CHAPTER XXXVI
RELIEF FOR GREAT BRITAIN
Relief work for Great Britain---British-American Relief Fund---Receipts amount to over $164,000---British War Relief Association---Chelsea War Refugees' Fund ---American Branch Lord Beresford's Fund---Lady Helmsley's Fund---London Motor Volunteer Corps--- American Auxiliary Woman's Health Association of Ireland---Shamrock Fund---Scottish Highlanders Relief Association---Queen of Roumania Fund---New England Italian War Relief.
Among the well-known American women prominent in relief work for England may be mentioned: Lady Natica Lister-Kaye, The Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Randolph Churchill, Lady Lowther, and Lady Paget, Mrs. W hitelaw Reid, since America entered the conflict, has been prominently identified with the work that is being done in America for the relief of British war sufferers. Many other American women have been to England since the war began and have done, and are doing, valuable work in all fields.
The British-American War Relief Fund, with Mrs. Frederick W. Whitridge, acting president, was formed to carry on the relief work for Great Britain and her Allies. Numerous branches have been established throughout the country, those on the Pacific Coast shipping directly to the war zones. A total of 1,544,561 articles have been shipped since the formation of the Fund to June, 1917, and 882,769 of these were donated. There have also been shipped abroad 5,000 pounds of anesthetics and 200 boxes of grape fruit and oranges. Several hospital cots have been endowed and a Y.M.C.A. recreation hut provided and maintained on the firing line. In addition to these activities three motor ambulances were equipped and sent to France and one to Siberia. Money received totaled $163,093.81.
The British War Relief Association, 542 Fifth Ave., New York City, was formed for the purpose of aiding the hospitals and relief stations in England, France and Belgium. It has collected for the purchase of hospital supplies, clothing, surgical dressings, etc., more than $100,000 and has handled materials donated to the estimated value of more than $123,000. It has no direct branches but receives supplies from 60 groups of workers. The active membership is approximately 1,000, and its donors number more than 3,000. The British War Relief Association was the first War Relief Association incorporated in New York City. It had shipped up to October 1, 1917, 6,150 cases of hospital supplies, including ambulances, ether, knitted goods, rubber goods, surgical dressings, and clothing. Mrs. Oliver Herford,vice president of the Association and Mr. Walter Mulliner,secretary.
Mrs. Fiske Warren,secretary and treasurer of the Chelsea War Refugees Fund in London. The first appeal for yarn to be sent abroad for the employment and support of Belgian men and women refugees was received in this country in December, 1914, and six small cases of yarn were the first shipment to be distributed. The work in this country for this fund has steadily grown and has been aided by lectures by Mrs. Hamilton Osgood, through war postal sales conducted throughout the country. About 3,000 pounds of yarn are used every month, and the British War Office has contracted for every pair of socks that the Belgians can knit. The profits go to maintain a workroom for over 1,400 Belgian women. It is hoped to use contributions in the future for the maintenance of the knitting industry in Belgium itself. For many crippled and half-blinded men this will form the only employment to which they can look forward for a livelihood. Total receipts from the United States have reached more than $70,000, all of which has been expended for yarn and machines unless otherwise designated. There have also been many gifts of yarn, totaling about 77,000 pounds in all.
The American Committee known as Lord Charles Beresford's Fund, 25 Broad St., New York City, has nearly 800 branches. Its purpose is to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to the fleets of the Allies and to the naval hospitals. Over 20,000,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables have been distributed in this manner. It also distributes to army camps and depots and is now distributing fruits and vegetables to the American Fleet, cooperating with the British and French. Many American firms have given large contributions of these supplies. The Committee has the recognition and support of the British Admiralty and the British War Office
Lady Colebrooke, American chairman for Lady Helmsley's Fund in London. This Charity, organized by Lady Helmsley, is in aid of artists of the musical and dramatic professions suffering through the war. It has three main objects. One is to provide paid engagements for dramatic and musical artists in straightened circumstances, another is to encourage British music, and the third is to provide high-class free concerts for wounded soldiers and sailors in hospitals in and near London. Since the formation of the Committee in November, 1914, more than 550 concerts have been given resulting in 4,000 engagements and payments to artists of more than $22,500.
The London Motor Volunteer Corps has for its purpose the assistance of soldiers arriving in London on their return from the trenches, and protects them from being preyed upon by the unscrupulous. The London Motor Volunteer Corps meets all night trains and welcomes returning sailors and soldiers, who are taken to their destinations in motor transports or to shelters provided by the Y.M.C.A., the Church of England and the Catholic Church, where they are cared for during the night. The same work is to be done for American soldiers and it is hoped to raise funds for as many busses as possible, each costing $1,700, to be grouped in units of six, each unit to be marked "The American Squadron."
The American Auxiliary of the Women's National Health Association of Ireland has its headquarters in New York, No. 10 East 43rd St. The Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair, president, and Miss Marie E . Keating,secretary. The Association was formed in 1907 to promote health and happiness in the homes of Ireland, and especially to combat tuberculosis and infant mortality. For the purpose of promoting the child welfare work of the Association in this country the following ladies are cooperating: Mrs. Joseph H. Choate, Mrs. James W. Wadsworth, Jr., Mrs. William Seward Webb, Mrs. John Hays Hammond, Mrs. Richard C. Cabot, and Mrs. Willard D. Straight.
The Scottish Highlanders Relief Association of Highland Societies in Edinburgh has its American headquarters at 360 Madison Avenue, New York City, and the organization has the hearty support of the Saint Andrews' Society of New York and its officials. The Fund has been formed for providing comforts for the men of the Highlands Scottish Regiments, for training disabled soldiers of these regiments, to fit them for agricultural and other pursuits. The Association has helped to establish a farm colony in the North of Scotland, where disabled men of the Highland Regiments, returning from the front, are provided, not only with a home but with necessary instructions to enable them later to become self-supporting. The Association also seeks to relieve distress among the families of the soldiers.
The Shamrock Fund originated with Mr. Goodfellow who donated a home in Dublin for the benefit of Irish soldiers disabled by the war. "Thirteen hundred of them have already come home," says the appeal. "Some have lost arms, some legs; there are men totally or partially paralyzed and many whose nerves will never recover the effects of poison gas and shell shot, to say nothing of tuberculosis and other diseases contracted in the trenches. These men can never return to their former occupations. They must be taught new trades and given a fresh start in life." The home in Dublin will accommodate 150 men and has workshops annexed in which they will be taught tailoring, boot making, carpentry, electric work, motor mechanism, shorthand, typewriting, bookkeeping, etc. As each man completes his training he will return to his own part o the country with a fresh grasp on life to carry on his trade. The Countess of Kingston. organizing this Fund in America and has offices at 9 East 58th Street, New York City. Miss Mary Dougherty. secretary.
About two-thirds of the Kingdom of Roumania has been occupied by the enemy; towns and villages have been burned, women, old men and children have been murdered. German armies have seized the food supplies of that part of Roumania within their jurisdiction and little could be done to help the unfortunates there, but many thousands fled to what is left of free Roumania, with barely clothes on their backs, and these were without shelter and without food. In order to relieve this distress as far as possible, the Roumanian Relief Committee of America was formed under the patronage of her Majesty, Queen Marie of Roumania. The funds raised in America go to the relief of both the refugees and the wounded and the sick soldiers and are expended in purchasing food, clothing and medical supplies, which the Roumanian Government will forward free of cost. Supplies are distributed under the direct authority of the Queen of Roumania, to whom all goods are consigned.
The New England-Italian War Relief Fund was organized in 1915 for relieving the distress of noncombatant Italians. A workshop has been maintained in Boston where wives of reservists have been employed in making socks and clothing for the Italian hospitals at the front, and are paid for the work they do. A stock of supplies of wool, anesthetics, etc., was sent direct to Italy. and several hundred women and children have been provided for. Approximately $45,000 was raised in less than two years, and more than 19,000 articles have been completed and forwarded to Italy. Mrs. Henry L. Mason, secretary of the fund and Mrs. George Lee, chairman.
