4.5 cars ready for use.

proved to be most useful during the epidemic, conveying a large number of patients to the local hospitals. The Motor Corps sei'ved as Ambulance Corps.

A class in automobile mechanics was oi'ganized with an enrollment of sixty-three women. Dean W. Payne of the U. S. Ordnance Department was instructor and gave a course of sixteen lessons at the Stephen Bull Garage and Case South Works. At the close of these classes the Motor Corps was instructed in military drill and discipline by Lieut. McGregor.

From the time of its organization during the remaining period of the war, the Motor Corps, through volunteer service, rendered great aid to chapter officials and home service workers, to the Health Department for civilian relief and ambulance work, to Central Association and Public School nurses, and to the local hospitals, responding to 793 calls and giving 2,077 hours of service. The members of Red Cross Motor Corps were: Camilla Bennett, Mrs. Mabel Brandeis, Mrs. Amanda C. Crooks, Clara Driver, Margaret Cosgrove, Elizabeth R. Fratt, Gertrude Fratt, Mrs. Stuart M. Harbridge, Nina Huie, Carrie Rapps, Sarah Jelliffe, Florence Jelliffe, Georgie A. Malone, Mrs. Margaret L. Nelson, Mrs. Leone P. Miller, Olga Piper, Mrs. H. C. Sovei'ance, Amelia Smieding, Mrs. Walter H. Reed, Tillie E. Thorkelson, Elinor Parker, Mrs. Willard Walker, Mrs. Warren H. Walker, Mrs. J. H. Brannum, Mrs. E. F. Freeman, Mrs. Blanche Secor Rixton, Mrs. Frank Alshuler, Mrs. E. E. Bailey, Louise E. Bolton, Edith Schulz, Mrs. Walter Brown, Mrs. Opal J. Gist, .Jeannette Hilker, Mrs. Taylor Jelliffe, Louise M. Jensen, Vera E. Johnson, Katherine L. Kearney, Mrs. Fred E. Koehler, Mrs. Henry C. Miller, Nellie K. Mohr, Mrs. Milo Griffith, Esther Holmn, Lilly H. Peterson, Mrs. Dick Kennedy, Mrs. Helen Lewis Wilson, Dessie Wishau, Mrs. William V. Osborne, Mrs. Berniee Sherman, Grace Laursen, Margaret S. Fergus, Ethel E. Olle, Erabelle M. Ingersoll, Abbie L Munn.

The Red Cross chapter as a whole did some remarkable work in connection with the "flu" epidemic, referred to above. The necessity for an emergency hospital was seen at once, and the only available empty house of sufficient size was that belonging to Richard Robinson at Eleventh and Main streets. Mr. Robinson was in Florida, but a telegram was sent to him explaining the situation and asking for the use of the palatial residence. He answered immediately granting the request and offering any other assistance he could give. Newspaper notices were published asking the donation of

There were listed for entrainment the following: - Paul Struck, Hubert Stuart Stanton. John Youtes. Henry Johnson, Louis Orval Davis, Emilian Alban. John Joseph Heinisch, Harry Wright Lewis, David E. Davis. Edward J. Bowers.

There were listed for entrainment the following: - Knute G. Anderson, John Chickadaunce. Harry O. Johnson, August J. Grapentin, James F. Middleton, George Wholust, Bakdasar Bokaholian, Vaghan Koroghlanian, Rapan Manandician, A. J.

There were listed for entrainment the following: - Edward Joseph Tecktonius. David D. Stone. Finer H. Jacobsen, Edmund R. Jayne. Arthur Hay, Thomas Allen. Chris M. Sorenson. Fred Levinson, Walter Malonowski.

There were listed for entrainment the following:: - Joseph Zaborowicz. Peter A. Johnson. Jos. Petak. Benny Ryskiewicz, George Earl Gatfield, Ludwig Nissen, Harold T. Rosenquist.

beds, rugs and other fui'niture and plenty were forthcoming immediately. The house was renovated from top to bottom, the furniture installed, and within four days the place was opened as a hospital with 40 beds. Thirtyeight patients were installed at once. Three died there. Nursing service was also provided at twenty-five homes where no one remained untouched by the disease to care for others who were sick.

The Civilian Relief department had its beginnings through the untiring efforts of Mrs. Arthur Huguenin, who urged that preparations be made to assist in maintaining the morale of the army by assuring the men that in case of emergency their families would be cared for, and at the same time aid in keeping up the spirits of the folks at home by serving as a channel of communication between families and absent men. The first task could not be conducted as a public charity, but must be performed in a way to make the recipients of the service feel that they were in the care of friends. The second feature of the work was possible becau.se the vai-ious branches and agents of the Red Cross throughout the world, in co-operation with government officials, assumed the job on a wide scale and local branches were given the benefit of the entire organization's operations.

The importance of having some sort of information bureau to which worried parents could go for advice can be realized only by those who remember the censored letters, the aggravating delays in mails, the "losing" of men due to transfers from one organization to another in France and the weeks and months of waiting before the government foi-warded any definite news in regard to the whei-eabouts or fate of men reported sick, wounded or killed. In every hospital representatives of the Red Cross were furnished lists of the patients, and from the American headquarters at Washington they received lists of men regarding whom information was wanted at home. In this way trace was often found of men whose mail, sent to' old addresses, had been returned unopened, or who had failed to write for one reason or another.

Lt.-Col. H. C. Baker was chairman of this local section during the war. The advisory committee consisted of E. B. Hand, Dr. A. J. Williams, Miss Kate Mehder and Miss Rose Webers. After the war Mr. Baker resigned and J. H. Brannum acted as chairman. Warren Walker was also added to the committee. Headquarters of the department were in the Postoffice building until the spring of 1919,

With the return of the men from the army and navy, the nature of the work changed but it did not decrease. The department, re-named the Home Service section, accepted the responsibility of acting as adviser for returned soldiers in solving problems relating to errors in pay, allotments, insurance and compensation for disability. The department was given instructions as to the proper method of getting desired information, and by its efforts was able to relieve the government of much correspondence and confusion in settlement of claims.

Mrs. C. A. Hamilton acted as secretary of the Home Service section from March, 1918, through the rest of the war and then during the period of demobilization. Owing to the amount of work in the office, she was authorized to employ several assistants.

There is no possible way in which well deserved credit can ever be given to the thousands of women who devoted their time to the Red Cross work. Many who served for an hour or two a day did so at a great sacrifice because this time was in addition to a long day's work in homes, factories or offices. Some whose sacrifice of time meant little in respect to other occupations, were gladly giving up pleasures and more congenial occupations which might have been theirs had they preferred. Still others left remunerative positions to as great an extent as they possibly could in oi'der to knit and sew for soldiers, and thereby sacrificed their own financial welfare. Many assumed labors which were distasteful to them, and trained themselves in unaccustomed work, because they felt that they must help where their help was most needed, regardless of personal preferences.

It was taken for granted that everyone was willing to do all that could reasonably be expected, and then more, and this faith in our women by the government and the Red Cross organization was justified beyond all pi'ecedent.

It was planned that some sort of record be kept of the time spent in Red Cross work by the various individuals, but it was soon agreed that time spent in keeping such records might be more profitably used in productive employment. Also, it was realized, as previously stated, that to lots of women the giving up of a few hours each day or each week might be more of a sacrifice than the donating of all the waking hours of another.

nition of service rendered it was decided that badges be given all who had 800 hours' service for the Red Cross, and a decorative bar be added for each additional 800 hours. Workers were asked to keep an account of their own time for this purpose. Those awarded the badges were:

Miss Bertha C. Kelley had the remarkable record of having donated 5,652 hours to the Red Cross. Others who gave more than 2,000 hours were Mrs. J. G. Chandler, Miss Edith Chandler, Mrs. Grace S. Fish, Mrs. Charles Horner, Alma M. Schaeffer, Mrs. Bertha Schroeder, Mrs. S. B. Walker and Mrs. Stuart Webster.

Like all other wartime organizations which were suddenly called upon to assume tremendous responsibilities without time for adequate preparations or selection of personnel, the

American Red Cross was occasionally subjected to criticism for certain minor policies, but this criticism was never directed against its local organizations in Racine county.

One of the aggravating features of all war work was the occasional necessity of deciding between two or more conflicting orders, or of interpreting orders which were not entirely clear.

There are few women who worked for the Red Cross who do not remember the piles of neatly finished pajamas, or socks or surgical dressings which were returned as "disapproved" by some overly conscientious inspector at Chicago or Washington. Probably every article passed by the local inspectors was entirely suitable for the purpose intended, but very frequently some "higher up" would decide that a seam was turned the wrong way, or a surgical dressing was not an exact rectangle, or a sock was possessed of a casting which would not allow it to stretch easily to a 14 inch circumference at the top. Protests and arguments were useless; everyone was under voluntary discipline in war time and was not supposed to question any order or ask the reasons why. Then it became the sad duty of the local inspectors and advisors to explain to the proud and willing donors of work and supplies that their efforts had been of no use, and the garments must be reduced to their original elements and then reconstructed in accordance with the exact rules laid down.

The difficulty arose from the fact that general rules at national headquarters to guide the workers were interpreted too literally by divisional inspectors who did not understand the uses to which the articles were to be put finally. For instance, there was a general impression that the socks knit at home were to go to the men in the trenches to keep them warm in winter, and that therefore the least irregularity in knitting might chafe the feet of marching men or cause a blister on a man standing at his post. In actual practice, combat troops in the American army received socks of the regular issue of heavy, machine-made type, and the home knitted articles went to men in hospitals. Often they were merely bed garments. In the course of hasty issuing and haphazard laundering there, no patient ever received the same pair of socks twice and was fortunate if he drew two socks of the same size.

In the case of surgical dressings, women v/orkers were urged to prepare these in exact sizes, some of the inspectors going to such lengths as to require the pulling of a thread

Small Draft Contingent Ready For Departure

SMALL DRAFT CONTINGENT READY FOR DEPARTURE In the rush of sending men away some of the photo groups were not properly identified. The above was one of them.

A Pleasant Diversion For A Winter Evening

Identifying members of the draft group, which the Local Board and photographer failed to enumerate on the copy, will be easy for those who are part of it, but rather difficult for persons who are not familiar with the faces.

Last Of The Unidentified Groups

Neilher the namfs of the members of the quota nor the destination of the group could be obtained from the photo-print. Those shown in the picture will recognize, no doubt, names and dates.

Some Of The Same Men After Reaching France

The passion for running away from food was characteristic of the A. E. F. Here are a number of men in the act of breaking out through the windows of the mess hall in the barracks at (it is believed) Is-Sur-Tille, France.

to make them perfect, or sewing the edges over again to make them the proper shape. In the hospitals they were cut and slashed to make them some convenient size to cover wounds, regardless of any exact measurements. Had the facts been understood the surgical dressing classes could have made many times the number of dressings they actually turned out.

The same is true of pajamas and similar articles. Stress was placed upon the importance of making the garments with a certain shaped collar band, and a misplaced pocket was deemed cause for rejection at Chicago. The chapters were not allowed to use their odds and ends of cloth to make pajamas which had a coat of one color and pants of another. In hospitals, such garments did not return from the laundry to the men who had sent them, but were issued promiscuously as needed. Often a patient would have a blue striped coat made for a man twice his size and a pink lower garment which barely reached his ankles. This was no cause for worry to men who had been sleeping in their uniforms in mud for weeks at a time, and who asked only for fairly clean clothing at the hospitals without regard for appearances.

It undoubtedly was the original intent of the national directors of this work to ask careful workmanship, and nothing more, but at times the regulations were carried to extremes

In this connection it may prove interesting to record a copy of rules issued to knitters by a chapter of the Red Cross in connection with directions for knitting the various gai-ments wanted :

"Don't Cast on Tightly - In setting up a sock the casting on should never be done tightly. An otherwise well knitted sock may become useless by a tight cord at the top. The tcp of a sock should be large enough to stretch over a cardboard seven inches long. .

"Don't Knot Your Wool - Join the ends by running one end into the other with a darning needle for about six inches. Finish off threads OP wrong side by running thread with darningneedle through a bias run of stitches in two or more opposite directions.

"Don't Make a Heel With a Seam on the Sole - Remember, a man may not have a chance to change his socks for many days, and a lump or knot brings a blister. If the blister breaks blood poisoning may set in and result in the loss of a foot or even a life. We cannot afford to lose our men through negligence or ignorance.

-'Don't Use Needles too Fine for Wool - The knitting should be elastic and loose, but not too loose; if too tightly knitted the sock becomes hard and felt-like from bad washing and sterilizing.

"Don't Make a Foot Less Than Eleven Inches Long - The average sizes of 11 to 11% are best. Use judgment in making pi'oportions of sock correct - a leg suitable for size of foot, and vice versa. People do not seem to realize that making a foot size 12 with a leg and ankle suitable for a size 9 shows lack of judgment.

"Don't Knit Bands of Color into Top of Sock without first boiling the wool for ten minutes in salted water and rinsing. This is to set the color and prevent blood poisoning from color running. One can save much wool by using up odd bits of contrasting color in this way. The men love it, as it helps them to match up their socks when washing, and they have a superstition that it is lucky and keeps them from being wounded.

"Wash socks before turning them in. This should be done in warm water, and the rinsing should be in a light suds. Ironing is not necessary. Lay them on a flat radiator top and pat into shape, and you will be surprised to find your sock looks .50 per cent better and feels softer.

"Darn sock lightly at point of gusset, if there is a hole there caused by needles not being held tightly together while narrowing. Also darn lightly any other place that the sock is thin or stitches separate.

"A soldier who had been unable to change his socks for several days felt that a blister was coming on one of his toes. On removing the sock he found a little roll of paper which had been rubbing his toe. On it was written, 'God bless your poor tired feet!'

Mrs. Arthur Huguenin was appointed chairman of the department of instruction for women in the autumn of 1916, and in the following January several First Aid classes were formed. These were followed by classes in home nursing, diatetics and surgical dressings. Mrs. L. A. Schnetz was appointed secretary

Officials Of Draft Board No. 2

Reading from left to right they are: - Ward Gittings. I. O. Mann, George Porter. W. \V. Storms (chairman), W. S. McCauphey (secretary). Dr. E. A. Taylor, C. H. Krogh. Jame; Peterson.

Officials Of Draft Board No 1

Readiner from left to risht they are: - Upper Row - E. R. BursesB. F. H. Schulz. Dr. Thackeray. J. C. Hamta. Lower Row - -J. B. Simmons. H. J. Smith. (Chairman). E. W. Leach. (Secretary).

of classes, and Mrs. Fanny Botsford and Mrs. F. H. Pope were added to the committee. Rooms were given the committee in the Racine public library. About 200 students took lessons in First Aid.

About 85 women attended the classes in home nursing which began in May, 1917. Red Cross nurses who directed these classes were the Misses Edna McGovern of Milwaukee; Amanda Schmidt, E. Fees and Gertrude Davis of Racine. All of these nurses were later in service.

The Misses Bessie C. Nevin, Elizabeth Hood, Verna Glllen and Mabel Wilton were made Red Cross dietitians and instructed seventyfive high school girls. During the vacation period the school board donated the use of the domestic science kitchen in the high school and Miss Gillen donated her services as instructor there.

Miss Elizabeth Greene of Milwaukee instructed several classes in surgical dressings and later a number of ber graduates were made instructors in this work. Mrs. Percival Fuller opened her home and fitted out several rooms in the required manner. Here several thousand dressings were made by volunteer workers.

The junior auxiliaries of the Red Cross were organized in the public and parochial schools in 1918. Children were asked to take memberships at 25 cents each, or else the school must qualify as an auxiliary by subscribing an amount which would average 25 cents per pupil, even though each individual did not contribute. St. Patrick's Catholic school on Douglas avenue was the first one to qualify with a 100 per cent subscription.

All Red Cross supplies sent from Racine were carried to Chicago by the Goodrich Transit Company without charge, and all shipments reached their destinations safely.