Siberia, in the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines, in South America, the Caribbean and the Canal Zone.

far

For Americans from home, indeed, the question of what to do for America in this world war has been answered by the Red Cross in providing an avenue of practical service. These distant comrades of ours are mobilized, as are the rest of us here in the United States. How has this come about, this mobilization of Americans scattered all over the world?

Well, the man who organized it will tell you modestly that he had very little to do with it; that he and his associates in Washington merely provided an outlet for the intense patriotic spirit of distant Americans who everywhere were watching anxiously for a chance to help their country. This,

however, is an understatement of the case.

Last fall, the Red Cross was uncertain of what might lie before it in the immediate future. Calls for assistance from the countries in the European theatre of war seemed to be almost endless. In this country the activities of millions of people overlapped and clashed. Added to these uncertainties, day by day the Red Cross Commissioners to Europe took over staggering obligations in France and Italy and passed them on to the War Council in Washington.

It was at this moment that Mr. Otis H. Cutler, a prominent business man of New York, was commandeered by the War Council to come to Washington and put into practical operation his vision of the world-wide campaign to extend the American spirit into foreign lands. Here in America, we had seen the Red Cross spirit grow, broaden, sweep into a wide-spread wave of helpfulness and sacrifice. Could not that enthusiasm be spread to our people in other lands and slowly encircle the whole world?

It was with this in mind, then, that Mr. Cutler was induced by the War Council to organize

A map of the world showing the wide sweep of the Fourand branches scattered throughout twenty-six countries, money alone, these Americans contributed nearly two

the Insular and Foreign Division along lines, so far as practicable, corresponding to the thirteen territorial divisions of the Red Cross already organized in the United States. To-day the American Red Cross has nearly one hundred and fifty outlying chapters and branches scattered throughout twenty-six countries of the globe, with a membership of more than two hundred and twenty-five thousand men, women, and children. These are all full Red Cross members and do not include the associate members as, for instance, in China, where perhaps fifty thousand Chinese have already become associates. In money alone, to say nothing of all the vast amount of work done in surgical dressings and other supplies, these Americans contributed nearly two million dollars to the Second Red Cross War fund.

How has that been done? By the Americans of these distant chapters alone? Or has there been some assistance from Washington?

As I asked these questions, Mr. Cutler leaned back in his chair, in his office in Washington, his eyes on the little flags on the map of the world which indicate the Red Cross foreign chapters.

teenth Division. There are now 150 outlying chapters with two hundred and twenty-five thousand members. In million dollars to the Second Red Cross War Fund

"Well, we had our job cut out for us at the beginning," he admitted with a smile. "There were so many difficulties and we had so many troubles that I can't remember them all now. But we kept at it, tying up the loose strings, getting into communication with the consuls and the women's clubs and all the American societies. We sent out field representatives and appointed the best people who were already on the ground, secured the coöperation of the foreign governments and the foreign Red Cross organizations, and just generally made a big drive to let every American everywhere know that we needed. him and he needed us.

"That's really all there was to it for us. The result has been just what one would expect." A note of conviction crept into his voice.

"The real meaning of the thing, however, can't be expressed in terms of money, nor even in terms of work accomplished. The thing that I begin to see coming out of it now goes beyond the question of money and supplies. We are accomplishing now the breaking down of the prejudices of humanity everywhere.

"It is difficult for us in this country to realize what a tremendous step it is when the wife of the Japanese Governor goes to an American Red Cross workroom in Japan and works with Japanese and American women on a basis of equality. The same thing is true in Honolulu, in Manila, and in many of the Chinese cities where the Chinese themselves are entering into the Red Cross spirit in our American workrooms. People of many lands, with many diverse ideas, are broadening their points of view.

"To the American himself the thing, spiritually, has been like being born again. He has been brought home in spirit, and made to realize a new sense of responsibility and obligation to his fellow men. In doing unselfish work, he has gotten a different view of his neighbors and they of him. The result of it has been to make him a better man in every way.

"The situation in China is particularly interesting. Those collections of money for starving Chinese, which many of us can remember were taken in the evenings in the church back home, are being repaid now with interest. At the headquarters that the Chinese have established in Shanghai to assist us, you will be quite likely to see a Chinese merchant or manufacturer counting out, in dimes or coppers, money that he and his employees have contributed-yes, down to the humblest five-dollar-a-month coolie-in order that suffering in other parts of the world may be alleviated. In a great many Chinese cities, Red Cross branches are open and in operation. The story of the Red Cross is becoming a familiar one all over the Far East.

"The result is most interesting. Not only has our foreign work shown to the Chinese the American genius for organization, but the purpose back of our work has brought home to them the one great ideal of the Allies in this war. China, intelligent China, has been studying the

war and the causes back of it and has been analyzing the ideals of the Allies. The Red Cross has brought those ideals to them in action. One of the leading Chinese said, in a speech in China a little while ago, that China certainly had something to learn from a country which could organize many millions of people into the greatest humanitarian movement the world has ever seen. You can see the effect it is having on their thinking." From the basket on his desk Mr. Cutler drew forth some letters.

"To each single American, as he does his work, there is visible, of course, no such definite result. I only wish that each one of them could see the big side of it as it presents itself to us here in Washington. There is a group of Japanese, workers, for instance, in Hawaii, who are insatiable in their demands for 'Please, more soldier clothes to sew.' They are sending one hundred and sixty-five pajama suits monthly to Honolulu. In one way their contribution is just as valuable > any that emanates from one of our great merican chapters.

The Red Cross tent at an industrial fair held on the Island of Guam, where they have an alert and very efficient Red Cross Chapter

"The response from South America, too, has been just what might have been expected of our neighbor Americans in the southern hemisphere.

"Indeed, it was a South American organization which really gave the Fourteenth Division its first vision of future usefulness. In the fall of 1917, an organization of American women residing in Buenos Aires managed a bazaar, which was launched with such splendid spirit and so efficiently conducted that the net proceeds amounted to $105,000.

"The receipt of this sum was the most significant event in the early history of the Fourteenth Division. It gave eloquent and concrete expression to the glowing patriotism which animated our citizens in distant lands; and revealed a source of assistance, the value of which we had not begun to realize and the importance of which each succeeding month has emphasized.

"With what generosity South America responded to the Second War Fund Drive can best be shown by the contribution of Valparaiso and neighboring coast towns. In this district there

were less than two hundred American residents, yet the check which reached us from the chairman of the Red Cross Chapter at Valparaiso read, '$118,000.'

"The children, too, have the same spirit as our own juniors, oftentimes without an accompanying realization of other things." Mr. Cutler smiled. "Out in Pahala, in the Hawaiian Islands, the other day three small boys of the Junior Auxiliary there gave so little consideration to the owner of some chickens that they stole the birds and sold them! They were so eager to secure funds for supplies that they didn't stop to think. The Red Cross is very real to those boys, despite the wrongheadedness of this particular action.

"So in no part of our work at Division Headquarters have we taken greater pleasure than in that devoted to Junior Membership. Porto Rico alone boasts of 68,000 Junior Members, and they have just sent us a check with which to purchase three ambulances for foreign

service.

"Indeed, this spirit of sacrifice from even the smallest children is shown by Juniors everywhere. Out in an institution in China, for instance, one little girl who had fifty cents a month for her support said, 'I can live on thirty cents a month. I will give twenty cents to the Red Cross.'

"Here is a letter I have just had from an American woman in Honduras, Central America, who has lived for more than a year in an outlying mining district and is now locating in Tegucigalpa, which is the most inaccessible of all the Central American capitals:

There are no railroads. It is a hundred miles from the Pacific Coast and five days on mule back from the Atlantic, but as a member of the American Red Cross I am desirous of doing more work than I have had the opportunity to do before, so I am very glad to get here,

where I can get in touch with you again direct and do something for my country.

"It is only one amongst hundreds of letters, all of which point a very plain moral. The writers are provided at last with the outlet they so eagerly desired.

Our Home Service and Civilian Relief," continued Mr. Cutler, "has brought the spirit of usefulness and goodwill close to the hearts of many people.

"Porto Ricans, who have left their families to enter military service, have found that their homes were well cared for and every emergency met, through this department. From end to end the island is now dotted with branches of the Red Cross, each rendering helpful service to the families whose men are absent. In all our island territories similar service is also rendered.

"There are a large number of soldiers in our army who have families living in other countries, such as Greece, Italy, and even China. All of them are cared for through our Division, and many requests for aid are being received. In England and Ireland also many people are being cared for in this way. Through our Home Service we are even reaching places so remote that in one case it takes four months for a letter to be delivered. Homes buried in rough mountain trails have been visited when our assistance has been called for. It is interesting to think that in such distant places people are grasping the outstretched, friendly hand of this Division. From Norway and Sweden to the tropics, Home Service calls are received, and it is gratifying to know that we can be of help.

"In case of disaster, like the typhoon at Guam, the cable can, if necessary, immediately place our assistance at the disposal of the authorities.

"In the situation which is rapidly developing